Nineties Dodge Ramcharger Might Be the ‘Last Real’ SUV Ever Made: Wicked Wednesday
Red 1993 Dodge Ramcharger marked the end of an era, and this all-original beauty might be the best example left in the world.
Ah, the SUV. This ubiquitous vehicle is now parked in nearly every driveway in America. And in most cases, it is used to drive to an office, drop the kids off at soccer practice and maybe swing by Starbucks on the way. The point is that the whole purpose of an SUV has changed over the last few decades and with it so has the SUV itself. Most are based on a car platform using unibody construction and are maybe lifted slightly for that rugged look. Back in the day the SUV was for working. Real working. In the woods type of working. They were not comfortable or efficient. If you bought an SUV, you typically NEEDED an SUV. The 1993 Dodge Ramcharger is the perfect example of that old school type of SUV. It is also one of the last examples.
This week’s “Wicked Wednesday” is all about this 1993 Dodge Ramcharger. By the time this SUV was built it was already a bit of a relic. Buyers still wanted their SUV to look tough, but what they really wanted was a car with a bit more ground clearance. So, working beasts like this Ramcharger were no longer needed and put out to pasture. Doug DeMuro recently posted a video on his YouTube channel reviewing the last and perhaps greatest example of the old school SUV. This Dodge is not just wicked. But staying with our alliteration theme it is a worker, whimsical and wonderful.
Canyonero
Where are The Simpsons fans? Surely you are familiar with the Canyonero. If you aren’t then start Googling right now. The Canyonero was the fictional SUV used in the show that represented the hard-working, old-school SUV. In the show there is even a song written about it. And the lyrics begin with: Can you name the truck with four-wheel drive, smells like a steak and seats thirty-five? Canyonero! Canyonero! That is a tough SUV and that is the 1993 Dodge Ramcharger. Consider this. This episode of the show aired only a couple years after this Ramcharger was built. And the Ramcharger in the video is the top line Canyon Sport edition. Canyon Sport, Canyonero, you see what they did there? You can’t convince us that the show didn’t draw at least some inspiration from the 1993 Ramcharger.
1993 Dodge Ramcharger
Animated sitcoms aside, the 1993 Ramcharger is exceptionally cool for a number of reasons. First of all, the Ramcharger barely evolved during its lifetime. It got a moderate update for 1981 but other than that it stayed stuck in the 70’s. Looking at the inside and outside of this SUV you would be surprised that it was made as recently as 1993. A Jeep Grand Cherokee of the same vintage looks way more modern and of course rides and drives much better than this Ramcharger. But the Ramcharger is just an honest, hard-working rig. It doesn’t give a crap if the ride is so bouncy it will make you spill your Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino all over yourself. You should not be drinking that anyway. You drive this SUV, and you drink black coffee. End of story.
On the Road
Driving a 1993 Dodge Ramcharger is not like driving a modern SUV. You can expect about 12 mpg and even with the upgraded 5.9L V8 engine the SUV is slow as that engine is only good for about 200 horsepower. This SUV was simply not designed to work on modern roads. And that is another reason why it is so cool. People beep and wave and take pictures of this rig as it rolls down the interstate. Everyone respects what this thing is and what it represents. By every objective measure this is a terrible SUV to drive. By every subjective measure it is a wonderful SUV to drive.
Beautiful Example
The Ramcharger in the video is likely the nicest remaining example anywhere in the world. It was purchased from the family of the original owner. There are all sorts of paperwork accompanying this SUV, even the original window sticker. If you love these old Ramchargers as much as we do then this video is going to make your day. Enjoy.
Join the Dodge Forums now!
