Chicago 2017: Ram 1500 Copper Sport, 2500 Heavy Duty Night Offer New Looks for Desperately Aging Truck
Ram plans to introduce a brace of special edition trucks at the 2017 Chicago Auto Show this week.
A new Copper Sport trim will augment the existing 1500 rim choices and color palette, and Ram will port a popular package from the 1500 to create the new Heavy Duty Night model.
The 2017 Ram Copper Sport slathers an assertive Copper Pearl paint on an otherwise standard Ram 1500 Sport. The Sport’s monochromatic theme is continued with a body-color grille, bumpers, mirror caps, and door handles. Go-Faster stripes adorn the twin-nostriled Sport performance hood, while all the badges — including the Ram’s head grille badge, tailgate markings, and body-side badges — are dipped in inky-black paint. Folks who want the big 22-inch polished aluminum hoops will have to make do with a two-wheel drive model; selecting 4×4 turns the rolling stock into a 20-inch-only affair.
Interior treatments for the Copper Sport include matching accent stitching throughout the cabin, Sport embroidery on the front buckets, and color-accented Ram’s head embroidery on the headrests. Various anodized trim rings and vent surrounds will also take a trip through the copper paint booth. Additionally, the Ram 1500 Copper Sport will feature a nine-speaker Alpine premium sound system whose subwoofer hogs the rear under-seat storage space.
Ram is only building 3,000 of these units, and they’ll all be Crew Cab V8 models.
Answering the apparent clamor from Ram Heavy Duty owners who liked the style of the 1500 Night Edition introduced earlier this model year, Ram will now offer the appearance package on its three-quarter and one-ton truck lines. Based on the monochromatic Sport appearance package, Night adds inky-black features, including wheels, grille surround, and badging. Butch wheel flares and a black R A M tailgate billboard swiped from the Power Wagon round out the package.
Inside, the Night package sports high-back heated cloth vinyl bucket seats with 10-way power adjustment, power-adjustable pedals, and automatic temperature control with dual-zone climate control. All other interior accoutrements reportedly remain the same.
The Night package is available on Crew Cab 2500 and 3500 trucks, in two- or four-wheel drive, with any available powertrain configuration, and in a plethora of colors. Want a 2500 4×2 Crew Cab with the 5.7-liter HEMI and a Night Package in Delmonico Red Pearl? No problem! How about a 3500 4×4 Crew Cab with the 6.7-liter Cummins and a Night Package in Brilliant Black Crystal? Sign right here, sir. Dually customers, however, are out of luck.
The Ram 1500 Copper Sports will have a starting MSRP of $45,630 plus $1,320 destination, while the Ram Heavy Duty Night starts at $45,520 plus $1,320 destination. Both models hit dealer lots later this month.
These new trims come at a time when Ram is the oldest truck design in its segment but continues to enjoy robust sales and acquits itself well against its competitors. Ask any decorator — a fresh lick of paint does wonders to spruce up any room.
Matthew buys, sells, fixes, & races cars. As a human index of auto & auction knowledge, he is fond of making money and offering loud opinions.
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At one time I use to wonder what either happened to or what these special edition trucks looked like 10 plus years later? At the office park in one of the nearby buildings that is being remodeled, there is a yellow, 2002 Dodge Ram with a Hemi sticker running down the bed. The once beautiful Ram was probably the original owner's pride and joy. Now the bed is all banged up and filled with construction materials, and the underside is covered with rust. It's now just living as a beaten down work truck until it stops running and is towed away from the side of the road.
Sergio is un-branding FCA vehicles in preparation for parting out the company when he bails out for Italy in 2019. Hence NO Dodge Trucks, or Chrysler and Dodge minivans. The cars will be shipped to Mexico and won't come back over the wall. Meanwhile Product Planning geniuses continue to come up with more reasons to not buy FCA vehicles. Minivans are down to black, white, light and dark silver dark blue and 1 dull red metallic. Nice going Serg! Don't forget the black cave interiors with colored stitching or piping that looks terrible. Then let's gouge on the only new vehicle in 2 years. Nice going! No new product, but lame Italian junk.