Mega, indeed: Dodge launches an even bigger Ram

[BMWDave]

Mega, indeed: Dodge launches an even bigger Ram
WES RAYNAL
Posted Date: 8/31/05
2006 DODGE RAM MEGA CAB 2WD
ON SALE: Now
BASE PRICE: $32,760
POWERTRAIN: 5.7-liter, 345-hp, 375-lb-ft V8; rwd, five-speed automatic
CURB WEIGHT: 6179 lbs
0 TO 60 MPH: n/a
FUEL MILEAGE: (EPA COMBINED): 16 mpg

You say your Dodge Ram Quad Cab, all 20 feet of it, simply isn?t big enough? Help is on the way.

According to Dodge, the new Ram Mega Cab boasts a number of ?bests,? or at least ?biggests,? in its class: largest cab, most interior cargo volume, most cargo volume behind the rear seat, most second-row legroom... you get the idea.

Creating the Mega Cab doesn?t sound that difficult: Dodge took a Ram Quad Cab with an eight-foot bed, replaced that with a six-foot bed, and extended the cab roughly two feet. Voil? , the Mega Cab in all its 6000-plus pounds of glory.

That?s the how. What about the why? Officials say Dodge created the Mega Cab because four-door quad-cab pickups are gaining in popularity, accounting for nearly 40 percent of a 2.7-million unit truck market, up from 8 percent five years ago. Dodge felt it didn?t really have a true quad cab, more like an extended cab with four doors, and it wanted to take advantage of that increase.


The Mega Cab comes in 1500, 2500 and 3500 models, and all are built on the Ram Heavy Duty platform. Dodge?s 5.9-liter Cummins turbo?diesel (325 hp, 610 lb-ft) is available on the 2500 and standard on the 3500. The 5.7-liter Hemi (345 hp, 375 lb-ft) is standard on the 1500 and 2500.

Driving this beast is like driving most other huge pickups. You climb way up to the cab, and the ride is stiff but not overly so, just big, heavy-duty-truck stiff. Suspension is independent in front (coil springs and gas shocks) on two-wheel-drive models, live axle on 4wd models (4x4s start at $35,980), with a live axle in the back. Stopping power comes from four-wheel discs with four-wheel ABS. It is no rocket ship, but the Hemi is more than adequate, and the Cummins turbodiesel?s oodles of torque should be just the ticket next time you want to climb up the side of a building.

And there really is a ton of room inside, enough to seat seemingly dozens of people (six in reality, quite comfortably), with a limo-esque 44 inches of legroom in the back seat.

Do you want one? It?s a stretch (get it?) for everyday use. But if you have a boat to haul and want to take five friends to the lake with you in comfort, this could be your ride.

[Raza]

Considering how many people buy Ridgelines without ever dreaming of using the bed, this seems like a good idea.  

[ifcar]

The standard Ram crew cab lacks rear seat room, they should just call it an extended cab with real doors and leave the crew cab designation to this.  

[giant_mtb]

They should just stop making cars bigger and bigger...they obviously haven't forseen gas price rises while developing these vehicles...

[Tom]

It will sell well, that's the point.  Extended and crew cabs are a relatively new thing and Dodge is just taking advantage of its popularity.

[280Z Turbo]

They should just stop making cars bigger and bigger...they obviously haven't forseen gas price rises while developing these vehicles...

Some people need these monster trucks. Contruction workers, lanscapers, etc.

We're going to see fewer cowboy wanna-bes buying huge pickups and...ugh <_< ...lifting them.

[ifcar]

All it will take to ease concerns is prices easing back down from their new Katrina-related positions. There isn't going to be a huge sales decline IMO.

[Tom]

Pretty soon we will become accostom to paying almost 3 bucks for a gallon of gas I'm afraid.  It's a matter of time before the mood shifts from bitching/opposing prices to accepting them.

[thewizard16]

It's already hard enough to park a Ram Quad Cab, Tundra Double, or Titan in a parking space, how the heck are you going to maneuver that?  

[TBR]

My dad always managed to park his much longer F-250 without much problem, and this thing should have a much tighter turning radius.

[thewizard16]

My dad always managed to park his much longer F-250 without much problem, and this thing should have a much tighter turning radius.

Is the F-250 longer than this new Mega thing?

[TBR]

Actually it is likely the same length, we have a Supercab with the 8 ft bed. The turning radius, on the otherhand, is definitely much larger.

[thewizard16]

Actually it is likely the same length, we have a Supercab with the 8 ft bed. The turning radius, on the otherhand, is definitely much larger.

Geesh. I take it you have a decent garage?