The range of locally available RAM trucks have increased for the 2017 model year with the arrival of the new 3500 Laramie that lowers the base price and doesn’t necessitate a truck license to drive.
The reason for this expanded accessibility is the reduced maximum payload of the new entry-level 3500 to 894kg (as opposed to the original’s 1,713kg), letting it fall within the range of legal limits for normal passenger car licence holders.
Apart from this, there’s a new RamBox storage system that’s now an option on the RAM 2500, expected to be a popular selection at the point of purchase. The unit is claimed to be able to store a wide variety of items and is adjustable to better contain cargo of different dimensions more securely and will cost an additional $3,400 over the standard Laramie.
The side tray-style storage solution can swallow up to 243-litres of additional cargo space on either side of the truck’s bed. It also adds a cargo rail system and a bevy of hook points choices.
As was the case before, both the 2500 and 3500 are powered by a 6.7-litre turbo-diesel straight-six motor by Cummins, generating a mountainous 1084Nm of peak torque and 276kW. Mated to it is a six-speed automatic transmission.
2017 RAM 2500
- Laramie - 6-speed auto - $139,500
- Laramie with RamBox - 6-speed auto - $142,900
2017 RAM 3500
- Laramie (894kg max. payload) - $143,900
- Laramie (1,713kg max. payload) - $146,500
