King of the Hill - 2017 Ram Heavy Duty Wins Gold Hitch Award From The Fast Lane Truck (TFLtruck)

April 3, 2017 , Auburn Hills, Mich. -  The Fast Lane Truck (TFLtruck) has honored the 2017 Ram 3500 with a Gold Hitch award for the heavy-duty segment. The 6.7-liter Cummins diesel-powered Ram 3500 Heavy Duty took top honors for outstanding pulling power, braking, fuel economy, comfort and handling under extreme towing conditions.

To score the trucks, TFLtruck editors took to the notorious Eisenhower Pass “Ike Gauntlet” located outside Denver with a loaded gooseneck trailer in tow. The grueling climb reaches elevations in excess of 11,000 feet with increasing grade near the peak. At the end of the haul, the Ram 3500 Heavy Duty excelled.
 
“The 2015 Ram 3500 Heavy Duty was loaded with a 21,600-pound trailer for Gross Combined Weight of nearly 31,000 pounds,” said Andre Smirnov, technical editor at TFLtruck. “The Ram dually came out on top based on its confident downhill performance, consistent uphill climb and leading observed fuel mileage among the competitors.”

The Ike Gauntlet drive is not the sole criteria to determine the winner in each category. The Ram 3500 Heavy Duty also was judged on its overall performance unloaded.

Gold Hitch Award-eligible trucks include 2017 model-year pickups (or trucks from previous model years that have not significantly changed for 2017). Trucks are only eligible for the award if they were tested before March 1, 2017.

About TFLtruck
TFLtruck is the most popular online video reviews, news and views publication. Nearly 2.5 million truck buyers watch TFLtruck video reviews and tests every month. This includes the signature "TFL Ike Gauntlet" extreme towing test, which challenges the trucks to the absolute maximum of their performance capability. Simply put -TFLtruck is All Trucks All The Time.
 
Ram Brand
Ram offers a full lineup of pickups and commercial vehicles; the Ram 1500, 2500/3500 Heavy Duty, 3500/4500/5500 Chassis Cab and ProMaster vans.

The Ram Light-Duty and Heavy Duty pickups are considerably improved for 2025 and offer new products in the fastest growing segment within the pickup space—Sport Trucks. Ram introduced the largest variety of off-road performance trucks the brand has ever offered, including the new Ram 1500 RHO with more horsepower per dollar than any other performance off-road pickup.

In the commercial business, Ram is launching the new 2025 Chassis Cab line with improvements to help customers and upfitters. Ram Professional is making considerable changes in process, execution and resources with a focus on commercial offerings, dedicated B2B-focused expertise, and sales and service support, which are critical to growing in this segment.

Ram continues to outperform the competition, setting the benchmark in the most important areas for truck buyers:

• Segment-first: 1,000 lb.-ft of torque with Cummins Turbo Diesel
• Most luxurious: Ram 1500 Tungsten with air suspension, 24-way massage seats and 540 horsepower
• Ram 1500 and Heavy Duty: Best ride and handling with five-link solid rear axle with available, segment-exclusive, active-level air suspension
• Ram 1500 RHO: Best off-road performance per dollar
• Ram ProMaster: The most cargo space available in any traditional full size cargo van
• Ram Power Wagon: Most off-road capable full-size pickup

Ram is improving market competitiveness and growth while maintaining pricing power through products, services and electrified offerings. Aligned under the global presence of the Stellantis Pro One commercial vehicle organization, Ram currently offers a wide range of products globally, from the Ram 700 compact pickup to the Ram 5500 Chassis Cab and a range of ProMaster vans.

Ram is part of the portfolio of brands offered by leading global automaker and mobility provider Stellantis. For more information regarding Stellantis (NYSE: STLA), please visit www.stellantis.com.
 
Follow Ram and company news and video on:
Company blog: http://blog.stellantisnorthamerica.com
Media website: http://media.stellantisnorthamerica.com
Ram Truck brand: www.ramtrucks.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/RamTrucks
Instagram: www.instagram.com/ramtrucks
Twitter: @RamTrucks, @StellantisNA
YouTube: www.youtube.com/RamTrucks, https://www.youtube.com/StellantisNA