2005 Dodge Ram

The Hemi V8 engine has drawn much attention for its power and efficiency as well as the heritage its name evokes. It is an exceptionally good engine, smooth and very responsive. Adding to its responsiveness is a five-speed automatic. The popular 4.7-liter V8 delivers responsive performance. It's also smooth and sophisticated, benefiting from a modern overhead-cam design. Full-time four-wheel drive (all-wheel drive) is available with the 4.7-liter for improved stability in slippery conditions.

New SRT-10 models, available in both Quad Cab and Regular Cab models for 2005, look like NASCAR Craftsman Trucks and run like race cars, with stunning performance from their Viper V10 engines and high-performance brakes and suspensions. The Guinness Book of World Records called the SRT-10 the fastest production pickup.

The new 5.7-liter Hemi V8 gives the Dodge Ram responsive performance. Fire up the Hemi, let it idle, and it burbles like a good old American V8, sounding like an engine in a cabin cruiser or a '60s muscle car. In spite of the hot-rod term "Hemi," there's nothing old or outdated about this engine. It does, indeed, have hemispherical combustion chambers, but this is a thoroughly modern engine. Apparently, Dodge was researching ways to gain power and fuel efficiency and reduce emissions, objectives that often run counter to one another.

While studying some of the older powertrain designs, Dodge engineers rediscovered that swirling the fuel-air mixture around a hemispherical combustion chamber achieves a clean, efficient burn. Though it's an overhead-valve design, the Hemi features twin spark plugs, direct ignition, and electronic throttle control. It achieves the holy grail of engine improvement, increasing power while improving fuel economy at the same time. The Hemi generates 345 horsepower at 5400 rpm and 375 pound-feet of torque at 4200 rpm. It comes with a newly developed five-speed automatic that adds to its responsiveness and flexibility. Punch it and you know you've got a Hemi under the hood. A properly equipped Hemi increases the Ram's towing capacity to 9200 pounds and payload by an additional 500 pounds. It gets an impressive 14/18 mpg with 2WD.