Dodge will introduce the new 2500 Ram later this year. The new Rams will have less power than the GM or Ford equivalent. However, the new Dodge does meet the needs of Chrysler’s existing customer base better than the outgoing model, and the new vehicle will likely be cheaper then the competition’s more powerful units.

Chrysler’s heavy-duty truck engines were not completely redesigned for the 2010 model year. They did not need to be. Although many have criticized Chrysler’s strategic plans, this is one case where they have gotten it right. The company’s diesel engine strategy was literally years ahead of the other two domestic manufacturers.

The diesel engine used for the 2010 Dodge 2500 Ram met the legal 2010 NOx emissions requirements in 2007 – three years early. The 6.7 liter six-cylinder Cummins diesel engine produces 350 horsepower. It has a diesel particulate filter which collects the soot and burns it off. It also has a catalyst material to trap the NOx molecules. Ford and GM only launched their 2007 models to meet the soot emissions levels and are now catching up to Chrysler with the NOx emissions levels. While the other manufacturers are expected to introduce urea selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems, Chrysler is carrying over its proven engine and technology into the 2010 Dodge 2500 Ram.

The gasoline engine for the new heavy-duty Ram will also be carried over. The vehicle will get the same Hemi V8 that delivers 383 horsepower which was introduced for the 2009 model year.

Carrying over the engine technology has allowed engineers at Chrysler to concentrate on the rest of the vehicle. The exterior is all-new, and the interior is now shared with the Dodge Ram 1500. The front axle and suspension have also been modified to improve the vehicle’s driving dynamics and load carrying capacity.

Dodge has increased the front gross axle weight rating by 300 pounds to 5,500 on the diesel 4×4s and to 5,000 pounds on the diesel 4×2s. Maximum towing and gross combined weight ratings have also been increased for the new models.

There are three cab options available to 2010 heavy-duty customers: a two-door regular cab, a new four-door Crew Cab which comes with a new 8-foot cargo box option, and the Mega Cab. The Crew Cab replaces the smaller Quad Cab that was available in previous models.

The new 2010 Dodge Ram Heavy Duty pickups go on sale in the fourth quarter of 2009.