2025 Ram HD Diesel Copies Trick Feature From Land Speed Record Holder
Back in 2001, Banks Performance created a side draft intake manifold for its Dakota racer, and today, that same tech is used in the 2025 Ram HD.
In the automotive world, certain technologies tend to be developed by different companies, who then aim to protect those ideas with patent filings. This is a super competitive space, of course, which means that constant innovation is necessary to stay ahead of the competition, and as such, it isn’t often that we see companies freely share ideas with each other. However, a couple of decades ago, Banks Performance did precisely that with diesel engine maker Cummins – and the result is a pretty nifty feature in the 2025 Ram HD with the brand new 6.7-liter diesel.
In this short clip from Banks Performance, we’re told the story of the side draft intake manifold present on the 2025 Ram HD equipped with the new Cummins diesel powerplant, which was originally designed by the aftermarket outfit way back in 2001. Then, Banks created the side draft manifold for its Dodge Dakota land speed racer – dubbed “Sidewinder” – in conjunction with Cummins – two years before the common rail was available.
Turns out, Banks discovered that a side draft intake manifold helped improve air flow distribution across the intake ports, which is how the now-famous Big Hoss came to be. It helped the Dakota’s 5.9-liter Cummins diesel churn out 735 horsepower, and propelled it to a two-way average speed of 217.306 mph at the iconic Bonneville Salt Flats. The Dakota even managed to tow its own equipment trailer to that historic site, where it proceeded to reset the FIA record for World’s Fastest Diesel Pickup.
As one might imagine, that impressive feat attracted its fair share of attention from a lot of folks – including Cummins itself. The engine maker asked Banks if it could use the idea for the side draft intake on a production engine, and the tuner obliged. Fast forward 20 years, and now, there is indeed a side draft intake manifold on the 2025 Ram 1500 diesel, but of course, those that have a common rail 5.9 can also upgrade to the Banks Big Hoss.
Owners of 6.7-liter Cummins models can also utilize the Big Hoss on their diesels, with a few minor mods, or they can also opt for the Banks Monster Ram, which will get them about as close as possible to the airflow turbo response and fuel efficiency of a side draft setup – and it’s 50-state emissions compliant, to boot.
Photos: Banks Performance
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