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History
1981 -1993
The
1981 pickups were the first to sport the Ram name.
Dodge actually used a Ram's head hood ornament back in 1933
to characterize its trucks as rugged vehicles.
Designations
- "D"
for two-wheel-drive trucks and
- "W"
to signify four-wheel-drive trucks.
- 150
meant half ton, 250 meant three-quarter ton and 350 meant
one ton
Configurations
As before, Dodge's pickups could be had in a variety of cab
and bed configurations.
Features
- Less
weight
- More
resistant to rust
- Aggressive
demeanor with slightly bulging fenders
1982
- Ram D150 Miser, a vehicle aimed at those who needed a
pickup truck but wanted decent fuel mileage.
1983
- A four-wheel-drive version of the Miser debuted for 1983
1984
- The Miser name was dropped. The new D100 and W100 series
trucks essentially took its place, having the same powertrain
configurations as the '83 Miser.
1985
- Power Ram was made more user-friendly to allow shifting
in and out of the four-wheel-drive mode while traveling as
fast as 55 mph.
1986-
A new grille with four large rectangular openings marked the
1986 Ram pickups.
1987
- It brought minor refinements for the Ram. New textured switches
for the power windows and door locks allowed operation by
their feel. Six cylinder models used hydraulic clutch that
reduced reduced effort, noise and vibration from this component.
1988
- Electronic fuel injection was introduced in 1988. In addition
to this, the luxurious LE, debuted this year.
1989
- New and improved engines were the big news for 1989.
1990
- Availability of the Cummins turbodiesel engine was increased
for 1990, allowing more buyers to enjoy this powerful workhorse.
1991
- An overdue facelift took place in 1991, highlighted by a
larger grille with Dodge's now signature cross-hair design,
and wide lower bodyside moldings.
1992
- Serious power boosts and new transmissions debuted in this
year.
1993
- The last year of this generation, 1993, saw the 5.9-liter
V8 catch up to its smaller siblings with the adoption of sequential
multipoint fuel injection, more horsepower (now at 230 ponies)
and the Magnum name.
1994
-2001
1994
- A new Ram was introduced in this year and had rugged
looks, powerful engine lineup and car-like interior.
1995
-1995 saw the debut of a Club Cab version of the new Ram.
1996
- Mechanical upgrades continued in the year 1996
1997
- Company added detail refinements to its popular Ram pickups
for this year. A few new options and features increased the
luxury factor of the big trucks.
1998
- The Quad Cab debuted in 1998 and was basically a Club Cab
fitted with reverse-hinged rear doors to allow easier ingress/egress
for rear-seat passengers as well as easier loading/unloading
of cargo
1999
- Changes included
- Increased horse power
- Slightly revised graphics for the Sport package
- One-touch-down feature for the driver window
2000
- A rugged Off-Road 4X4 package for Ram 1500 four-wheel-drive
pickups was introduced for in the year 2000.
2001-
The eighth and last year of the second-generation Ram saw
no changes.
Current
Generation
Dodge's
completely revamped 2002 Ram 1500 but retained the styling
that helped make the previous generation so endearing to truck
enthusiasts.
Changes
were made in the
- Cab styles and the
- Engines
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