Ram Trucks Australia has announced the release of their latest model, the Ram 1500 Big Horn. This beauty is set to take over as the new “starting point to Ram ownership” once the older DS model stocks are cleared.
The price for the Big Horn starts at $119,950 before on-road costs, making it a tad pricier than the older DS Express ute, which is still available for a drive-away price of $98,950.
Despite this, the Big Horn is still the most affordable option in the latest ‘DT’ series, rivaling the entry-level Ford F-150 XLT (starting at $106,950) and the higher-spec Chevrolet Silverado LTZ Premium (priced at $121,000).
New RAM truck option for an extra $1000 – a longer Big Horn with a larger bed at $120,950 (plus on-roads). Bed size now goes from 5’7″ to 6’4″!
Compared to the existing DT-series 1500 Laramie, the Big Horn has less fancy exterior lighting and smaller 8.4-inch infotainment system. It also has cloth upholstery and less USB ports.
Smaller 18-inch wheels, non-power tailgate, and black side mirror caps, but no wireless phone charger. Manually adjustable seating, six-speaker audio system, manual air conditioning, and no automatic high beam.
Ram vehicles in Australia may not have a crucial safety feature that could save your life! The Big Horn model lacks the potentially life-saving autonomous emergency braking technology found in the Laramie version.
Despite being converted to right-hand drive by Walkinshaw Automotive in Melbourne, the Aussie Ram vehicles still use international specs. To make matters worse, the active safety package available in the US-spec 1500 Big Horn has not been selected for Aussie models.
On the upside, the Big Horn does retain a powerful 5.7-liter Hemi petrol V8 under the bonnet, with a whopping 291kW and 556Nm. With an eight-speed automatic transmission and a 48-volt mild-hybrid system, its combined fuel consumption is rated at 12.2L/100km.
Newsflash: Ram 1500 maintains its towing power!
With a braked towing capacity of 4.5 tonnes, it’s right up there with other full-size utes on the market. And the numbers don’t lie – 3979 Ram 1500s have been sold this year in Australia, while Chevy Silverado only sold 1119.
The ‘re-manufactured’ Ford F-150 is making its way to Australia this September, and the Toyota Tundra is expected to join the party in 2024. And if you’re in the market for a Ram 1500, there’s now an entry-level Big Horn available, along with the mid-spec Laramie Sport which comes with a RamBox storage solution and extra features.
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