Clint Eastwood. John Wayne. Larry Hagman. America loves us a cowboy. The dude that breaks the rules, can outsmart the bad guys and will still enjoy a real drink at the end of a hard day. In some ways, cowboys are what we do best in this country. Oh and trucks. We do trucks really well too. So what happens when you combine those two and add a splash of good, old fashioned, American innovation? You get one incredible truck. Enter the RAM 1500 Longhorn:
Don’t be fooled by its exterior, this is no normal truck. First of all, its interior is downright amazing:
Not wow’d yet? Well how about the fact that those back seats recline and the center console is big enough to store a litter of kittens? Calm down, I’m not saying that you SHOULD ?
Then there are these dreamy, cowboy-themed details:
You bet your sweet saddle that’s the back seat pocket. Then there is the branding:
Of course that was a pun! That detail is in fact, branded– so cool. Don’t miss the etching either. But I haven’t even gotten to the good stuff.
The RAM 1500 has of course a 5.7 HEMI V8, because.. ‘Murica. But it also has eTorque, which means it has a hybrid system. Now don’t go dropping your beer on me, this is no wimpy, tree-hugging, ev nonsense. This is where the aforementioned American innovation comes in. I could explain how it works, but as my mechanical engineer of a husband reminded me– that’s not my strong suit. Well, at least I think that’s what his laughter meant. For the exact details, read this wonderful Autoweek piece here. The bottom line for drivers is more torque at lower speeds and better fuel economy. So honestly, who cares how they get there! (except my husband)
My friends at TAWA (the Texas Autowriters Association) recently awarded this truck the top honors at their famed Truck Rodeo including: Truck of Texas, Full-Size Pickup Truck of Texas, Luxury Pickup Truck of Texas, Off-Road Pickup Truck of Texas, Best Powertrain (eTorque Mild Hybrid System) and Best New Technology (12-inch Uconnect Screen). And if you don’t think Texas knows their trucks, you don’t know bull.
So take it from this truck-loving, cowboy-crushing Californian, the RAM 1500 is well worth a trail ride!
Note: Mama’s First Dates are impressions based on a short encounter with the vehicle, not a proper test drive.