Auto tested more than 80 cars in 2024. As is tradition, we re-publish our twelve favourite tests of the year as our Best Tests daily through December. Then we present three Auto Special Awards in Best EV, Best Bakkie and Performance car of the year 2024. And then we choose the Top 3 Best Tests, before we announce Best Test 2024 on 1 January 2025. So come back for your daily Auto entertainment everyday through your holidays!
Auto Best Tests 2024 #7: RAM 2500 Laramie 4×4 US Trucks RHD
Right-hand drive switched RAM 2500 an incredible ride
As they say in the classics, and now for something completely different! Well from a South African point of view anyway. Enter the RAM 2500 Laramie, a right-hand drive-converted US Truck that you can buy and drive right now in South Africa. First things first, this is not a bakkie. It’s a truck! In fact you’ll need to upgrade to a code ten licence to drive it.
Anyway, US Trucks is a Richards Bay KZN-based company specializing in importing and selling American vehicles including RAM Pick-Up Trucks into South Africa. Surprisingly to most, Its nothing new. US Trucks has been importing and converting new RAM Trucks and selling them is SA for almost 20 years now. It’s been a very well-kept secret for far too long too, but now the company vows to expand its market as it opens up to reach a broader clientele.
Its 6.7-litre turbodiesel is just a tiny part of it
Our first contact with a full-seized RAM in South Africa, this really is a monster truck. To say it’s imposing, would short change the beast. The RAM 2500 gives new meaning to XXXXL. Slab sided and even more immense in this one’s Stellenbosch white, that chrome truck grille and a big, bright badge to RAM it home between imposing delay auto on-off Halogen DRL headlamps, quite simply tells anyone within sight of the thing who’s the boss. And it backs that impression up with an quite exquisite repertoire.
Powered by a 6.7-litre intercooled turbodiesel Cummins OHV straight-six it turns a selectable dual-range 4×4 system vis a slick-shifting intelligent 6-speed automatic gearbox. The 2500 has front and rear multi-link suspension with speed sensitive power re-circulating ball steering and four wheel-wheel disc brakes. But that’s just a small part of this story.
It’s when you figure that those dwarfed polished aluminium wheels are 20-inch big in 285/60 SR 20E rubber that would make any other bakkie look like a cartoon character, that the real RAM 2500 penny starts to drop. This one’s only the middle of the range and only has single rear wheels. US Trucks will also happily sell you a full-sized RHD ‘duallie’ RAM 3500 with its real truck twin rear wheels each side.
Yes son, that’s why you call this a truck!
Weighing in at 3.5 tonnes, it’s about as heavy as an average top-end EV. But it’ll pack a 1,000 kg load in its 1.9 metre long 1.25-odd m wide and half-metre deep 1,720-litre cargo box to muster a 4,500 kg gross vehicle weight. That’s just a tonne payload, you say? Well that’s not quite the point here. See, think Yellowstone, cowboy and towing horses ten at a time and we start getting to the point. The RAM 2500 is trailer rated to eight-thousand one-hundred and seventy-eight kilos. Or that side of 12.5-tonnes worth of gross combined loaded truck and trailer weight. Yes son, that’s why you call this a truck!
To accommodate that, the 2500 is 6 metres and some change long, 2.03 metres wide and just over 2 metres tall. The bonnet stands taller than an average sedan. The regular-height pump jockey was upset that he could not reach the windscreen to clean it! Riding on a 3.8 m wheelbase, the RAM has 1.74 m front and 1.73 m rear tracks. And a 7.4 metre turning radius. To put that into better context, a new Ford Ranger V6 Wildtrak is 5.37 m long 1.9 m wide, and 1.8 m tall on a 3.2 m wheelbase…
Which means this massive automatic dual zone climate controlled cabin has more than 3,500 litres of party space for its five passengers. Speaking of which, the driver and front passenger get heated and ventilated simulated suede-leather trim power 8-way, plus 2-way lumbar adjustable seats with centre armrests. A 60-40 split-folding rear bench has adjustable head restraints and the Laramie gets carpet floor mats front and rear, and a cloth headliner.
RAM 2500 Laramie is splendidly equipped
There’s leather cladding for its easy-to-figure multi-function leather manual tilting steering wheel. It lacks a telescoping function. But that’s more than made up by adjustable pedals. While we are on about the steering wheel, it and voice will activate latest Uconnect 5 LCD monitor infotainment that sits pride of place on the monster-wide dash.
It has speed sensitive volume 10-speaker SiriusXM audio with 360L AM, FM, HD and satellite data radio. Add 2-phone Bluetooth wireless connectivity and external digital memory control. Add an integrated navigation system. Regular button temperature and secondary controls are usefully stacked around the large portrait LCD screen. What else would you expect from a practical cowboy truck, whatever the woke rest of the car world is getting up to with its idiot infotainment solutions these days?
Anyway, the RAM 2500 Laramie really is fully equipped. Smart analogue instrumentation includes the speedo and tachometer each side of a neat colour digital multi-info display that’s easy to use via left-steering stalk buttons. Add oil pressure and engine temp gauges, a voltmeter and even an engine hour meter with maintenance reminder. Plus low fuel and tyre pressure warning, a clock, a compass and outside temperature displays, three 120V AC and two 12V DC power outlets.
Monster RAM makes bakkies seem irrelevant
There’s also blind spot warning and rear ParkSense, and rain detecting variable intermittent wipers for its deep tint driver and passenger express up and down power windows all round. And illuminated access is keyless via 2-stage fob activation too.
The big RAM’s huge centre console simply gobbles up anything you carry into the car. Even large items that would instantly become a challenge to stow in a Hilux or Ranger. Add a giant locking glove box, sizable driver and passenger door bins with front and rear reading lights, a lit glove box and illuminated beverage holders. A mini overhead console sits near the dome light, garage door transmitter, sunroof controls and auto-dimming rear-view mirror. And between the sun visors with illuminated driver and passenger vanity mirror.
Talking mirrors, the compound elephant-ear LED turn signal wing mirrors feature double lenses to keep an eye on rear traffic and your trailer at the same time. You need to remember them, because they stick pretty far out, but nudge gently, safely and easily back if you happen to bump them.
A Proudly South African US Truck conversion
Which leads us to the Richards Bay right-hand drive conversion. Well, to be perfectly honest, had you not told us it was a local hatchet job and just let us get on with it, we’d never have noticed. There’s no tangible sign that it’s an aftermarket effort. There were no rattles at all on this albeit low-mileage unit. And there’s no real sign that something does not fit or belong. In fact, the only issue we noticed was a RAM factory one. We struggled to pull the seat belts out. That’s it. A brilliant effort, to be honest. Proudly South African, too.
So how does this behemoth RAM 2500 drive? Let alone park and handle and manoeuvre narrow colonial roads, parking and spaces designed around tiny European and Eastern tin boxes? First off, its 6.7-litre intercooled turbodiesel Cummins OHV straight-six churns out 272 kW kilowatts at 2,800 rpm and 1,150, yes, you read that right, one-thousand one-hundred and fifty Newton metres at 1,700 rpm. In one word, it’s a peach. You immediately notice it’s will to run, instant throttle response and immense grunt.
Then you lift… Wait, whats that noise? Sounds like a truck slowing on the J-brake? Well, it its! Built primarily for towing, the RAM 2500 has a retarder, just like a big truck. It growls gently to keep the behemoth in check on the overrun, in braking and down any given incline. And man, does that add presence. So not only is this giant right up there among the quickest ever turbodiesel double cabs we have ever tested, but its braking data also is smack in the DC ballpark too.
RAM 2500 shockingly agile on and off road
On the road, the 2500 is shockingly agile. Of course, you need to be aware of your surroundings, but it’s not really all that much more difficult to drive around the village than it is in a regular DC. Of course, parallel parking can be a challenge. But then this is a truck, and there’s the loading zone. Staggered parking bays are also surprisingly easy, but it can take a bit of three-point turning to get this monster into a driveway or garage bay big enough to accept it.
The turning circle can be a challenge, but no more than a Cruiser or even some regular 4×4 double cabs. But really, it isn’t that much of an issue in the city. Remember, even heavy trucks get by in town. So this one’s really not that big a deal! Fuel consumption? RAM claims 9.5 l/100 km combined. Which is quite astounding for this beast. We were running in the mid 12s in general driving. Which is not all that bad, mind you. We’d still get 1.000 kilos on a tank. Try that in an EV!
And then we took it off road. Our village has a communication hub up on top of a nearby mountain that was once easily accessible in a regular 4×4 bakkie. But no more. The Cape storms have lashed and ruined the road, making it quite a 4×4 challenge. It’s tight for a Hilux, so this would be a real test. The immense articulation at the foot of the pass also urged us to immediately and easily electronically select 4×4 at the touch of the button. It never needed more than that.
We took it up the Mountain? What mountain!
True, its took a 3-point turn or two to get up. But then most bakkies must also do so to get up there. And we had to keep a close eye on those mirrors and remember its extreme length on concreted middelmannetjies further up the col. Besides that, mountain? What mountain! 2500 made mincemeat of it. We dropped it to 4×4 low, which required us to stop, pull it back to neutral on the big, clunky steering wheel gear lever to select it to go back down. That gave us better control on the descent. No need for sissy-boy HDC here!
We also noticed a few special little traits on that treacherous trek. For instance how well sorted and trail-rated this monster is. Small but crucial traits discovered over decades of R&D, trial and error complete a superb, sorted and safe driving environment, no matter what the terrain. Some rural dirt roads later brought the best out of a chassis tuned so well on that surface for so long. But then its heft does matter there. We never had the chance to tow test in our short time with it, but quite frankly, did we need to? Every cowboy in the American Midwest is testament to the RAM 2500’s towing ability.
Sure, it’s expensive in the local realm at R3,2 million all-in after import, conversion and duties. But that’s also about what you’d pay for another average useless woke EV that’s never going to work in this country. And then you’re just another clown prancing around in funny clothes. All in all, the RAM 2500 is one most incredible vehicle. There’s very good reason old John Dutton the third from Yellowstone drives one. He’s the boss. And that’s precisely what this truck makes you look and feel. Which is far more relevant than that EV or silly SUV will ever make you seem.
And then there’s the Code Ten licence you need to drive it. To be honest. I’d do that in a heartbeat to own one of these. Like a boss. – Michele Lupini
Images – Alex Kierod
ROAD TESTED: US Trucks RAM 2500 Laramie 4x4 RHD
Engine: 272 Kw 1,150 Nm 6.2-litre turbodiesel I6
Drive: 6 speed automatic 4x4
Load Capacity: 1,100 kg
Braked Trailer: 3,500 kg
TESTED:
0--60 km/h: 3.73 sec
0-100 km/h: 8.52 sec
0-120 km/h: 11.59 sec
0-160 km/h: 20.48 sec
0-400m: 15.9 sec @ 144 km/h
80-120 km/h: 5.78 sec
120-160 km/h: 8.89 sec
CLAIMED:
VMax: 195 km/h
Fuel: 9.5 l/100 km
CO2: 265 g/km
Range: 1,150 km
Warranty: RAM 3y 60K km
LIST PRICE: R3.2M
How does it shape up?
Check Auto's Test Records now!