SEMA 2008: Dodge Rams its new truck down our throats

[Intrepidation]

We noticed that the Chrysler Group is pretty excited about the Challenger after visiting the Mopar Underground display at SEMA this year. We are too, but it's not just Challengers on display in Vegas. There are also a handful of custom '09 Dodge Ram pickups here, as well. We previewed these four Ram truck concepts recently, all tuned by the automaker's in-house Mopar Underground division. Seeing the trucks in person gave us a better understanding and appreciation of each. Where we previously only had sketches and descriptions, now we have live shots and a sense of these pickups' grandeur.

The bright yellow Dodge Ram TRXtreme looks a little less aggressive than the official sketch, but more than capable of tackling the artificial dirt mound set up in the booth. The blue-with-black-stripes Dodge Ram R/T is based on the '09 Ram Sport and looks like a good hauler for a race-spec Challenger. Actually, it looks like it could keep up with a Challenger. The Ram Sportsman, meanwhile, was the one with the "blowing leaves" camouflage paint job, which was so effective that we couldn't find it anywhere in Dodge's display. Last, but definitely not least is the Dodge Ram Mopar Street Package (above). It features a special Mopar Underground body kit with side sill extensions and a chin spoiler, a slight drop in ride height, 22-inch Mopar wheels and a dual-snorkel hood. This 4-door street machine is the one we'd most like to park outside our garage. Full details of each are in the press release after the jump and lots of live, high-res pics in the gallery below.

Autoblog

Edited November 7, 2008 by Dodgefan

[balthazar]

I was whoring around over at Dodge.com recently, drooling over those RamBox bedside boxes. Fantastic: I would use the F'ing hell out of those things. Also love the bed divider system.... no wonder Japan Inc gave up in the truck department.

[Intrepidation]

I think the Rambox is also brilliant. It actually has useful space unlike the Titan's storage, and you can get to it even if you have stuff in the bed, unlike the Ridgeline.

[Robert Hall]

That silver blue 2dr concept is sweet...love the Challenger style hood scoops..

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

I was whoring around over at Dodge.com recently, drooling over those RamBox bedside boxes. Fantastic: I would use the F'ing hell out of those things. Also love the bed divider system.... no wonder Japan Inc gave up in the truck department.

Yeah, they're not INNOVATIVE enough to make it in that segment... I mean, after all, it is Japan Inc. All they do is steal designs, improve on them, then blow everyone in the media to get the presses rolling with good PR.

As for the trucks, the black one is the best option IMO.