RAM releases ‘Warlock’ 4x4 pickup
Ram Trucks Australia’s local truck offerings continue to grow with the recent release of the ‘Warlock’ edition. Joining the Express Quad Cab, Express Crew Cab and Laramie in the 1500 family, the Warlock is primarily a style package, but does offer a number of special features as standard.
“The new Warlock is the start of a product offensive that allows us to broaden our audience appeal and continue to grow the official Ram Trucks Australia brand down under,” says Jeff Barber, National Manager, RAM Trucks Australia.
Warlock Style
In terms of styling, the Warlock has a lot of similarities to the 1500 Rebel; a US-market model that has been teased for local release for years without ever actually arriving here.
The Warlock takes the Rebel’s blackout grille and matches this to a sports bonnet that carries black decal stripes. There are also black powdercoated bumpers at both ends, black powdercoated wheelarch flares, the same semi-gloss black 20-inch alloys and smoked headlight lenses as the 1500 Express Crew Cab, blackout badging and identifying Warlock decals on the tub sides.
Six colours are available – Patriot Blue metallic, Diamond Black pearl, Hydro Blue pearl, Granite Crystal metallic, Flame Red (pictured) and Bright White – but with the North American version available in ten colours, including burgundy, brown and three different metallic greys, expect the paint choices to grow if local demand is there.
Lifted, Stowed and Relaxed
The other key features on the Warlock are its lifted suspension, standard storage system and leather-enhanced interior.
All locally remanufactured Warlocks will feature a 1-inch suspension lift. Compared to the Express Crew Cab, ground clearance on the Warlock is improved from 249/235mm (front/rear axle) to 254/240mm. Approach/departure/breakover angles of 25.35/19.07/21.0 respectively compare to 25.7/18.63/18.6 on the Express Crew Cab.
How many of these trucks will be pushed to the extreme in off-road conditions is questionable, though, and like the Ford Ranger Raptor, most Warlocks are likely to encounter nothing more challenging than a gravel road. Nevertheless, the lifted suspension is there should owners wish to exploit it. The Warlock also gets front tow hooks that were previously exclusive to the 1500 Laramie.
Also fitted as standard on the Warlock is the RamBox Cargo Management System. Optional on other models in the 1500 Series, these lockable storage units are built into each side of the tub. Measuring 128cm long and with a combined storage capacity of 210 litres, each RamBox features lighting and drainage, making them ideal to keep drinks cool, or wet towels out of the cabin after a day at the beach. Other applications include recovery gear that usually gets muddy and dirty, as well as secure storage for fishing gear and even firearms.
Worth noting here is that the Warlock is only available with the same 5’7” (1,702mm) cargo tub as the Express Crew Cab, not the longer 6’4” (1,930mm) tub of the Express Quad Cab. This equates to a tub length of 1,712mm, but the standard RamBox fitment reduces overall width from 1,687mm to 1,270mm. Overall tub capacity is listed at 1.4cu/m.
The final piece of the Warlock’s standard spec is the leather upholstery on both front and rear seats. This is only leather-accented, though, with the hide limited to the bolsters and headrests, although leather does apparently also feature on the steering wheel and front seat centre console lid.
HEMI Power and Max Capacity
The Ram 1500 Warlock will be powered by the 1500’s standard 5.7-litre HEMI V8 engine, producing 291kW at 5,600rpm and 556Nm at 3,950rpm. This is matched to the Torqueflite 8-speed automatic that’s common to all Ram 1500s and a part-time four-wheel drive system with an electric transfer case and 2.64 low range ratio.
Front suspension is made up of upper/lower A-arms with coil springs, heavy duty twin-tube shocks and a stabilizer bar, with the rear suspension being a five-link unit on the solid axle, with coil springs, heavy duty twin-tube shocks, track bar and stabilizer bar.
Listed payload is 820kg, which is middle of the road for the 1500 range (the Laramie is 800kg and the Express Quad Cab 845kg), but braked towing capacity is on par with the rest of the range at 4500kg with an optional 70mm ball. A heavy duty tow bar, 12-pin wiring harness and electronic Trailer Brake Control are all standard.
Like the rest of the Ram 1500 range, the Warlock features body-on-frame construction, making the RHD conversion process easier.
Inside and Safety Spec
Inside, the Warlock is broadly similar to the 1500 Express Crew Cab, with power adjustment for the front seats and the leather-accented trim amongst the upgrades.
Other standard features include the larger 7.0-inch instrument display and 8.4-inch centre console touchscreen for the UCONNECT 4C Nav infotainment system, a 6-speaker stereo, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, Bluetooth, front 12V outlets, dual-zone automatic climate control, keyless entry, remote starting, powered/heated mirrors, in-floor and rear underseat storage, power front and rear windows and a manually-opened window into the tub.
The Warlock’s long list of standard safety features includes ABS, EBD, Stability and Traction Control, Trailer Sway Control, Hill Start Assist, three ISOFIX anchor points and a reasonable complement of airbags, although side and curtain airbags are limited to the front seats only.
Warlock - The Original
The new Ram 1500 Warlock takes its name from a Dodge truck that was first offered 44 years ago.
Released in late-1976, the Warlock followed the ‘Street Van’ (a factory custom version of Dodge’s popular Tradesman van) in a series of style-oriented vehicles that Dodge called “Adult Toys”.
Style and finish of the first Warlock was inspired by a one-off show truck produced for the 1976 North American auto show season. Positive public response to that, combined with the success of the Street Van, led Dodge to release the Warlock as a limited-edition production model for 1977.
Available on either the D100 4x2 or W100 4x4 half-ton pickup with a standard 115-inch wheelbase and 6 ½ foot stepside tub, the Warlock could be had in a choice of three colours, all of which were accented with gold coachlines and gold-painted 15-inch wheels. Fatter tyres, timber sideboards for the tub, a chrome rear bumper and chrome-plated side steps were all standard. The gold coachlines continued inside the cabin, where black vinyl bucket seats and power steering were standard.
Mechanically, the Warlock was no different to the pickup it was based on, with a 225ci Slant Six (D100) or 318ci V8 (W100) standard, matched to a 3-speed manual. An automatic was optional, as were V8 engines up to 440ci capacity, a sunroof, sliding rear window and more.
High demand for the first-year Warlock saw Dodge drop the limited-edition tag and make it a regular production model.
The ‘Li’l Red Express Truck’ followed the Warlock to market in 1978, offered with an unrestricted 360ci V8 and A-727 automatic as standard. Being classed as a commercial vehicle, the Li’l Red Express, Warlock and other V8-engined Dodge pickups escaped the need for anti-pollution gear that was mandatory on passenger cars with the same engines.
Both the Warlock and Li’l Red Express were discontinued after 1979, but the Street Van continued into 1980.
Local Pricing
The RAM 1500 Warlock is priced from $104,450 (+ ORCs), backed by a three year/100,000km warranty with Roadside Assistance.
That pricing puts the Warlock at the top of the 1500 range, above the $79,950 Express Quad Cab, $89,950 Express Crew Cab and $99,950 Laramie (all pricing excludes ORCs).
Order your Warlock today and you will have to wait, though, as demand is still exceeding supply. Even with Ram Trucks Australia moving to a 24-hour production schedule a year ago, there’s currently a waiting list of around three months.
See your Ram Trucks Australia dealer, or go to https://www.ramtrucks.com.au/ for more details.
