Dodge pumps up the power on pickups trucks in three sizes for the ram-horned line of 2004. Leading this powertrain parade is Dodge's anchor truck, the full-size Ram 1500 (light-duty) rigged with a get-out-of-my-way face and multiple choices for muscular powertrains. This year Ram spins off the fastest full-size pickup ever with a Viper-powered Ram SRT-10. The initials of SRT -- signifying "Street and Racing Technology" -- denote high-performance vehicles for Dodge, while a digit tacked at the tail indicates the number of cylinders in the engine.

With new SRT-10 Ram, that means Viper's ten-cylinder engine which in this installation delivers 500 hp and 525 lb-ft of torque -- so much that the truck runs up to 60 mph in only five seconds.

Another Ram in the 1500 line scores as the most powerful mass production pickup, thanks to the new 5.7-liter HEMI Magnum engine rated at 345 hp. Ram's variations for 2004 also show an optional new full-time four-wheel-drive (4WD) system with tow-haul transmission feature. The heavy-duty Ram trucks with 2500 (three-quarter-ton) and 3500 (one-ton) designations get the 5.7-liter HEMI Magnum V8 as well as an optional Cummins turbo diesel for serious truck torque towing muscle. With the turbo diesel there's a new automatic transmission offered.

Dodge's midsize pickup, sized between full-size Ram and a compact-class truck, also earns a new powertrain for 2004 with a 3.7-liter V6 netting 210 hp. Dodge offers the special Stampede package for Dakota in the Regular Cab and Club Cab Sport comes with a monochromatic scheme and 16-inch aluminum wheels.

Dodge's light-duty 1500 series pickups look like no other, thanks to that chin-forward prow and the stepped-hood styling of a big-rig Peterbilt.

Revamped powertrains for 2004 Rams include a 3.7-liter V6, 4.7-liter V8 and the optional new 5.7-liter HEMI Magnum, which replaces a 5.9-liter V8 with 100-hp boost for a total of 345 hp. That HEMI with classic hemispherical cylinder head design optimizes air flow in the big plant. It mates with Dodge's five-speed 5-45RFE automatic transmission with reverse gear ratio equal to the low gear ratio, which helps with tow chores.

With the HEMI in place, Ram's Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR) runs as high as 14000 pounds, while the Gross Trailer Weight Rating (GTWR) climbs to 9300 pounds. Ram 1500 brings two cab choices, either the two-door Regular Cab or four-door Quad Cab, and both are available in two-wheel-drive (2WD) and 4WD traction modes. Entry issue is called the ST, but there's also the Work Special model, Sport, SLT and Laramie. The 3.7-liter V6 is standard on 2WD Ram Regular Cab and 2WD Quad Cab.

The Laramie package applies a bright new chrome grille with chrome bodyside moldings and fresh interior appointments like silver trim on door panels and bezels of the instrument panel. Ram's Work Special edition puts practical gear in an affordable rig with wash-and-wear durability, while the Off-Road package installs equipment for rugged four-wheeling excursions, including skid plates, a limited-slip differential, foglamps, heavy-duty cooling system and tow hooks. (CONTINUED...)