Some sort of storm is brewing for the Ram brand, and we can’t help but think it may be of hurricane strength. A cryptic 9 second social media video teaser clip, ending with “a new force is landing,” was reiterated by a caption that added a date (May 10, 2023) and a hashtag (#MayTheFourth). It was posted on the fourth of May, Star Wars Day—”may the fourth be with you” instead of “may the force be with you.” Or, in this case, “May the [forced induction] be with you,” perhaps.
The video starts with a drone or helicopter cruising over a dry lakebed toward a massive dust cloud in the distance. The next shot is a close-up of a camera or video lens, the reflection probably hinting at something. Then we return to the dusty lakebed, lower this time, to some vehicle emerging from the dust cloud.
The upcoming announcement could be related to the Ram ProMaster van, but the the dusty lakebed has us thinking that’s not the case, since the ProMaster is generally associated more with working than with off-roading in the dirt. Could it be an announcement about an upcoming mid-size Dakota, a special Ram HD Power Wagon, or a new development for the desert-oriented Rebel or TRX? Possibly, but probably not.
Speculation points to a Hurricane-powered Ram 1500. The Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer, body-on-frame SUVs based on the Ram 1500, initially launched with 5.7-liter and 6.4-liter V-8 engines for model-year 2022. They now have a nimble “Hurricane” I-6 engine in the mix that outperforms the V-8. The 2023 Wagoneer and long wheelbase L get a standard-output (SO) version of the Hurricane twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-six (420 hp/468 lb-ft of torque), while the 2023 Grand Wagoneer and long-wheelbase L get a high-output (HO) tune (510 hp/500 lb-ft). Interestingly, and perhaps in the name of leftover parts, some trims of the 2023 Wagoner and Grand Wagoneer retain the outgoing Hemi V-8s; It’s plausible that model-year 2024 will be fully Hurricane’d.
Following the pattern of the Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer, it’s possible that the mild-hybrid 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 and I-6 Hurricane could overlap as engine offerings for the 2024 Ram 1500, with the Hemi fully dropping for model-year 2025. What about Ram 1500’s 3.6-liter V-6? It’s hard to believe Ram would keep it beyond 2024. Ram could eventually replace the 5.7-liter Hemi with a high-output Hurricane, the 3.6-liter V-6 with a standard-output, and the TRX’s supercharged 6.2-liter Hemi with an even higher-strung Hurricane, to simplify its powertrain lineup across multiple models. Or, Ram could reserve the high-output Hurricane for the just the TRX. It’s possible that Ram could offer a plug-in hybrid version of the Hurricane, or at least a mild hybrid.
But will the Ram 1500’s presumable I-6 be called Hurricane or something else? A dust storm isn’t quite a hurricane. Let’s explore some other storms: cyclone, typhoon, tornado, monsoon, vortex, chinook, blizzard, cloudburst, tempest, wind storm, sand storm, dust storm, superstorm, gale, squall, whirlwind, and twister. Shall we go on? Yes. Most fitting would be a haboob (a type of really intense dust storm), but we can’t quite imagine a Ram 1500 with a high-output Haboob I-6.
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