Back in Black: Ram Extends Black Package to HD Pickups

Throw the devil horns skyward, because Ram is letting Heavy Duty 2500 and 3500 models get in on the factory-prepped blacked-out look for 2014. Available as the Black Express on Ram 1500 trucks since mid-year 2013, the package proved so successful Ram figured it would extend the treatment in even a more imposing form to its heavy-haulers. Officially called the Ram Black appearance group, it’s making its debut at the Atlanta auto show this week.

The descent into darkness starts with a black truck outfitted with body-color front and rear bumpers, adds a set of 20-inch black aluminum wheels, and a black grille surround with black horizontal inserts specific to the two available trims—Big Horn/Lone Star or Laramie—and body-color badges on the grille and tailgate. All traces of body-side badging have been binned in the name of blackness, with the exception of those ordered with a Cummins diesel. On those trucks the diesel designation on the front fender remains, because diesel brings the bad on it’s own.

Lighting gets a similar treatment, halogen projector headlamps with black bezels, amber LEDs handle turn-signal and side-marker duties. The taillamps also include black finishes, and are comprised of LEDs. Included as part of the Black package are the decidedly un-goth-but-quite-handy backup camera and parking sensors. A pair of integral front bumper-mounted fog lamps illuminate the way when the night turns, well, dark. As sage philosopher/spiritualist/rocker Nigel Tufnel once said, “It’s like, how much more black could this be? And the answer is none. None more black.”

Ram tells us the 2014 Ram Heavy Duty Black package is available on Ram 2500 and 3500 single rear-wheel trucks, in Crew Cab and Mega Cab models, with the choice of two- or four-wheel-drive. Pricing for the Black package HD trucks starts at $43,335, and is available for ordering now.

As read on: http://blog.caranddriver.com/back-in-black-ram-extends-black-package-to-hd-pickups/