In an era where the battle for truck supremacy has never been more important, the torque wars can be an often overlooked statistic of the fight (especially with many buyers focusing on other things in their truck purchase.) But the last few years have seen an arms race in torque, with Ford and Ram in particular going back and forth in this fight. Ram is aiming to rewrite the rules of battle though and has unveiled the 2021 Ram HD lineup.
Familiar styling retains big rig look 
Buyers looking for a new suit of clothes will not find it here on these revised trucks, with the exterior styling pretty much carrying over from the 2020 models. That’s not a bad thing necessarily, with the current crop of HD models first rolling onto the scene back in 2019. As such they can still pull off the current design for a few more years. That means the same big rig styling cues including the large front grille and hood, imposing side profile, as well as the distinctive rear end.
But time is a fleeting mistress, and with Ford and GM preparing a new wave of heavy duty models it will be interesting to see how the design will hold up after it has a chance to age some more against its fresher rivals. The interior also carries over mostly unchanged, but 2021 will bring an all new digital rear camera mirror which allows the big Rams to join a small but growing pool of vehicles that are just now rolling out the feature for consumers.
More torque makes the world go round in the 2021 Ram HD lineup
With Ram preferring to go low key in regards to any exterior or interior changes, you might be asking where exactly are the improvements for 2021? The answer lies underneath the skin and this is where Ram engineers invested the bulk of their development dollars. For instance, the 6.7 liter Cummins turbodiesel has been tweaked to be an even torquier beast than ever before. Thanks to the addition of a variable geometry turbocharger as well as a higher degree of boost the engineers manages to squeeze out 75 extra lb-ft of torque which allows that figure to now register in at an absurd 1,075 lb-ft of torque.
That revised figure cements the Ram’s place as the titleholder in this category and once again puts it out of reach of Ford and Chevrolet’s oil burners. Horsepower remains unchanged but we’re willing to accept that fact of life simply for the sake of having even more torque to play with especially when hauling a big boat or trailer. As mentioned in our prior item on the 2021 Ram Power Wagon the diesel is only available in certain configurations with trims like the fore-mentioned Power Wagon being left out of the shuffle.
Another key change is found in towing with the 2021 Ram HD now boasting a tow rating of 37,100 pounds. Like the changes to the diesel engine, the increase in towing power is made possible by an in-house hitch upgrade that Ram engineers added to the truck. This means that the Ram is now more than capable of hauling some of the meanest and heaviest trailers in the industry which should please commercial clients in particular.
When can I buy a 2021 Ram HD?
The wait for a 2021 Ram HD model will thankfully not be long, with the first models expected to roll into showrooms later this month. Look for pricing to not deviate from the figures seen on the 2020 models which will help the Ram lineup be on target with rivals from Ford and Chevrolet. That will be key as the battle in the truck segment continues to intensify on multiple fronts.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.