2014 Ram Power Wagon

2014 Ram Power Wagon is bigger and badder than ever

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More, more, more. That's the philosophy behind the latest Ram Power Wagon. The extra-brawny, Ram 2500-based pickup is back for 2014, and naturally, it's even more extreme than its predecessor.

Like the rest of the Ram 2500 range, for 2014, the Power Wagon adopts the tweaked version of the 6.4-liter Hemi V8 found in SRT's eight-cylinder offerings. A healthy 410 horsepower and 429 pound-feet of torque best the old 5.7-liter Hemi's 383 hp and 400 lb-ft, while standard cylinder deactivation should help fuel economy. A six-speed automatic is the standard and sole transmission.

Those that know the Power Wagon, though, know there's more to this truck than its engine. Ram has increased the size of the American Axle-built rear axle from 10.5 to 11.5 inches with 4.10 gearing. Each axle sports an electronically locking differential. Finally, a manually engaged Borg-Warner transfer case is standard, in order to properly distribute power.

Ram's smaller 1500 is arguably the best-riding pickup on sale, thanks to its modern chassis tuning (and optional air suspension), which does away with old-fashioned leaf springs. Ram has taken a similar path with its bigger offerings, fitting a three-link front and five-link coil rear suspension. Ram is promising a more composed ride regardless of load, thanks to Bilstein monotube shocks at all four corners. That said, Ram hasn't forgotten where the Power Wagon made its name: off road.

The rear suspension setup provides a greater degree of articulation, while the new Articulink system on the front suspension, which includes a front-sway-bar disconnect, should also help with off-road prowess. Fitted with 33-inch Goodyear tires, the Power Wagon benefits from 14.5 inches of ground clearance. It can also handle up to 30 inches of standing water.

But remember: this is first and foremost a work truck, and it's outfitted as such. An electric Warn winch can handle 12,800 pounds, while a class five trailer hitch has been fitted, allowing the Power Wagon to tow up to 10,810 pounds. Off road, the big Ram's suspension work grants it a 34-degree approach angle and a 23.5-degree departure angle, while the breakover angle is 25.5 degrees.

Pricing for the Power Wagon starts at $45,690. That'll net you the base Tradesman version. Move up to the $50,340 SLT trim, and you'll get the red grille inserts, shown above (depending on the exterior color). SLT buyers will also get the look-at-me graphics, LED taillights and LED turn signals. The top-end Laramie starts at $56,015, and adds a chrome grille, a monotone paint scheme with painted wheel arches and polished wheels. The Laramie also offers some significant cabin upgrades, including leather seats. Basically, if you want everyone to know what sort of truck you're driving, buy an SLT. If you want to go under the radar (or as under the radar as a Power Wagon can get), go with the Laramie. Each price includes a $1,195 destination charge.

You can keep an eye open for the Ram Power Wagon during our coverage of the 2014 New York Auto Show, where it'll make its world debut. There's much, much more on the Ram Power Wagon in the big, official press release from Ram below, just after the video on the Power Wagon.

More pictures here... AutoBlog

The gay decals ruin the look.

pup wrote:

The gay decals ruin the look.

Basically the stickers are a Raptor rip-off. With that said, I would hope you could opt for a decal-delete. Either way, IMO, the Power Wagon is a more useable choice than the Raptor.

pup wrote:

The gay decals ruin the look.

Maybe but it is cheaper to remove the decals than add the hardware to a GM truck to be an equivalent off-road truck.

It does look to be one helluva truck. Expensive too. But more practical than the Raptor.

oh shit

bones is getting a new truck

agreed, decals are gay. i'd be shocked if you couldn't get one with out them

Now if only those winning lotto numbers come through.....

Maybe they are hoping the decals are so bad most will opt for the Laramie. I would love to take that truck through its paces.

Breathing Borla wrote:

oh shit

bones is getting a new truck

LOL... That is the first thing to came to my mind as well. You know he will!

DUMBSHITS!
The got it wrong again. Okay, maybe just not as good as it could be.

A few years back, maybe the second of this issue of the Power-Wagon, a guy took the Cummins out of his 2500 and installed it in his Power-Wagon.
It performed as it should; he said it just idled over all obstacles.

I can't understand why they don't offer a Cummins powered one from the factory either.

I thought it had something to do with the front suspension and what not. The tight packaging of the Cummins and transmission would would take away from some of the articulation abilities? Something like that. I could be mistaken though.

Probably don't want to pay out a ton of warranty claims for snapped axles!

IIRC it is due to the intercooler for the Diesel interfering with the winch.

Breathing Borla wrote:

oh shit

bones is getting a new truck

lol, not yet. not into those decals either.Wouldn't mind the new 6.4l though.

I like it, it's interesting that the rear end has coil springs. My Yukon has them and I don't like them for towing.
Bones WILL get the new truck!

TheQuig wrote:

I like it, it's interesting that the rear end has coil springs. My Yukon has them and I don't like them for towing.
Bones WILL get the new truck!

Don't tempt me! Seriously though, now with another new little one (9 wks today), we need a bigger vehicle. The wifes Murano doesn't cut it anymore. Was looking at a left over '13 Durango Citadel with just about all the options but the dealer wasn't giving me what I wanted for the Murano. I'd rather pay off the Murano, keep it for wifes work vehicle and get a Yukon, Tahoe or the like as a family vehicle. Would like to build a pole building first, as I don't want any of those vehicle sitting outside.

Ram had 3 diesel options for the Power Wagon, chose none
6.4 gas burner only, for now.

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Ram has two excellent diesel engines in its pocket right now with the 6.7-liter Cummins I6 and the 3.0-liter Ecodiesel V6, but you won’t find either of them in the company’s go-anywhere Power Wagon. Mike Cairns, head of engineering with Ram Trucks, says the company looked at both options when it came time to build the 2014 Power Wagon, but the company nixed both. Why?


Cummins 6BT

The big Cummins is powerful but terminally heavy. The Power Wagon already weighs over 7000 lbs with its 6.4-liter gasoline V8, and shoving a cast-iron inline-six in the nose wasn’t going to help the truck’s off-road prowess. Throw in the fact that the 6.7 is a long engine, and there wasn’t room for the 12,000-lb Warn winch behind the bumper.


Chrysler/VM Motori Ecodiesel V6

As for the 3.0-liter Ecodiesel, the engine simply wasn’t up to the task of pulling duty in the Power Wagon. Despite legitimate off-road tricks like locking differentials front and rear and an electronic sway bar disconnect, the pickup is still a three-quarter-ton mule, and it needs to offer the kind of tow rating buyers have come to expect from a standard Ram 2500.While the 3.0-liter engine is stout enough for the Ram 1500 line, it simply doesn’t have the muscle for the Power Wagon.


Cummins V8

I also asked Cairns about the 5.0-liter Cummins V8 Nissan and Toyota plan to use in the Titan and Tundra. Ram eyeballed that project for the 2014 Power Wagon. Before the bankruptcy, Chrysler worked with Cummins to develop that engine, and while the packaging is better than the big 6.7, the engine doesn’t offer significant weight savings or power advantages over the gasoline 6.4. By the time all was said and done, the engine would also cost customers as much as the larger inline-six.


So Ram hears your pleas for a diesel Power Wagon, but no such truck is on the horizon. Now you know why.

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