2021 Ram 2500 Australian details revealed

Giant US pick-up trucks are becoming increasingly common on our roads, and the latest one is bigger and badder than the rest.

2021 Ram 2500.

The latest American pick-up truck, the Ram 2500 has hit Aussie roads, promising to tow and haul more than any other ute.

Ram Trucks are imported from the US and converted to right-hand drive in the local importer’s Melbourne factory after having gone through 150,000km of road testing and development.

The Ram 2500 can tow 8000kg.

Power comes from a giant 6.7-litre six-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine that makes a whopping 276kW and 1152Nm, matched to a six-speed automatic transmission.

To put that in perspective, most smaller dual-cab utes such as the Toyota HiLux generally produce about 150kW and 500Nm.

Those numbers make it the most powerful ute in the country – at least until its bitter rival the Chevrolet Silverado HD arrives in November with a 6.6-litre V8 turbodiesel engine that in the US pumps out 332kW and 1234Nm. Australian power figures will be confirmed after final certification.

The inside has plenty of comfort and convenience features.

Despite its lower outputs the Ram trumps the Chevy in the towing stakes with a maximum braked towing capacity of up to 8000kg, 2000kg more than its rival.

The Ram 2500 comes with a transfer case allowing it to switch from two-wheel drive to four-wheel drive low-range gears for off-roading.

All that grunt doesn’t come cheap. Prices start from $157,950 (before on-road costs), which is more than $10,000 dearer than the incoming Chevrolet Silverado HD.

The Ram isn’t just about hauling and towing. There are plenty of luxe features to brag about.

Inside you get a giant 12-inch touchscreen that is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

It isn’t cheap, costing about $170,000 on the road.

A 10-speaker Alpine stereo with a subwoofer boosts the on-road experience and active noise cancelling tech and acoustic glass help keep the outside world at bay.

There are multiple active safety aids. The 2500 will automatically brake if it detects a potential front-on collision and will let you know if you’re wandering out of your lane. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert will tell you if anything is in hard to see places.

The Ram 2500 joins the smaller, petrol-powered Ram 1500 in the brand’s local line-up.

An even more imposing Ram 3500 is due at the end of this year.