Not a Typo: 2018 Ram HD Longhorn Ram Rodeo Edition Appears, Inspired by Itself

Yet another special edition Ram pickup has landed for your trucking enjoyment. With the freshly renewed half-ton truck finally finding its way into showrooms, FCA is continuing to throw premium materials at its heavy-duty brother in an attempt to tide it over until an all-new machine bows for 2020.

Aimed squarely at wealthy cowboys who tow a lot of stuff, the 2018 Ram Heavy Duty Longhorn Ram Rodeo Edition (yes, the word “Ram” appears twice in its official title) is laden with leather, chrome, trailering gear, and badges the size of Texas belt buckles.

Based on the Longhorn trim, the Longhorn Ram Rodeo adds content to a pickup already sodden with luxury items. The interior of the now admittedly workaday Longhorn must make owners feel as if they’ve accidentally stepped into a cow barn, given that the Longhorn Ram Rodeo adds a suede headliner against contrasted interior colors such as Black or Cattle Tan.

Farmhands will know you’ve traded up to a Ram Rodeo thanks to this truck’s body-colored bumpers and side-steps. All-caps “Longhorn” badging continues to announce itself like a chrome billboard on the tailgate. Open that tailgate and one will find a bed already prepped for fifth-wheel and gooseneck hauling duties. There is also a bed-view camera to help with hitching. A rear air suspension tries to keep things on the level. There are a couple of skid plates underneath, too.

Six colors are on tap – black, a couple of whites, a grey, that fabulous Delmonico Red, and RV Match Walnut Brown. Laugh at the last option if you wish, but after spending four summers hauling a 37.5-foot camper around the Maritime provinces, your author can assure you that serious RV fanatics like it when their tow rig matches their trailer.

The Heavy Duty Longhorn Ram Rodeo Edition is available in just about any Ram HD configuration. Crew Cab or Mega Cab, 4×2 or 4×4, 6.4-liter Hemi or 6.7-liter Cummins – have it Your Way at the Ram dealer.

This is, of course, but a prelude to the 2020 Ram HD that will likely bow at Detroit’s North American International Auto Show in January. Spy shots floating around the internet prove that the next Ram HD will bear an interior very similar to the well-crafted cabin found in the new 2019 Ram 1500.

Development mules of the 2020 model have been spied roaming the streets of Michigan in a myriad of cab and bed configurations. Joyously, one has been spotted wearing wheels and off-road gear that strongly suggest the continuation of a Power Wagon trim.

Powertrains for the next Ram HD remain a mystery but it is certain the 6.7L Cummins diesel will return, possibly with a compacted graphite iron block replacing the current cast iron. Bank on a boost in torque, too, given that the Detroit Three are constantly chasing each other for numbers supremacy. I would not at all be surprised if Ram is the first manufacturer to crest 1000lb-ft of torque in a consumer truck.

Pricing for the Ram Rodeo start at $60,790 for a 2500 and $71,260 for a 3500. Neither of those prices includes $1,695 in destination fees. Look for them on dealer lots in Q3 of this year.

[Images: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles]