Last Fall, the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) held their annual Truck Rodeo near San Antonio to judge over 50 entries by manufacturers in several categories of consumer grade trucks including SUV’s and pickup trucks. All of the auto manufacturers covet the highest award in the categories they have entered due to the prestige it brings them in one of the largest automotive markets in the US. The Truck of Texas Awards are highly prized for the recognition of the efforts of the manufacturer to produce the vehicle as well as the marketing advantage it gives them for the model year in the state (Texas) with the largest truck sales in the country.
The 2010 TAWA Truck Rodeo crowned a “new sheriff in town” in several categories out of the bunch of entries from the Ram Truck Division of Chrysler. The ultimate prize “Texas Edition Luxury Truck” went to the Ram Laramie Longhorn. The designated Ram winner was the Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn, but the award also extended to the Ram 2500 and Ram 3500 Laramie Longhorn versions as well.
All of these Ram Laramie Longhorn trucks have exceptional design from the very functional yet handsome exteriors to the outstanding interior design typifying the essence of Texas in both materials and ornamentation. Exterior identification is bold in size and placement allowing quick identification of this Texas Edition truck. The Interior is where the Ram really stands out above and beyond the competition.
The crew cab seats 5 very easily and the seats are done richly in hand stitched leather with very fine tooled surfaces on both seats and backs. The tool scroll work appears in several other areas including the chrome rings around the speedometer and other instruments as well as on the faces of the indicator plates inside the instrument cluster. The use of leather Laramie Longhorn Edition badges stitched to the seats and the storage consoles add nicely to the ambiance. The backs of the front seats have “saddle bag” storage pockets attached with tooled leather pouch flaps closures with “silver buckle” appearing clasps. The floor carpets and weather mats continue the Texas design including molded barbed wire on the mats which are also fitted with snap out carpet inserts.
Just recently we were able to test drive the biggest and baddest of the Laramie Longhorn bunch, the Ram 3500 Laramie Longhorn Crew Cab 4X4 “dualie” with dual rear wheels. This is one serious truck. Even with the “dualies” the heavier suspension and the 5.7L Cummins I6 Turbo Diesel, this truck runs easily around town and very smoothly and quietly on the highway. Don’t get me wrong, this truck is big and with the “dualies”, the rear fender skirts require a much wider footprint than you might be used to. The negative, as you would expect, is that it does not fit inside the typical footprint of a parking lot space. You do need to choose your spot so that you can use some of the space in front or behind you. But, on the other hand, it is so comfortable and easy to drive with many luxury features easy to use close at hand, you do not mind the size.
This is also a work without a doubt. Looking at the power train and related mechanical features, the Ram 3500 is more than equal to or superior to its competition. The Ram is the only truck in this class that is diesel equipped with the venerable Cummins 6.7L I6 Turbo Diesel engine generating 350hp at 3000 rpm. With the 6 speed automatic transmission, the Ram 3500 Laramie Longhorn has towing capacity of 12,900# and a gross combined weight rating of 21,000#. And, when not towing, it can get up and go when it needs to. Mileage ratings were not available. Travelling Austin to Kerrville and back, the average was 14.7 mpg. Around town, it was 13.7 mpg.
But the luxury touches really make this one stand out. It has a long list of standard luxury features but, the Ram 3500 Laramie Longhorn 4X4 Crew “dualie” also includes exclusively the following: heated seats both front and rear, vented (cooled) front seats (including the seat backs), lighted glove boxe, Garmin navigation with voice activation, parking assist sensors with rear camera and an entertainment system with 10 speakers in the cabin. This is a town and ranch family truck with all these features.
As equipped, the Ram 3500 Laramie Longhorn 4X4 Crew “dualie” stickers at $61,705. The comparable vehicles from other manufacturers are in the same range. It is notable that you can have this Texas luxury ambiance in several dual and single wheel levels in the Ram 3500 and single or dual wheel levels in the Ram 2500 or consider the Ram Laramie Longhorn 1500 Crew. In any version, this is a distinctive and well crafted truck that will make any Texas truck owner proud.
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