Ram Truck has hopped ahead of competitors with new torque and payload ratings for its 2015-model Heavy Duty pickups, and continues the highest mpg claim in light-duty pickups with its V-6 EcoDiesel, according to the division’s top executive. 

"Ram maintains leadership throughout its pickup line by offering best-in-class fuel efficiency with our Ram 1500 EcoDiesel at 28 mpg, best-in-class towing at 30,000 pounds, best-in-class power at 865 pound-feet, and best-in-class payload at 7,390 pounds with our Ram 3500," said Bob Hegbloom, head of the Ram Truck brand within Chrysler Group. 

Working with Cummins, engineers came up with a more aggressive fuel delivery and turbo boost calibration to the 6.7-liter inline 6-cylinder diesel to produce an additional 15 pound-feet of torque, or 865 maximum, he said. This is 5 pound-feet more than Ford’s latest PowerStroke V-8 rating, though the Ford diesel still has 55 more horsepower than the strongest Cummins Turbo Diesel rating of 385. 

The ’15-model Ram 3500 with a 6.4-liter Hemi gasoline V-8 has the best payload of 7,390 pounds, thanks to a 100-pound increase in its gross vehicle weight rating, to 13,800 pounds, Hegbloom said. With the Cummins diesel, the Ram 3500’s tow rating continues at 30,000 pounds, more than a ton higher than a Ford F-350’s rating, but about a ton less than an F-450’s. 

Last month Ram objected to Ford’s comparison of its F-450 with a Ram 3500, claiming Ford had down-rated its F-450 simply to put it in the same GVW class of 14,000 pounds. And “Ram is the only automaker to back its heavy-duty towing claims using SAE J2807 testing criteria,” it said in a statement released this morning. 

Ford said it used the SAE procedure for its latest F-150 tow claims and will for next-generation SuperDuty pickups, but for now uses its own respected procedure. 

Ram 2500 and 3500 Heavy Duty pickup trucks are assembled at Chrysler Group’s Saltillo Truck Assembly Plant in Coahuila, Mexico. Ram 1500s are assembled in Warren, Mich.