Ace of Base: 2019 Ram 1500 Classic Express 4×2

Matthew Guy
by Matthew Guy

A couple of liberties are taken with this one, as the Ram 1500 Classic technically has a trim one step below the Express model. With pricing, rates, and residuals being what they are though – well, it’s safe to say this version of the new old Ram pickup embodies a great deal of appeal to buyers in the Ace of Base wheelhouse.

In fact, this heartily equipped pickup is cheaper than a good many milquetoast crossovers. It’s almost as if Reid Bigland himself wants you to exercise your patriotism and park a truck in your driveway.

It will not have escaped your notice that Ram really (really!) wants to grab silver medal in the Great Truck Sales Race. By continuing to crank out copies of the last-generation Ram 1500, the company can increase its sales numbers by offering options that placate those who want the latest and greatest truck and customers who are budget conscious.

Here’s where the Express trim comes into play. Wearing a natty set of color-keyed clothes once reserved for more expensive models, this is a sharp-looking truck. It also retains the traditional gunsight grille, a styling cue that showed up prominently in the new-for-’94 models, just in case one is not enamored with the new R A M billboards.

Priced at just $31,140 for a Quad Cab 4×2, this Ram is equipped with much of the gear that used to show up on costlier trucks. It can be argued that FCA needs to use up all the parts and pieces which only fit the last-gen Ram 1500 before the thing goes out of production for good. Don’t be surprised to see the company introduce even more “special edition” trims made up of never-before combined trim pieces until the stuff is all gone.

Power accessories, cruise control, air conditioning – all those features are expected at thirty grand and are indeed present and accounted for. Power heated mirrors are a surprise as standard equipment, as are front fog lamps and 7-pin trailering electrics. The lone concession – and it can be argued that it’s a big one – is that there is a 305 hp 3.6-liter Pentastar under the hood instead of a Hemi. If you can live without that V8 rumble, and aren’t towing the Enterprise-D, this mill and its attendant 3.21 rear axle ratio are dead simple to maintain and cheap to operate.

Only a pair of colors are free gratis, including Bright White and the Flame Red shown here. In fact, sprayed in the latter hue, this bargain basement Express looks not unlike the big-buck Sport-trimmed models of not long ago. Seventeen-inch aluminium wheels wear 265/70 P tires. The 18-inch option has vanished. Guess they’ve used those up already.

Rebates and incentives aren’t usually noted in this series but are worth a mention this time around. The sticker price shown above can be easily pushed south of $30,000 in most markets and, thanks to the wizardry of rates and residuals, lease payments can be shockingly cheap. The 1500 Classic Express might not be the base model on Ram’s totem pole – but it sure is in terms of price.

[Images: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles]

Not every base model has aced it. The ones which have? They help make the automotive landscape a lot better. Any others you can think of, B&B? Let us know in the comments and feel free to eviscerate our selections.

The model above is shown with American options and priced in American Dollars. Your dealer may sell for less.

Matthew Guy
Matthew Guy

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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  • MBella MBella on Feb 14, 2019

    I just had a 4WD Hemi classic as a rental. I found it quite awful. They removed the 4WD Auto mode. In 4WD lock the front end binds way to much. I'm surprised people used to prefer these to the previous generation GM trucks.

    • See 1 previous
    • Gtem Gtem on Feb 14, 2019

      @Vulpine Yeah, the base models actually get classic part-time cases with a true mechanical lock. Granted, not as useful in more typical mixed traction on-road scenarios, but if you venture offroad with any regularity, you'll be thankful you have the classic setup.

  • TheDutchGun TheDutchGun on Feb 14, 2019

    Just read an article about another parts bin RAM classic called the warlock. Looks good but not a fan of the rebel grille and it's coming in at $52k cad msrp, which seems steep for what is basically a redundant model.

  • Carson D At 1:24 AM, the voyage data recorder (VDR) stopped recording the vessel’s system data, but it was able to continue taping audio. At 1:26 AM, the VDR resumed recording vessel system data. Three minutes later, the Dali collided with the bridge. Nothing suspicious at all. Let's go get some booster shots!
  • Darren Mertz Where's the heater control? Where's the Radio control? Where the bloody speedometer?? In a menu I suppose. How safe is that??? Volvo....
  • Lorenzo Are they calling it a K4? That's a mountain in the Himalayas! Stick with names!
  • MaintenanceCosts It's going to have to go downmarket a bit not to step on the Land Cruiser's toes.
  • Lorenzo Since EVs don't come in for oil changes, their owners don't have their tires rotated regularly, something the dealers would have done. That's the biggest reason they need to buy a new set of tires sooner, not that EVs wear out tires appreciably faster.
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