2012 Ram 1500 Tradesman & Express Give Best in Class Bang For Less Bucks
The 2012 Ram Tradesman is the most capable 1500 on the market, Express lineup expands
by Patrick Rall
The Chrysler Group has announced some changes to their Ram Truck brand lineup that makes the 2012 Ram 1500 the most powerful half ton pickup on the market. And with new options for the low priced Express and Tradesman models, the 2012 Ram offers more options for their entry level, Hemi-powered pickups.
While the majority of the Ram 1500 pickup family remains the same (other
than a slight price increase across the board), Chrysler has introduced
the 2012 Ram 1500 Tradesman Heavy Duty – a work truck offering best in
class towing and hauling measures. Also, the cost effective 2012 Ram
1500 Express has expanded from being strictly a regular cab pickup to
offer the larger club and quad cab options for the sporty, Hemi powered
pickup.
goal of the Ram Truck brand was to offer a Hemi powered pickup that
could do everything that the high end Ram 1500s could, but without the
high price of trimlines like the Ram Sport or Laramie. The company
expected that there was a market for those who wanted the power of the new Hemi in the Ram 1500
without costly luxury items like leather bucket seats or a sunroof. The target market for the Tradesman was the small
time contractor or do-it-yourselfer who needs the power of the Hemi in a
truck that can be used for the rough and tumble working world.
So for
2012, the Ram 1500 Tradesman gets a new towing capacity that makes it
the most powerful truck in the class. Helping achieve this feat is the fact that Ram uses the same frame for the Tradesman that they use for the 3/4-ton Ram 2500 Heavy Duty. Some of the benefits include increased steel gauges, heavy-duty axles and eight-lug wheels.
The 2012 Tradesman offers a towing capacity of 11,500lbs and a max
hauling rating of 3,100lbs – making it the most capable truck in the
half ton class. For comparison, the Ford F150 offers a max towing
rating of 11,300lbs while the most powerful half ton truck from General
Motors can pull just 10,700lbs. When it comes to hauling, the F150 can
haul just 3,060lbs while the strongest GM half ton will haul only
1,865lbs.
Best of all, in addition to being the most capable truck in
the segment, the Tradesman is also among the least expensive, carrying a
starting price of $22,340. The only downside to the powerful new Ram
Tradesman is that it is only offered with the two wheel drive, a regular
cab and the 8 foot bed choice.
The other big adjustment to the 2012 Ram 1500 lineup is the addition of
the Club Cab and Quad Cab options to the low priced Express trimline.
The Express was introduced for the 2011 model year as only a regular cab
model with the 6 foot bed, but it allowed those who wanted a full sized
pickup with Hemi power for a low price. The Express continues that trend, with the 2012 Ram 1500 Express
starting at just $23,080. The 2012 Express Club Cab and Quad Cab see
their prices jump quite a bit, with the Quad Cab starting at $28,050
while the Club Cab starts at $30,210.
Does the Ram 1500 Express and Tradesman offer the best bang for the buck in their class? Shout out in the Forums!