Stellantis’ large SUV range includes the Wagoneer and the luxurious Grand Wagoneer. The Wagoneer started life as a Ram truck chassis. But as Jeep developed the new vehicle, it made several significant upgrades to Ram’s technology. Could the advanced Wagoneer be a preview of the next generation (6th generation) Ram 1500?
Will the next Ram truck have independent rear suspension?
One major difference between the chassis of the Ram 1500 and the Wagoneer is that the Jeep full-size SUV has independent rear suspension. While the massive rear axle has been a feature of Detroit’s full-size pickup trucks for generations, there’s good evidence that the Ram 1500 may be transitioning to independent rear suspension.
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During Stellantis’ EV Day press conference, it announced a Ram 1500 EV. The company hopes to launch this Ford F-150 Lightning competitor for the 2024 model year. Ram even released some renderings of the next-generation body and chassis. This next-generation Ram chassis included independent rear suspension.
Both General Motors and Ford have tested full-size trucks with independent rear suspension. The Ford F-150 Lightning has independent suspension, both front and rear. This allows the AWD F-150 Lightning to have two motors attached to the frame in place of the differentials. Ram can introduce a similar system, using technology developed for the Wagoneer.
Will Ram trade the HEMI for a hurricane?
The sixth-generation Ram 1500 trucks with an internal combustion engine probably won’t even offer the much-loved HEMI V8. Stellantis has already developed a 3.0-litre I6 to replace its V8s and will introduce the new engine in the 2023 Wagoneer.
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The new Hurricane I6 from Stellantis has some impressive numbers. It comes in two tunes: a regular tune and a high-power version with extra turbocharger and 510 horsepower. By trading the large displacement of the HEMI V8s for a sleeker turbocharged package, Wagoneer also hopes to improve fuel economy by 15%.
Chances are, the regular Hurricane will replace the 5.7-liter HEMI V8 of the next-generation Ram 1500, while the high-power version will serve in the Ram 2500 and larger trucks. Check out how the I6 compares to the older V8s in the table below:
| 5.7-litre HEMI V8 | SE hurricane I6 | 6.4-litre HEMI V8 | HO hurricane I6 | |
| Displacement | 5.7 liters (345 cubic inches) | 3.0 liters (about 183 cubic inches) | 6.4 liters (392 cubic inches) | 3.0 liters (about 183 cubic inches) |
| horsepower | 363-395 hp | 400+ hp | 470-485 hp | 500+ hp |
| Couple | 394-410 lb-ft | 450+ lb-ft | 470-475 lb-ft | 475+ lb-ft |
| boost | Naturally aspirated | 22 psi | Naturally aspirated | 26 psi |
Will Ram trucks be plug-in hybrids?
Jeep is hard at work on a Wagoneer 4xe plug-in hybrid SUV. The company is aiming for a range of 500 miles. This technology could make its way to the sixth-generation Ram 1500, giving us the world’s first plug-in hybrid full-size pickup truck.
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Beyond the intended range of the Wagoneer 4xe, we don’t know much about the upcoming SUV. Will it use the same turbocharged 2.0-liter I4 Jeep’s other 4xe plug-in hybrids? Or will the full-size SUV get a bigger engine like an I6? Will it have a bigger battery pack than the Wrangler and Grand Cherokee 4xe, and perhaps an even greater all-electric range? When Stellantis releases these numbers, they could be a preview of the next-generation Ram 1500 plug-in hybrid powertrain.
Then read about the Ram 1500 EV range extender or check out the upcoming Ram engine options in the video below:
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