2020 Ram Heavy Duty Pickup Spotted Testing with Production Body

Stephen Elmer / November 14, 2017

Spy photographers have caught their first glance of the updated 2020 Ram heavy duty (HD) pickup trucks.

Ram has been testing its new 1500 half-ton and HD side-by-side, though the smaller of the trucks is set to debut as a 2019 while we’ll have to wait an extra year for the new HD. Development of Ram’s HD has been delayed by the FCA brass and it is now expected to be a 2020 model, riding on an all-new platform.

This is the first production-bodied Ram HD prototype that has been seen yet, which means that the truck is getting closer to becoming a reality. Seeing the grille and front fascia through the thin veil of camouflage reveals a look that doesn’t waiver far from what is seen on today’s Ram HD, though the rest of the body is covered by thick black cladding to hide any changes.

This is the first time Ram has broken out the thick camouflage, suggesting that something has changed that is worth hiding.

As for the interior, you can take a look at recent spy photos of the Ram 1500 for an idea of what to expect. A more modern look with a massive display in the center stack is expected.

When it comes to the powertain, there was a rumor floating around that Ram would drop its Cummins engine, but FCA spokesman Nick Cappa told us that “there is no truth to that rumor.” And as the current Ram already makes 930 lb-ft of torque, expect the new version to put out even more twist. It could even push all the way to 1000 lb-ft, as FCA is known to push its numbers to extreme new heights.

We expect the 2019 Ram 1500 to debut at the Detroit Auto Show in January, while we will likey see the new HD sometime in late 2018 or early 2019.