Ram is showcasing its new 2025 Ram 1500 RHO in a new summer blockbuster. Will it be enough to spark sales?
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After a lackluster first and second quarter, Ram is hoping that a summer blockbuster can boost light duty truck sales. Ram reported that the brand saw growth of 11% in total sales for the second quarter over the first quarter of 2024, but overall sales for the Stellantis parent company are down 21 percent, in the U.S., compared to the same time last year. The new movie Twisters will feature the 2025 Ram 1500 RHO. Ram has a lot riding on the new RHO.
As I wrote in April, Ram debuted its new 2025 Ram 1500 RHO truck with an emphasis on value. The new pickup truck posts lots of impressive numbers, but the most striking number of them all is the sticker. The new 2025 Ram RHO offers the all-new, more powerful and more efficient 3.0-liter Hurricane High Output (H/O) Straight-Six Turbo (SST) engine. The truck is rated at 540 horsepower and 521 lb.-ft. of torque. It will do 0-60 mph in 4.6 seconds. It will also do 0-100 mph in 11.7 seconds. It has a top speed of 118 mph. The RHO starts at $69,995, plus a $1,995 destination charge.
Ram Continues its Affiliation with the Twister Brand
The 2025 Ram RHO’s new ad campaign shows “Twisters” star Glen Powell. Powell also headlined the debut of the 2025 Ram RHO.
“When the 'Twister' film was first released in 1996, our hero was behind the wheel of a Ram 2500 truck," said Olivier Francois, global chief marketing officer, Stellantis. "When we learned that Universal Pictures was filming ‘Twisters,’ there was no doubt that a Ram truck would again appear as the movie's heroic vehicle. The stars further aligned knowing that Glen Powell himself is a Ram truck owner, adding even more authenticity and credibility to what is expected to be one of the biggest movies of the summer."
“As a Ram truck owner myself, it has been a blast to work with a brand that understands pushing boundaries and embracing a challenge,” said Powell. “I’m incredibly grateful for this opportunity to continue my journey with the Ram Truck brand, bringing the thrill of adventure to truck enthusiasts everywhere.”
Why the 2025 Ram 1500 RHO is So Important for the Company
The new truck does not replace the powerful Ram TRX with 702 horsepower and 650 lb.-ft. of torque, but it also doesn’t carry the TRX’s hefty price tag. According to one Ram executive, the Ram 1500 RHO offers the best value with more horsepower per dollar ($129.60 per HP) than any other off-road truck.
One of the first things you will notice is the new 18-inch bead lock wheels that are available straight from the factory. The RHO also has new LED headlights. Both the new wheels and LED headlights are designed to improve performance out on the trails. The wheels will provide more stability. The headlights will increase vision and visibility in remote areas.
The truck has Bilstein Black Hawk e2 adaptive performance shocks that have been tuned to balance on-road handling and class-leading off-road capability. Ride comfort, body roll control and handling are significantly improved with the proprietary Ram Active Terrain Dynamics suspension management system, new shock tuning, hard points and body mount strategy. All drive modes can reach peak compression damping for the most extreme events.
A Dana 60 rear axle is standard equipment and handles the rear electronic locking differential and 35-inch tires. The Dana 60 rear axle uses a damper that enables improved traction and axle control on rough surfaces. A rear axle center section provides balanced performance and a locking differential for increased off-road performance.
The Ram 1500 RHO has a ground clearance of 11.8 inches due in part to a 2-inch ride height increase when compared with the rest of the 1500 lineup, along with 35-inch tires. This combination enables RHO to clear surface obstacles easily and at high speeds.
Ram Promoting Service and Community Involvement
Ram Truck brand, Universal Pictures and American Red Cross have teamed up to encourage the public to give blood or platelets to help avoid a summer blood shortage. The companies are asking people to support disaster relief and help communities recover from the impact of severe weather. While the focus of the movie is a deadly Twister, the U.S. has experienced tornadoes, a hurricane and flooding in recent months.
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Mary Conway is a professional automotive journalist and has decades of experience specializing in automotive news analysis. She covered the Detroit Three for more than twenty years for the ABC affiliate, in Detroit. Her affection for the Motor City comes naturally. Her father ran a gas station while Mary was growing up, in Wisconsin.
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