NAIAS 2017: The 2017 Ram 1500 Rebel Black Special Edition: None More Black
The factory optioned “murdering-out” of cars and trucks is all the rage right now. It seems like every model has some variant where the OEM has replaced all of the shiny bits for black plastic for a meaner disposition. Everything from Porsche’s Carrara to Chevrolet’s Silverado has a dark edition with a midnight monicker. Even Mercedes-Benz is providing a blacked-out version of the S-Class for this year’s North American International Auto Show.
Ram will also bringing something tall, dark, and handsome to Detroit with its new Rebel 1500 Black.
While the Rebel is already an aggressive looking off-road truck with an abundance of darkened trim, Ram has given it an extra dash of visual menace with this inky special edition.
The Black actually comes in all of the normal Rebel exterior colors but adds an all-black interior, brush guard, and wheels. Do you want to take a stab at the color of the anodized bezels surrounding the center console, instrument panel, and gauge pods are? How about the optional leather Katzkin seats or rubber floor mats?
You guessed it. In fact, if you opt for a black paint job, the only non-black thing on the entire truck would be the gray accent stitching on the interior fabric.
The model-specific black alloy wheels are wrapped with 33-inch off-road tires and the Ram’s standard air suspension system gives the Rebel ten inches of ground clearance — making the photos of it off-roading more than plausible.
Ram didn’t make any mechanical changes to the Rebel for the Black; it’s essentially an appearance package. It still has the same base 3.6 liter Pentastar V6 cranking out 305 horsepower and a competent 269 foot pounds worth of torque. You can, as always, plop in the 5.7 liter Hemi V8 if you want to bring that torque up to 410 ft-lbs and a horsepower just shy of 400 units. Rear-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic are standard, but all-wheel drive is available.
Available only as a crew cab, the Ram 1500 Rebel Black starts at $45,590 (the plain Jane Rebel starts at $44,995) plus the obligatory $1,320 destination fee. Arriving at dealerships in March, it will also be on display at next week’s North American International Auto Show. FCA hasn’t specified volume but Ram is considering it a Special Edition vehicle, possibly indicating a brief production run — especially if they run out of black pieces of trim.
[Images: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles]
A staunch consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulation. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied with the corporate world and resentful of having to wear suits everyday, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, that man has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed on the auto industry by national radio broadcasts, driven more rental cars than anyone ever should, participated in amateur rallying events, and received the requisite minimum training as sanctioned by the SCCA. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and managed to get a pizza delivery job before he was legally eligible. He later found himself driving box trucks through Manhattan, guaranteeing future sympathy for actual truckers. He continues to conduct research pertaining to the automotive sector as an independent contractor and has since moved back to his native Michigan, closer to where the cars are born. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer — stating that front and all-wheel drive vehicles cater best to his driving style.
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So, Ford has new engines, new materials, turbos....... And Ram has a new color??? I like Ram trucks (only full sizer with a manual), but man, they need to get moving, unless they want to end up "renting" their wares, Cadillac style.
I dug the black wheels look until the Plasti Dip crews started ruining it for the ones that actually spent money to have black wheels. Unfortunately, this is going to exacerbate and already worn out fad. I despise Plasti Dip. Just wanted to get that out there.