Ram Truck's Long-Hauler Concept is 24 feet long and weighs about 9,300 pounds.
Fuel prices are hurdling past $4, and automakers everywhere are tripping over themselves as they introduce hyper-efficient small cars.
Well, all except the Chrysler Group. The automaker plans to show what it is calling the Ram Long-Hauler Concept at special events throughout truck country to check the interest of the buying public.
The Long-Hauler truly lives up to its name. With two standard mega-size fuel tanks, plus an optional bed-mounted third tank – Ha, you almost fainted when you had to fill one – allow the concept truck to carry up to 170 gallons of diesel. Ram didn’t offer a fuel-mileage figure, but surely your bladder capacity will define when you stop far more than fuel needs.
Of course, that much fuel will be necessary to power this supersized brute. Based on a Class 5 Ram 5500 Chassis Cab, the rig has a wheelbase of 197.4 inches – just 5.4 inches shorter than the overall length of a Dodge Grand Caravan. It has an overall length of 24 feet and has an estimated curb weight of 9,300 pounds.
The Ram Long-Hauler is designed to suit the needs of anyone who tows multiple or heavy trailers, drives long distances or small business owners looking for a “work horse” at the job site. Fifth-wheel travelers would salivate over this thing.
The Long Hauler would offer an option to carry as much as 170 gallons of diesel.
Chrysler says potential buyers include race car teams, car haulers, RV owners, ranchers and rodeo competitors, boaters and commercial expediting operations.
The powertrain for the concept truck features a high-output version of Ram’s inline six-cylinder 6.7-liter Cummins Turbo Diesel engine rated at 800 lb.-ft. of torque. The diesel is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission with four-wheel-drive transfer case.
The Ram Chassis Cab – which Ram sells as a starting point for companies to turn into flatbeds or box trucks – is rated to tow up to 18,300 pounds. While the company didn’t offer a towing capacity for the Long-Hauler Concept, it would probably be somewhat less than the base Chassis Cab.
The mega-sized truck concept has just four seats, but amenities abound inside.
The concept’s brilliant black exterior paint is accented by white gold metallic lower two-tone including body side moldings and wide wheel flares at the front and rear. Up front, a bull bar extends the entire width of the vehicle. For full use of the bed, the spare tire is located under the box. To help make trailer line-up easier, a separate back-up camera provides a full view of the bed.
A custom hitch-access tailgate allows easy fifth-wheel hook-ups without the need to open or remove the entire tailgate.
As big as it is, the Long-Hauler has just four seats, in a 2+2 leather setup with a specific, high-comfort driver seat. Rear passengers get power-adjustable footrests and a rear center console that includes a refrigerator, cup holders and tray tables. Wi-Fi allows passengers to easily work on laptop computers connected to the Internet during long drives.
Additional cabin features also include a laptop storage area and a safe for valuables.
The Ram Long-Hauler, while only a concept, will be seen across the country in the next eight months to help gauge public opinion on the appeal of a vehicle that provides an upgrade from a 1-ton truck without moving up to a full Class 6 truck. Among the events the truck is scheduled to appear at will be the Kentucky Derby this weekend, the rodeo circuit in July and August and NTEA New Product Conference in Dearborn next September.