Dodge Unveils 2009 Ram 1500 Truck at Detroit

Hi there -- I'm Janet Wickell, in temporarily for Dale while he stands out in the cold Detroit weather watching Dodge unveil its 2009 Ram 1500 truck. A few facts:

• The truck has a new coil-spring rear suspension (lighter than the typical leaf suspension) which sounds like it will give the truck a smoother ride on paved roads (I'm all for that, because some of the trucks out there are way too bumpy for my tastes). Dodge promises that its new suspension system still supports good towing capabilities.

• Sometime after 2009 (the timing isn't quite clear just yet) Dodge will offer the Ram 1500 with a Cummins diesel, a somewhat smaller version than is currently used in the heavier duty Rams.

• Look for increased storage in the new Ram, including a long built-in compartment along the exterior side of the bed. Stow away anything that will fit, or you can use it as a cooler -- it has drains. There's more storage underneath the truck's rear seats.

• A few more things to watch for in 2009 are heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats and a heated steering wheel.

• Looking forward at 2010, Dodge will offer a new two-mode hybrid gas-electric Ram. Now that's big news, but details are slim.

Dale will be back later with more Ram details and I've uploaded some photos. Please hang in there with me as I attempt to post updates -- I'm usually over at my own About.com site, which has nothing to do with automobiles, so I'm a bit out of my comfort zone.