For this year’s Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas, Mopar is making the Ram Power Wagon more macho. Literally. It’s going to show off its Ram Macho Power Wagon.
Taking inspiration from the Power Wagon trim level of the same name from the 1970s, Mopar designers upped the truck’s off-road capabilities. They lifted it by four inches, bolted on a new front bumper with winch, winch guard, and tow hooks, then stuffed 37″ x 12.5″ Nitto Trail Grappler MT tires mounted on concept 18-inch beadlock wheels underneath. The Macho Mango body is accented with one-piece Mopar concept running boards and upsized concept fender flares. Silver skid plates brighten up the front and rear ends. A 21-inch light bar and roof-mounted LED clearance lights illuminate the trails ahead.
For carrying big outdoor toys, the Macho Power Wagon concept’s bed is equipped with a Satin Black sliding RamRack. According to Ram, “The Ram Rack is designed to neatly slide up and stow under the cab’s sail panel when not in use. The bed rack works in concert with a RamRack roof system that locks down items with six unique tie downs.”
The Macho Power Wagon’s cabin comes with Macho Mango accents in various spots, including the Ram steering wheel logo, side door panels, and HVAC vent surrounds.
Engineers kept the regular production Power Wagon’s 6.4-liter Hemi/six-speed auto combo in place, but added a Mopar cold-air intake to the engine. Concept black powder-coated five-inch Mopar exhaust tips make the big V8 sound more – you guessed it – macho.
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.
