Company set to RAM home advantage
RAM Trucks will be rolling off their Melbourne production line 24 hours a day, five days a week from June
1, to meet growing demand for the US manufacturer’s RHD ute range in Australia and here.
Helping ramp up demand for all things RAM has been the RAM 1500 which, with its unique 291 kw V8 petrol engine and towing capacity of up to 4.5 tonnes, has set a new benchmark in the Australian and New Zealand markets.
“This is not just great news for RAM, it is also a fantastic achievement for the Australian Automotive industry and shows the world our automotive and engineering industry is open for business,” says Alex Stewart, General Manager of RAM Trucks Australia.
“Since we started production we have cut by more than two thirds the time it takes to remanufacture a RAM Truck for our market. We use up to 400 components, the vast majority local produced by Australian companies and, by the time we go to three shift working, we will be employing more than 160 people directly and many more indirectly across the country.”
Factory approved
The RAM Trucks Melbourne manufacturing facility, which is based in Clayton South, provides the design and engineering facilities that enable the RAM Trucks to be re-manufactured from left to right-hand-drive and so that they meet full factory approval.
As well as producing the vehicles the company provides a comprehensive after sales parts service to 37 RAM dealers in Australia and 15 dealers in New Zealand.
The production line is 130 metres long and 21 vehicles are worked on simultaneously, with it taking less than 24 hours for each vehicle to run the length of the line, down from more than three days when RAM Trucks Australia started RAM remanufacturing in Australia.
Each vehicle uses between
350 and 400 new parts in the process, the majority of which are Australian-produced.
Numbers up
Employee numbers on the production line will lift from 110 to more than 160 with the arrival of triple shift working with additional workers already employed and undergoing both classroom and practical hands-on training in preparation for round clock production. In addition, another 20 staff work in design and engineering preparing the next generation of RAM vehicles for Australian production as well as team members in parts supply and administration.
Australian companies involved in parts supply for RAM Trucks include Socobell, which produces the all-new dashboard, and Hi-spec Australia for brake line components, air conditioning lines and high – and low-pressure fluid transfer hoses and tubing.
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles LLC and, in particular, the RAM International team have also provided invaluable support and assistance, as has Ausindustry in its programme to assist companies and staff as other car makers ceased Australian production.
World-class
“The entire RAM Trucks project was set up, engineered, designed and developed in Australia by Australian experts, it shows what this country is capable of and how we can produce a world class product,” says Mr Stewart.
“In short, it is clearly something of which everyone involved should be extremely proud and which, in the form of the RAM 1500, 2500 and 3500, has provided Australian and Kiwis with a new and unique choice when it comes to vehicle buying.”
Mitsubishi Triton VRX – Mark Baker
Is it wrong that the colour of a vehicle is my most enduring impression?
That glowing gold on the Mitsubishi is truly sensational, lustrous and multi-dimensional in how it plays with the sun.
I can temper that by also saying the Mitsi is, as always ,loaded with great tech and spec and the transmission is superb. It is in fact the most improved in our test group.
The new Super-select 4WD options simplify the offroad experience, backed by a huge range of on and offroad technologies including Hill-descent Control, Forward Collision Mitigation, Blind Spot Monitoring, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, etc.
Triton gets my award for best (clearest, most logical) dash design – especially the in-dash touchscreen which has big clear icons like everybody’s favourite computer operating system.
The engine is a 2.4-litre turbo diesel unit making 137 kw and 437 Nm of torque, coupled to a six-speed auto transmission. Numbers bely performance – the Triton gives nothing away to the Hilux or Navara. Shift-wise, the transmission can be left to its own devices or there is the option of paddle shifting – the only one in this group.
Even on 80/20 roadorientated tyres, the
Triton feels unfussed on gravel roads and almost unstoppable in the rough. Obviously, you’d change tyres for winter or for farm work.
With the new ‘beast
mode’ update, Mitsubishi has taken its alreadycapable Triton and made it nearly impossible to fault – on-road or off.
Mitsubishi Triton VRX – Sean Willmott Not my first rodeo with the Triton VRX, but it is the first time I’ve had an orange one to play with and given the choice, I’d stay with the orange, it brings out the best in Mitsubishi’s latest incarnation of the Triton.
The exterior now looks a lot more purposeful. Good. Any hint of ‘beak’ has gone and while it’s busy at the front, it looks like a proper ute. The increased weight under the chunky angles gives a more positive and solid feel to the handling.
I like the ingress and egress points on board the Triton – at the back end anyway. The front, not so much. Couldn’t get in without contorting head and neck to odd angles.
Interior is good, even with that bulging rear air circulatory whatsit. Plenty of room, didn’t feel cramped in any respect. Well placed instrumentation and controls enhanced roomy cockpit effect. Very impressed with refined, in-dash touch-screen which is easily operated, well-lit and very user-friendly. Just needs permanent satellite navigation despite Apple Carplay and Android Auto – I’d rather not use my data thanks, even if AC and AA WOULD actually talk to my cheap ass phone. Excellent sound system notwithstanding, in-cabin noise levels are reduced to car-like levels.
Drive-wise, it was impossible to fault the Triton. That 2.4-litre engine delivers an excellent level of power
(for speed) and torque (for everything else to do with motion that isn’t speed).
The Triton felt like it had the most to give in terms of performance on road, off road and in flight. Suspension was also impressive as it didn’t mush into corners and provided excellent levels of pliancy in the off road section. Good levels of steering precision too.
Seats are very good, supportive and electrically heated with good adjustability. Flappy paddle shifters unnecessary, shifting in manual mode on the shifter perfectly good.
Toyota Hilux SR5 Cruiser – Mark Baker
“No wonder it’s their best seller” was a random comment during the test, and it’s true. A six speed auto coupled to the biggest engine in the test make the Hilux more ‘car-like’ than the other two.
Off road, it’s a Hilux. Nothing more to say – the Hilux has always been the standard others are measured by. It is assisted now by a suite of grip, traction and braking aids that will take it safely into the backblocks and back again with minimal fuss.
The capability of the other two on test simply show how close the contest is these days. Mere fractions now separate the contenders.
On road, this is one of the most ‘car-like’ of the class. Still endowed with superb braking, still subjectively the fattest torque curve down low. The 2.8-litre four cylinder turbodiesel has
450 Nm of torque between 1600-2400 rpm and 130 kw of power at 3400 rpm. Equal on torque with the Navara, the Hilux somehow feels to have more.
Though the Hilux has impeccable performance on or off road and though it is sold in large part to corporates and farmers who recognise its legendary toughness, this was the mildest Hilux I’ve seen on test in terms of colour, spec and ‘bling’. Yes, it’s the
SR5 spec. No, vanilla white doesn’t do it justice. Having driven white Hiluxes for a few years in a previous life working for DOC, it’s not a colour I cherish.
Hilux has traditionally led the pack –in fact it pretty much created the category – but the others are nipping at its heels and in some places edging ahead. The next model range refresh will be intriguing.
Toyota SR5 Cruiser– Sean Wiilmott
The SR5 Cruiser name suggests this has all the off road ability of a Ferrari – none at all. In fact, the SR5 does live up to the Hilux rep for off road indestructability, it’s only the name that suggests otherwise.
I expected the Cruiser to be at its happiest on tarmac, but not so much. Engine felt like it was all power, no torque on the open highway and long travel between gears in auto did nothing to improve that. Manual shifting much more rewarding and effective.
Despite the appointment level being right up there, I didn’t get any sense of this is better than a regular dual cab Hilux. Maybe not so coarse as a working ute, but certainly not the “wow, this is better than most cars” the SR5 Cruiser nomenclature might suggest.
As utes go, this is definitely ‘vanilla’ rather than ‘hokey pokey’
(putting it in Toyota advertising terms) well, OK, maybe French Vanilla.
Nothing jumped out as being overly remarkable until we got to the off road bits where the Hilux heritage really came to the fore. At this point the engine felt like it had everything it needed to do the job – and it does – although I was mindful of being a bit more circumspect than Crumpie might have been, it is a ‘’pretty’’ ute after all.
In terms of connectivity though, both the Mitsi were better. It took forever to pair a cellphone and
I gave up after a while. On-board navigation was good, but the screen is not integrated and as is the norm for all Toyota product in this regard, looks after-thoughtish.
Overly pliant suspension meant the Lux tended to nosedive quite a bit on front end cornering – an odd contrast to the positive steering input and feel. Sound system excellent, road noise levels not especially memorable.
Very dark cockpit interior though, despite refined mica dash trim.