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The roll-out of turbo six-cylinder power in the US has left one last chance to get a new Hemi V8-powered Ram 1500 in its home market: the older ‘DS’ series range now axed in Australia.
The older ‘DS’ series Ram 1500 is poised to live-on in the US – after it was all but phased out in Australia last year – with Hemi V8 power for at least one more year.
It will be the last chance to buy a new Ram 1500 with a V8 engine in its home market as the newer ‘DT’ series Ram 1500 range has switched to turbocharged six-cylinder engines for its facelift, unveiled late last year.
While there is limited stock remaining of the Ram 1500 DS in Australia, the pick-up – which dates back to 2009, and is sold in the US as the Ram 1500 Classic – will soldier on for its 16th year of production with a simplified line-up overseas, according to Motor1.
The turbo six-cylinder versions of the DT-series Ram 1500 are yet to be confirmed for Australia, so all models sold locally retain V8 power – at least for the time being.
Although there is no formal confirmation the V8 will remain in the DS-series Ram 1500 Classic in the US – based on the listings for 2024 model-year versions published in price guides to date – it is highly unlikely the engine would be changed so far into its life cycle.
The Ram 1500 Classic is currently powered by a choice of 227kW 3.6-litre ‘Pentastar’ non-turbo V6 and 295kW 5.7-litre V8 petrol engines.
The 2024 model-year line-up is reportedly planned to include entry-level Tradesman and sports-focused Warlock model, in four-door Crew Cab and Quad Cab bodies.
The Quad Cab body style – which is not available in the final shipment of Ram 1500 DS-series pick-ups brought to Australia – uses three-quarter-length rear passenger doors enabling a larger tray box.
That gives the Quad Cab a 6ft 4in (1.93m) box, with the Crew Cab using a 5ft 7in box (1.70m). It appears North America’s previous 8ft (2.43m) box option will be dumped for 2024.
The Tradesman includes vinyl seating, 17-inch wheels and a reversing camera as standard. Warlock versions add black bumpers and halogen projector headlights, as well as a cloth-covered front bench seat and optional 20-inch wheels.
The Ram 1500 lost bragging rights as the world’s most powerful production petrol pick-up in December 2023 to rival Ford’s F-150 Raptor R, which is not sold in Australia.
The end of the most powerful production pick-up sold in Australia – the 523kW supercharged V8 Ram 1500 TRX – was also announced in 2023.
Ram rival GMSV (General Motors Special Vehicles) offers the Chevrolet Silverado with a 6.2-litre V8 engine in Australia in an updated 2024 line-up.
The Ford F-150 went on sale Down Under in late 2023 as a rival to the Ram, but powered by a 3.5-litre twin-turbo petrol V6.
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