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The 2008 SEMA Show brought us the Dodge Ram R/T concept, a sexy sport truck finished in B5 Blue with wheels, a tonneau cover, exhaust, and a body kit to set it apart from a standard Dodge Ram and this year Dodge followed suit with the Dodge Ram Bianco.  The Bianco is intended to be a sporty luxury truck, but many of the styling cues are taken from the R/T concept.

Although this Ram is a quad cab, you see a similar body kit and tonneau on the Bianco and the wheels of the Bianco look suspectly like the same wheels on last year's Ram R/T.  Inside, the Bianco offers custom Katzkin leather seats finished in black and white, proudly showing off the Mopar logo.

I have an appreciation for all sorts of cars, but deep down I'm a Mopar man.  I've owned Fords and Chevys, but my favorite cars have been my 1983 Dodge Mirada 340 and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340, and when I get to events like SEMA I'm always very excited to see what Mopar has in store for me.

 

This year, I have to admit that the indoor Mopar display was a little bare, although cars like the Challenger 1320 (click here for more info) and the new Dodge Avenger pro stock car (more info coming soon!) made the display worth the time.  

 

But there was still Mopar Alley.  The area connecting the Central Hall and South Hall runs you through a parking lot and atop a busy overpass, but for years now Mopar has bridged the gap with a variety of new and vintage Mopars -  both privately owned and featured vehicles owned by Chrysler Corporation.

The 2009 SEMA Show in Las Vegas is only 18 days away, and today the Mopar camp offered their first teasers of what to expect in their display.  Not surprisingly, the first four announced vehicles for the SEMA Show include a Dodge Ram and a Dodge Challenger, along with a pair of wild Jeep concepts.

The two Jeeps to be featured at the Mopar SEMA Show display, the Jeep Wrangler Overland and Jeep Lower Forty are both based on the popular Wrangler.  The Mopar Dodge Ram Bianco is based on a production Dodge Ram 1500 Sport, and the Mopar Dodge Challenger 1320 (the first of many Challengers I expect to see at SEMA) is actually based on the Dodge Challenger Track Pak rather than a production model.

The Mopar Dodge Ram Bianco is the most practical vehicle of this first batch of teasers, and this concept began its life as a 2009 Dodge Ram 1500 Sport quad cab powered by a 5.7L Hemi.  The goal of the Mopar designers was to emphasize luxury and high class, shown by the included artist's rendering.  A hard tonneau cover, Mopar body kit, Mopar fender flares, and Mopar 22-inch wheels help this Arctic Ice pearl Ram stand out in a crowd, and a Mopar cold air intake and dual exhaust system give the Ram a little more bark and bite.  Inside, the luxury feel is obvious with white and black Kaztkin leather seats and a matching color theme is echoed throughout the interior.  This vehicle doesn't offer any ridiculous modifications to prevent it from seeing production, and this could make for a great competitor to Ford's F150 Platinum.  I can't wait to get a good look at this Ram at SEMA...and while there is only this one drawing right now, expect plenty of pictures of this cool new Ram concept.

Stay tuned to the Detroit Autos Examiner for complete 2009 SEMA Show coverage, including high resolution images of this awesome concept the day that it is introduced to the world!  Subscribe now to the Detroit Autos Examiner column and don't miss any of the coverage from the 2009 SEMA Show in Las Vegas! 

 

Click here for a look at the other Mopar news on the 2009 SEMA Show!

 

From the Chrysler Group LLC statement:

Mopar Dodge Ram Bianco Image Vehicle: A Stylish, Luxury Pickup Truck
The Dodge Ram Bianco started life as a 2009 Dodge Ram 1500 Sport with a 5.7-liter HEMI V-8. The Dodge Ram is modified to reflect an upscale feel and appearance with the aid of Mopar performance parts and accessories. Colors, textures and accessories are combined in a manner that showcases the sophisticated side of the Dodge Ram 1500.
Exterior modifications include a Mopar hard tonneau that adds a classic, sporty appearance. The inside of the truck bed features Mopar's bed rug--a plush, yet washable carpet. For the exterior, a Mopar body kit and modified Mopar fender flares give a unique, sophisticated look. The stance is aided by a Ground Force lowering kit that not only lowers the vehicle, but also provides excellent ride and handling. The Dodge Ram Bianco is layered in several coats of Arctic Ice pearl paint that give it a rich appearance. Holding true to the upscale theme, Mopar's 22-inch wheels are painted in a matching, high-contrast design. Performance upgrades include a Mopar cold-air intake and a throaty Mopar dual exhaust with just enough growl to let you know there is something powerful under the hood.
The exterior theme continues through the interior. White and black Katzkin seats with matching door trim set the stage for a high-class ride. Piano Black and Arctic Ice accents add to the luxurious theme. For sound, Mopar contributed a Kicker audio system consisting of an audio amplifier, a powerful subwoofer and upgraded speakers.

On October 5, 2009, Chrysler Corporation issued a press release announcing a handful of new corporate positions throughout Chrysler Group LLC, as well as the introduction of the new Dodge RAM brand.  The previous CEO/President positions of the Dodge and Chrysler brand, held by Michael Accavitti (left to pursue other interests) and Peter Fong ("personal reasons") respectively were suddenly vacated when the two left the company.  The top position in the Chrysler brand has been filled by Olivier Francois, who is the acting CEO of Lancia, and has been a member of the Fiat management team for almost 5 years.

The announcement of the new head of the Dodge brand, came with an interesting twist.  Chrysler Group LLC has decided to split the Dodge brand into the Dodge cars brand - which will contain all of the cars, crossovers, and the minivans; and the new Dodge RAM brand. 

The Dodge RAM will offer the Dodge Ram pickups and the commercial vehicles previously offered from Dodge.  The press release fails to mention where the Dodge Dakota will land, and with no mention of the mid sized pickup, the future of the model could be up in the air, although we can assume for now that it will fall under the Dodge RAM brand.  Hopefully Chrysler will have more information soon as to the exact model layout of the Dodge RAM and Dodge car brands.  The creation of this new group includes a new CEO, and Fred Diaz Jr. will take that position, previously having run the Denver Business Center.  The Dodge car group will be headed by long time Chrysler designer Ralph Gilles.