"A hard-working truck for hard-working people."
Three cheers for Ram Truck for announcing a new version of its pickup – the Ram Tradesman, which goes on sale this spring. Instead of marketing a pickup truck as a fashion accessory for Saturday night cowboys, the Tradesman package is named for the people who take a shower after work, not before.
The Tradesman at $22,780, including a $975 destination charge, is said to be a value-priced option package designed for small businesspeople, construction sites and commercial fleets.
Ram Tradesman is actually a Ram 1500 ST trim package with a 390 horsepower and 407 lb. ft. of torque V8 engine and a five-speed automatic transmission.
“This is a hard-working truck for hard-working people,” said Fred Diaz, President and CEO, Ram Truck Brand, Chrysler Group LLC, who likely takes a shower before work.
Also included in the Tradesman package is a Class IV trailer hitch with lighted, above-bumper four- and seven-pin trailer wire connectors. Tradesman can in theory provide best-in-class standard work truck considerable capability, towing as much as 10,450 pounds with all the requisite optional equipment.
Ram Tradesman is offered in either regular cab short-bed (6’, 4”) and long-bed (8’) models, with a choice of 4×2 or 4×4 powertrains. Buyers can also choose vinyl or cloth 40/20/40 split bench seats in dark slate and medium graystone, and either carpeted or vinyl floor coverings.
Other standard equipment includes 160-amp alternator, a full-size 17” spare tire, 26-gallon (short bed) or 32-gallon (long bed) fuel tank, 3.55 rear axle ratio, 700-amp battery, cargo bed lamp, front and rear heavy-duty shock absorbers, front and rear stabilizer bars, halogen headlamps, locking tailgate, rear wheelwell liners, rack and pinion steering, rear dome lamp and a theft-deterrent system.
Standard interior features include air conditioning, a 12-volt auxiliary power outlet, media center with CD and MP3 player and six speakers, an audio jack for mobile devices, automatic headlamps, behind the seat storage, driver and passenger assist handles, tilt steering wheel , tinted glass.
There are also front air bags, side airbags and front airbag curtain, electronic stability control, anti-lock four-wheel disc brakes, front height-adjust shoulder belts and tire-pressure monitoring.
