Concept rig has Ram’s new 3.0-liter EcoDiesel under the hood, a fridge and gas-powered stove in the bed, and a tent and solar panel up top.
It’s almost that time of year again, when automakers and aftermarket companies fill the Las Vegas Convention Center with outrageously modified vehicles and cool new parts. One of the many vehicles on display there November 5-8 will be this Swiss Army knife of a vehicle, the Ram “Off the Grid” (OTG) concept. TFLoffroad details all of the things about it that make us wish we could take it far into the wilderness.
It’s based on a Mojave Sand 2020 Ram 1500 Rebel with the new 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V6 that delivers 260 horsepower and 480 lb-ft of torque. That sits behind a new grille. The front bumper is also new and contains auxiliary lighting and a front winch, making the OTG look like a baby Power Wagon.
Ram gave the OTG a two-inch lift and used the extra space to install a set of bead-lock wheels and 35-inch tires. According to TFLoffroad, “A set of rock rails has been added for protection and they double as steps for convenience.” A snorkel exits out of the front passenger-side fender.
Above the cab, there’s a row of lights in front of the cargo rack, which is topped with an off-road jack, a tent, and a solar panel to keep the OTG truly…well…off the grid.
To give their show truck an even better departure angle, Ram fitted the OTG with the rear bumper from a 1500 Tradesman. TFLoffroad says, “That’s the same reason why the rear exhaust has been relocated.” Behind the multifunction tailgate is a cache of equipment designed to help overlanders “rough it” in the smoothest way possible, including a refrigerator, gas-powered stove, and a water supply. There’s also an air compressor for airing the OTG’s 35s back up once it’s time to leave the rocky trails and head back to civilization.
There’s a big “but” to all of this goodness. Not only is the OTG a concept, but so are all of the Mopar parts on it. According to TFLoffroad, “Ram puts these concepts out to basically judge consumer reaction.” That means if enough people make it clear to Ram that they should, at the very least, offer these parts on the Rebel, they just might do it. We’ll be the first to say they should.
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
