The locally-converted Ram 1500 pickup truck has been added to the New South Wales Police Marine Command fleet.
Powered by a 5.7-litre V8 engine making 291kW and 556Nm, the crew-cab pickup will be used to haul jet skis and rigid-inflatable rescue boats along the New South Wales coast.
With a braked towing capacity of 4500kg, the 1500 is rated to haul 1000kg more than smaller dual-cab utes like the Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger.
“The requirements we need to operate within means we have to be on top of our game when it comes to towing capacity and how we enforce the law – we can’t be underweighted on tows, so the Ram 1500 fits the bill perfectly,” said NSW Police Marine Command Superintendent, Stephen Hegarty.
Priced between the 1500 Express Quad Cab and the range-topping 1500 Laramie Crew Cab, the Express Crew Cab costs $89,950 before on-road costs.
Compared to the base Express Quad Cab, the Crew Cab features more space for rear passengers and a slightly shorter bed, along with creature comforts such as a larger infotainment screen inside.
Although it’s assembled in the USA, the Ram 1500 is converted to right-hand drive at a factory in Clayton, Victoria after being imported by Ateco.
“That we’re able to support local manufacturing is certainly a factor in our decision-making process,” said Superintendent Hegarty.
The factory responsible for Ram and Chevrolet Silverado 1500 moved to round-the-clock production in 2019 to meet strong demand for the Ram 1500.
