The Ram 1500 is a popular full-size pickup truck. In this episode, they’re talking about how many different versions it comes in, so buyers can pick the one that fits how they’ll use it and what they want it to look like.
The Dodge Ram is a pickup truck made for hauling and towing. In the podcast, it’s mentioned in connection with an event where journalists get to see trucks up close. That kind of event usually happens when there are updates or new versions to talk about.
Trim levels are the different versions of the same model. Each version comes with a different mix of features, so you can choose the one that matches what you want to pay for and what you want the truck to include.
“Two-door cap” here refers to a pickup cab configuration with two doors (commonly called a regular cab), which typically means no full rear-seat access. The hosts discuss how people assume sport trucks must be two-door, but if that cab style isn’t readily available at the factory, it can be harder to build the exact configuration you want.
An extended cab (often called a “crew cab” vs “extended cab” distinction depending on brand) is a pickup body style that adds rear seating access while keeping the overall truck length shorter than a full four-door crew cab. The hosts argue that the Ram TRX’s extended-cab layout is controversial but can be appealing because it’s more compact while still offering rear seats.
The Ford F-150 is a very popular full-size pickup. They’re using it as an example of what people like to buy or modify, and then they shift to how most truck buyers prefer four doors.
Four doors usually means the truck has rear doors for passengers. The hosts are saying most people want that convenience, even if some prefer the shorter, two-door look.
“Production environment” means designing materials and interior details so they can be manufactured consistently at scale, not just look good in a design studio. The speaker contrasts studio samples with what works when you’re building and selling many trucks.
Auburn Hills, Michigan is an automotive area in the U.S. They’re saying they shipped interior material samples from there to the place where the presentation is happening.
Laser-etched means a laser makes a detailed design by cutting or marking the surface. In this case, it’s used to create the decorative belt buckle look on the interior.
Barnwood is a wood look/finish meant to resemble old, reclaimed wood from barns. They’re explaining how they find real examples first, then make a version that can be used consistently on production trucks.
Veneer is a thin “skin” of wood used to give a surface the look of real wood. It’s used so the truck can have the style of barnwood without needing solid wood everywhere.
A branding iron is a tool that burns a design into something. Here, they use it to create the burned-in lettering on the wood finish so it looks more authentic.
Hammered metal is metal that’s shaped to look textured and “handmade,” like it was worked by striking it. They’re explaining how they recreate that look on a truck at factory scale.
Mass production means making lots of the same parts in a factory, not just one-off handmade pieces. They’re saying the hard part is keeping the “handcrafted” look while still producing it at scale.
This means they start with a solid block of aluminum and cut/machine the shape out of it. It’s how you make a detailed pattern that can be repeated reliably for production.
Term
wood burn wood with the saw cut effect
This is a design finish that makes the interior trim look like real wood that’s been cut into slices. It’s meant to give you a more natural, textured wood look instead of plain flat material.
A passenger screen is a display built into the dashboard for the front passenger. It can change what the surrounding trim looks like, because the designers have to work around the screen.
Gloss black panels are shiny black interior trim pieces. They tend to reflect light more than wood-style trim, which is why the hosts call out the difference versus Longhorn.
A trim level is basically the “version” of the truck—how fancy it is and what features it includes. The hosts are saying Limited is a step up from Laramie, and Longhorn has become more premium as the lineup changed.
Longhorn is a top-ish trim that leans into a Western-style luxury look. Think more distinctive interior design and nicer materials than the lower trims.
That phrase is the brand’s name for the nicest leather they offer in the truck. The host says it feels softer and more luxurious than the cheaper leather options.
Filigree detailing is decorative, lace-like pattern work—often made from thin material or formed into intricate shapes. Here, it’s used to describe the interior leather ornamentation inspired by hand-tooled Southwestern designs like cowboy boots and saddles.
Laser etching is a method where a laser makes a detailed pattern by cutting or changing the material. Here it’s used on leather to create a “handmade” look.
A modular design approach means using parts that can be mixed and matched. In this case, the truck’s interior pieces can be changed by model/trim to create different looks.
Trim rings are the decorative borders around interior features like buttons or vents. They’re part of the interior styling that can change depending on the truck’s trim.
Variable depth laser technology means the laser makes some parts of the leather cut deeper than others. That creates a more detailed, 3D-looking pattern instead of a flat engraving.
Auto Tempest is a website that pulls together listings from several other sites. It helps you compare prices faster for the exact kind of truck you want.
The BMW 335 is a BMW 3 Series car, and it’s meant to be more fun to drive than a basic commuter. In the episode, they mention a 2013 model with a manual transmission. That means the driver shifts gears themselves instead of using an automatic.
They’re talking about the Ram 2500, which is the heavier-duty version of Ram’s pickups. It’s meant for bigger towing and hauling, and the trim they’re showing (Longhorn) affects what you get inside.
“Big Horn” is a Ram trim level positioned above the Tradesman (the base work-truck trim). In this segment, the host uses it to explain how the Lone Star Edition relates to the lineup hierarchy.
“Tradesman” is the most basic, work-focused trim level in the Ram lineup. The host is using it as a reference point for what’s “nicer” in higher trims.
“Cloth seats” means the seats are covered in fabric instead of leather. The host is saying this edition keeps things a bit simpler inside.
Term
carpeted floors
“Carpeted floors” means the truck has carpet on the floor instead of a tougher, more utilitarian material. It’s usually chosen for a nicer, more comfortable feel.
“Limited” is a step in the lineup that tells you this truck has a certain level of features and nicer equipment. Higher trims add more luxury and tech.
This truck uses a six-cylinder engine with two turbochargers to make more power. Turbochargers cram extra air into the engine so it can produce more horsepower.
A “400 watt outlet” is a built-in plug in the truck bed. It can power small electronics or tools, and the number tells you the maximum power it can provide.
A tunnel cover is a cover over the raised section in the truck bed. It helps protect what you store there from the weather and keeps the bed area more usable.
Term
low-star addition truck
“Low-star” sounds like a rating that affects which trucks you’re offered. The point here is that what you can buy may depend on your address or where the dealer is.
The e-Torque system is a mild-hybrid feature. It adds a small electric assist to help the truck feel stronger and smoother, without being a full electric vehicle.
An equipment group is a bundle of options sold together. Sometimes you have to buy the whole bundle even if you only really want one feature inside it.
The Audi R8 is a high-end sports car made by Audi. It’s considered “premium” because it’s built for performance and comes with more upscale features than a regular car. In the episode, it’s used as an example of a standout, higher-status vehicle.
Term
price can kind of snowball
They mean the total cost can rise fast as you keep adding options. Each extra package makes the next one add up too, so the price climbs quickly.
The Ram TRX is a super off-road version of the Ram pickup. It’s meant to be tougher and more capable than a normal truck, and the hosts are saying the 2027 model is about to arrive.
Term
RHL
RHL is another off-road trim code being compared to the Rebel. The hosts are saying it’s a wider, more specialized setup than the Rebel.
Flagstaff, Arizona is where the host went for a truck launch event. It’s known for being at higher elevation, which can make conditions feel different than lower, hotter areas.
The Ferrari F50 is a very expensive, high-speed sports car made by Ferrari. It’s the kind of car people mention when they’re talking about performance history and how earlier supercars set expectations. In this episode, it’s used as a reference point for timing and performance culture.
They’re talking about Ford’s Raptor trucks, which are famous for being tough off-road pickups. The transcript likely means the F-150 Raptor.
Place
Cinders Park
Cinders Park is an off-road-style recreation area near Flagstaff known for volcanic terrain. The host describes it as a surface made of small black rocks, which is the kind of ground that highlights how a truck handles traction and ride over rough texture.
Drive modes are different settings you can choose to make the truck behave differently. Off-road modes usually help with traction on dirt, sand, or mud.
Recovery points are strong spots on the truck where you can attach a tow strap or recovery rope. They’re used when you get stuck off-road and need help pulling the vehicle out.
Ground clearance is how much space the truck has between the bottom and the ground. More clearance helps you avoid hitting rocks or ruts when you go off-road.
Term
Falcon Wild Peak 83 WA
This is a specific off-road tire model. The point is that it’s meant to grip better off-road, but it can still work well on regular roads.
The sidewall is the part of the tire that sits between the tread and the rim. A taller sidewall can help the tire handle bumps better and feel less harsh.
The Ford Falcon is a Ford car model. In this episode, it’s mentioned with a specific tire, which suggests the discussion is about how the car is set up to handle the road better. The tire choice is part of what makes the Falcon’s setup stand out.
It’s a drivetrain feature that helps both rear wheels spin together. When one wheel starts slipping, it helps the other wheel keep pulling so you don’t get stuck as easily.
These are 4-wheel-drive modes. Four-high is for typical slippery/off-road use, and four-low is for slow, controlled situations where you need extra pulling power.
A towing package is the truck’s factory setup for pulling a trailer. It usually includes the hitch and the wiring so your trailer lights work properly.
“Tank” is the name of a paint color on the truck. The host is saying it can look different in different sunlight, and it’s meant to be a dark green tone.
A crew cab is the pickup version with four doors, so there’s room for people in the back seat too. They’re saying your cab choice also limits what bed length you can pair with it.
An off-road group is a bundle of upgrades meant to make the truck better for dirt roads or trails. Instead of picking each upgrade one by one, you get them together as a package.
“Level one” appears to be a step in the truck’s online configurator that forces the buyer to select additional options. It’s essentially a way to progress through trim/option levels in the ordering flow.
A “turbo straight six” is an engine with six cylinders in a line, plus a turbo to help it make more power. The hosts are saying that this engine layout/boost is a big reason the truck drives differently than a V6.
“Gutless trucks” means trucks that feel slow to get moving or don’t pull strongly. They’re using it to talk about whether people actually need the extra power from the better engine.
Horsepower is a number that tells you how strong the engine is. Higher horsepower usually means the vehicle can accelerate more easily, but not everyone cares about that.
They’re calling one of the Ram’s engine options the “Hurricane.” The point here is that it’s quick, but they’re debating whether it gives the kind of driving feel and feedback you’d want.
They mean the “Hemi,” which is a famous engine style associated with Chrysler/Dodge. Here they’re basically asking whether you should choose the Hemi instead of the other engine because it changes how the truck drives and feels.
The Lucid Air is an electric car, meaning it runs on electricity instead of gasoline. Because it’s electric, it often sounds much quieter than a gas car when it drives by. The podcast is pointing out that “air” sound as part of what makes it feel different.
LIVE
[SPEAKER_00]: case I went down to Texas this week didn't go down to Georgia.
[SPEAKER_00]: No, but I did go down to Dallas Fort Worth area and this was a big event kind of a media event for journalists for ram trucks.
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, you had your pick of basically just about every ram 1500.
[SPEAKER_02]: other than the rumblebee, which were still waiting to end.
[SPEAKER_00]: At the time of the new chair racks, the chair racks wasn't there.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yep.
[SPEAKER_00]: But here's the thing, dude.
[SPEAKER_00]: I was talking to some RAM, you know, people who work at RAM trucks.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_00]: And they were saying that, I mean, well, first of all, we knew this already.
[SPEAKER_00]: That Texas is the biggest market for pickup trucks of all kinds.
[SPEAKER_00]: And like between like 15 to 20% of every pickup truck sold is sold in Texas.
[SPEAKER_00]: She's crazy.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's a big state, but that's...
[SPEAKER_00]: It's a big percentage, exactly, but also what's important is that pickup trucks are kind of about kind of individuality, right?
[SPEAKER_00]: Because they're very functional vehicles, so a lot of the times, you know, I can take pride, like I can do this task by myself Because I have a pickup truck, I can load it up myself, I can hook up a trailer to it But I don't want my truck to look like everybody else's truck [SPEAKER_00]: Sure.
[SPEAKER_00]: You know, it's about me being me.
[SPEAKER_00]: And because of that, they have like 16 or 17 different trim levels.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_00]: So what is a customer to do?
[SPEAKER_00]: How can you choose to do?
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, there are tons of different options with the RAM 1500.
[SPEAKER_02]: And that's why it's really cool that you got to go sample them all and show them at the same time.
[SPEAKER_02]: So what we're going to do in this podcast is kind of a buyer's [SPEAKER_00]: Exactly, so I couldn't get tensed with all 16 terminals because well that would be like three podcasts This would it could be hours, right?
[SPEAKER_00]: It was also kind of a warm day.
[SPEAKER_00]: I would say a warm spring day in Fort Worth It was like only about 103 degrees Fahrenheit with very high humidity [SPEAKER_00]: that's that is temperate for taxes.
[SPEAKER_00]: So so I definitely wasn't used to it.
[SPEAKER_00]: Humidity, sweating, Gavin and I was sweating quite a lot.
[SPEAKER_00]: Gavin was the videographer that we were working together with.
[SPEAKER_00]: So yeah, so for example, we're showing a ram configurator and you can just [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, and this shows the majority of trims, but it actually doesn't show all of them because the TRX is not on this page and of course, we're still waiting to see all of the different rumblebee models populate on this page as well.
[SPEAKER_02]: So this is just kind of an idea of some of the basic trims.
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, thank you for mentioning to the backcountry.
[SPEAKER_02]: Also back now on this page.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, exactly.
[SPEAKER_00]: and it goes all the way, you know, starts at the trades, and then of course, two will drive, and they don't have a two door cap, by the way.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, so a lot of people said when the rumble beast came out, those are sport trucks that they have to be a two-door cap regular cap, but if you don't have one in the factory laying around, you know, that's going to be a bigger deal to kind of make that [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, and I like with the rumble be I know it's maybe it's a little controversial for some people, but I like that they did the extended cab on the rumble be because it's cool to make it a slightly more short wheelbase sporty compact truck, but at the same time, most people want the use of rear seats on their truck.
[SPEAKER_02]: Realistically, the vast majority of sales are that.
[SPEAKER_02]: I realize that a lot of the trucks that people are hot rotting, [SPEAKER_02]: in F-150 form, our single cab.
[SPEAKER_02]: So there is a market there, but so the majority of buyers are going to want four doors.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, and I'm in that camp, right?
[SPEAKER_00]: I know you own a two-door pickup truck and you're quite very, very happy with your comments.
[SPEAKER_00]: I love my truck.
[SPEAKER_00]: Exactly, but...
[SPEAKER_02]: But look how short that door is, you know, it's not- It's almost not a door.
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, it's not a big deal.
[SPEAKER_02]: Having those rear seats and in a pinch, it is useful.
[SPEAKER_02]: I wouldn't want to stick, like Gavin that you were just talking about, our video guy, he's over six feet tall.
[SPEAKER_02]: He would not be super comfortable back there on a road trip.
[SPEAKER_02]: So, yeah, definitely not road trip, but maybe to go to lunch, you know, I think that would be plenty.
[SPEAKER_00]: And I also do, I learned some couple more things about what's going on with Texas specifically and how RAM interacts with that market, right?
[SPEAKER_00]: We can talk about the Lone Star Edition of the RAM 1500, and also I learned quite a lot about the animal itself, the Longhorn.
[SPEAKER_00]: yeah yeah you spent some time with yeah some with actual cattle yeah well not like there were handlers involved like I wasn't handling the horn cattle myself you weren't grabbing them and wrestling them by the horns no I wonder one of the gentlemen one of the cowboys uh told me that a couple things first of all that the you know you know how Jake Ganton yeah they have like a horn span of like [SPEAKER_00]: Six or eight feet sometimes.
[SPEAKER_02]: What are those animals weigh like 12, 15,000 pounds?
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, and they can actually pick up a human with one of those horns and throw you around So it's not a joke.
[SPEAKER_00]: They got to be over a thousand pounds.
[SPEAKER_00]: These are big animals and you will see them in this podcast because I actually did a kind of a Not a walk around.
[SPEAKER_01]: I would say [SPEAKER_00]: Not a review, not a review of a longhorn cattle, but nonetheless, with a little bit of video with them.
[SPEAKER_00]: And also, Ram is, it's 15 years of their longhorn trim for the Ram trucks.
[SPEAKER_00]: It originally came out in 2011, and I'm kind of a sucker for Western themes, you know, you know me, like when I see a King Ranch Ford or longhorn ram or even kind of a [SPEAKER_00]: with high-country, I guess?
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, well, we live out west.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, so I make a lot of sense.
[SPEAKER_00]: So yeah, so how about this?
[SPEAKER_00]: Should we kind of start with the long-horn, see what's going on in Texas, and also an opportunity to interview one of the designers of the, well, actually all ramen carriers.
[SPEAKER_00]: And I wanted to learn exactly what goes into making trucks interior.
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, let's cut to some in-person footage with trucks.
[SPEAKER_00]: Remains celebrating 15 years of the longhorn trim level and the truck next to me is the new 2026 model.
[SPEAKER_00]: And here I am in Texas with two longhorns actual real ones.
[SPEAKER_00]: So we're getting to know each other, we're looking at each other and [SPEAKER_00]: their horns are quite impressive, and I'm a little bit nervous, but it's very, very cool.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's hard to believe that the long-horned edition of the RAM 1500, and also heavy-duty trucks.
[SPEAKER_00]: The history goes back about 15 years now.
[SPEAKER_00]: That's 11.
[SPEAKER_00]: So I'm here with a John Godbroo.
[SPEAKER_00]: Did I say that correctly?
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, yeah.
[SPEAKER_00]: Thank you for, and you were keen to introduce yourself briefly, please?
[SPEAKER_01]: Yes, so my job at RAM is I'm the chief designer for RAM truck interiors.
[SPEAKER_01]: And so, yeah, I've been working on these since 2014 and all the current generation RAM pickups.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, so we're standing here next to what 2020 is six model, right?
[SPEAKER_00]: It's in 1976, yeah.
[SPEAKER_00]: RAM 1500, limited long-horned.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's kind of a long-ish name, but it's really in my mind, a Western motif.
[SPEAKER_00]: And you said something like a lot of people call it kind of the cowboy truck almost, right?
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, well, being from Michigan, you know, [SPEAKER_01]: with my own family, we tend to refer to it as the cowboy truck, but, you know, it really is meant to be honoring and respecting Texas culture.
[SPEAKER_01]: So, you know, it's very much inspired by things you see here in Texas.
[SPEAKER_00]: And you mentioned, you just kind of gave a presentation and I wanted to talk to you a little bit more and get kind of [SPEAKER_00]: deeper behind the scenes of the development of this interior and just the truck in general because you mentioned kind of hint crafted materials and textures, but doing it in the production environment because you're selling a lot of these, right?
[SPEAKER_00]: Yes, many as we can.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yes, so can we go back to kind of the history and look at some of the items that you brought?
[SPEAKER_00]: And kind of start maybe start, go back to 2011 just for a short time.
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, so this is an example of props and material samples from the design studio, literally shipped them down here in the trucks from Auburn Hills, Michigan.
[SPEAKER_00]: Okay.
[SPEAKER_01]: And of course with Longhorn being since 2011 now, 15 years.
[SPEAKER_01]: These are things that are, [SPEAKER_01]: From the whole history going back to when we were developing Longhorn or even before that right even before that Yeah, because of course the fifth gen trucks started in 2009 and we are I'm sorry 19 the fifth gen is 2019.
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, but the longhorn came [SPEAKER_01]: in 2011.
[SPEAKER_01]: So we've been developing and curating this collection of materials and samples basically ever since then.
[SPEAKER_01]: And of course since 2011 we've evolved the color palette we've evolved the materials over the years and so yeah it's basically building a tradition of [SPEAKER_01]: longhorn from 2011 till now.
[SPEAKER_00]: So when I saw the seat, you brought a seat that's kind of standing by itself here on stage and I thought it was a modern seat like from a current truck, but actually it's not.
[SPEAKER_01]: That is the very first prototype longhorn seat from the 2011 model.
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_01]: And yeah, this is like the first time you're seeing all the laser-etched [SPEAKER_01]: the belt buckle on the matte pocket in the back.
[SPEAKER_01]: This was the prototype that was put together to pull it all together and show what it could look like.
[SPEAKER_00]: All right, so tell me about kind of the theme and kind of like can we touch on some of the items you have here?
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, so there's a lot of very cool details that make longhorn unique and special from the rest of the ram model line.
[SPEAKER_01]: But a couple of them that I've been focusing on today are the Barnwood.
[SPEAKER_00]: So you're your samples from the studio, okay?
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, so today, you know, we use the barren wood veneer on this 2026 longhorn, and this is actually a sample of what's used today.
[SPEAKER_01]: But in order to develop that, you know, what we were looking at was finding, you know, a source that you could get all these samples of actual reclaimed barnwood from real barns around the country.
[SPEAKER_01]: And these samples are actually labeled with the different barns and where they were found all around the country.
[SPEAKER_01]: So, [SPEAKER_01]: In order to realize this for production though, you know, we needed to have a sustainable source that you could repeat it for many years.
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, for multiple years, but also meet all the durability requirements, so that's where we've developed this saucut barnwood that really gives the feeling of reclaimed barnwood and also gives [SPEAKER_01]: with an actual branding iron.
[SPEAKER_01]: And I know I was showing you guys the video of this in the manufacturing process where it's actually burned into the wood veneer.
[SPEAKER_01]: For real, for real, it's a real brand and actually every one of these is different.
[SPEAKER_01]: We actually had to with the supplier because of the different green and everything when you burn it in, sometimes the letters are appearing differently on each version, develop a range sample of like what's like the range of different appearances we would accept for production.
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, it's a really cool, a very special element of the law.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, but I imagine that makes the customer also feel kind of special, right?
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, if there is a little bit of individuality, right?
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, that is definitely something that is unique and different to every longhorn we build.
[SPEAKER_00]: So then, tell me a little bit about the metal, some of the metal pieces.
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, so the hammered metal, this is something we brought in on the 2110th anniversary.
[SPEAKER_01]: And it had been something we had been playing around with for a few years before that.
[SPEAKER_01]: And, you know, the cool thing is, of course, when you have hammered metal with whether it's lamp fixtures or, you know, bowls or artists and crafted pieces, the appeal is that it's done by hand.
[SPEAKER_01]: It's a hand-crafted thing.
[SPEAKER_01]: and it's like a random right it's yeah there's there's not really a perfect pattern that is what makes it gives it that warmth and that kind of handcrafted charm so but we had to find a way to do this in mass production so this is an example of the production part [SPEAKER_01]: Where there's an actual piece of metal that is formed and then back injected with plastic to get it to hold it shape But that is real metal and there is can feel like the the coldness of it I guess yeah, yeah, that's one of the cool things about using real metal in a vehicle is the way it retains heat and cold is very different than plastic
[SPEAKER_01]: plastic heats up and cools down much faster than metal metal heats up it feels hot for while it gets cold it feels cold for a while so when you're in a car it has got a lot of plastic that's how you know it's the real thing it's the real material and this is actually [SPEAKER_01]: from the first prototype truck that we were building to demonstrate that appearance with the hammered metal where you can see this is actually milled out of a billet piece of aluminum here where we had to recreate the pattern and milled out here and so this is a cool part of the design process to of how do you get from that inspiration of handcrafted to the production reality.
[SPEAKER_00]: All right, let's look at the current truck a little bit more detail and just kind of see how it's executed and really, I mean, you're touching not just the front area, not just the dashboard, but it's the whole truck, right?
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, and that's one of the great things about the crew cab on the 1500s.
[SPEAKER_01]: It really is a luxurious space to be in because it is so over me.
[SPEAKER_01]: So that means, we've got to treat the back of the truck.
[SPEAKER_01]: just as nice as the front.
[SPEAKER_01]: So, especially on Longhorn, you see there's a lot of special details like that are only in the back.
[SPEAKER_01]: One of them being the belt buckles on the back of the map pocket, you know, this is a very obvious, you know, reference to [SPEAKER_01]: Texas culture, Western influence and the belts and that kind of thing.
[SPEAKER_01]: But also the floor mat, you know, that badge that you also see on the console is very much inspired by a belt buckle.
[SPEAKER_01]: But done in a tasteful way, you know, it's not over the top, it's kind of understated, but you know, really honoring, you know, Texas and Southwestern.
[SPEAKER_01]: design and culture.
[SPEAKER_00]: And they can also see the wood in the back of this center console as well.
[SPEAKER_01]: Yep, so you get the real wood burn wood with the saw cut effect on both the door trims and the back of the center console.
[SPEAKER_01]: So yeah, you get all the same, you know, attention to detail and materials in the back as you do in the front.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, let's take a look at the front once again, because these latest, we're showing kind of the branded front-dash wood piece, right?
[SPEAKER_00]: But I can also see this passenger side screen.
[SPEAKER_00]: So you have to redesign that piece of wood yet again, right?
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_01]: So the logo is a little bit different size now than it was before we had the passenger screen.
[SPEAKER_01]: But one of the cool things about long horn is if you look at the other models of ram that have the passenger screen, [SPEAKER_01]: They really just have gloss black panels.
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, and that's really reflective.
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, so this is a cool thing about Longhorn that we really wanted to preserve.
[SPEAKER_01]: You know, the the square inch area, if you will, the amount of wood is much as possible.
[SPEAKER_01]: So, so yeah, this is the only one that's got that kind of trim with the passenger screen.
[SPEAKER_00]: And over the years, and I was confusing this a little bit, but over the years the longhorn trim kind of transition from Laramie.
[SPEAKER_00]: So there was a, it was kind of an addition to Laramie trucks that you kind of touched upon briefly.
[SPEAKER_00]: But now it's a little bit more premium, I would say, because limited is a little bit higher trim level.
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, so when Longhorn first came out in 2011, limited did not yet exist.
[SPEAKER_01]: So it was a variant of Delayramy model.
[SPEAKER_01]: But like you're saying over the years, we introduced limited in 2012.
[SPEAKER_01]: And as they evolved over the years, they are now essentially the same truck in terms of spec [SPEAKER_01]: It's really just the difference now as one is the Western theme luxury and one is the more modern sleek luxury.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, and so it was a little difficult for me to track.
[SPEAKER_00]: You know, just to change it, because I knew it was Western, but we just kind of went a little bit to the next one.
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, and Laramie, of course, has some Western theme to it too, but you know, Longhorn was really taking that to the next level.
[SPEAKER_01]: So it always made sense that it evolved from Laramie, but you know, just as the trucks have evolved, and the model lineup has expanded so much over the years, like right now it makes sense that [SPEAKER_01]: limited and longhorn are, you know, kind of alter egos of each other.
[SPEAKER_01]: Twin brothers, if you will.
[SPEAKER_00]: I gotcha.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_00]: And there's the same thing happening for the most, as far as the longhorn is concerned for the heavy duties.
[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, there's a kind of same story applies like we could have the same discussion.
[SPEAKER_01]: and a heavy-duty long harness.
[SPEAKER_01]: So the same material, same hemphodology.
[SPEAKER_01]: All the same materials, all the same color and trim.
[SPEAKER_01]: Yes, it's literally translated exactly into the heavy-duty.
[SPEAKER_00]: Can you mention how this is made?
[SPEAKER_01]: The leather pattern here?
[SPEAKER_01]: Yes, so, you know, the first of all, the leather itself.
[SPEAKER_01]: We call this our natura plus ultra-premium leather.
[SPEAKER_01]: You know, there are different grades of leather both in our trucks and that you can buy.
[SPEAKER_01]: And this is the most premium type of leather.
[SPEAKER_01]: And the reason I'm touching it here is because if you had a comparison of a less premium leather, this would feel buttery soft and like, you know, it just has a much richer hand to the feel of it than a lower grade leather.
[SPEAKER_01]: But then the filigree detailing, this is something that's inspired by hand-tooled filigree that you see in a lot of southwestern design, whether it's cowboy boots or horse saddles or leather goods.
[SPEAKER_01]: Like, this is an artisan crafted thing where people are hand-tooling a lot of cool details into those.
[SPEAKER_01]: But this is how we've translated it into production through a laser etching process that's developed by our supplier to, you know, create this feeling of a hand tool design on our leather parts.
[SPEAKER_00]: yeah and you were showing a little clip earlier where the laser kind of goes through and doesn't actually very quickly.
[SPEAKER_00]: But you're saying that multiple depths, you know, different lasers are kind of cutting into it.
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, you can see just like in the little [SPEAKER_01]: valleys there you can actually see like the pattern of the laser through there and then the holes are at a deeper level so there's a couple different depths between the holes in this perimeter shapes and you know the little filled in areas that are you know trying to give as much of that feeling is like the hand tooled hand crafted.
[SPEAKER_01]: feeling as much as possible.
[SPEAKER_00]: And of course, the other thing you mentioned was that you have really almost 17 distinct interiors now.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_00]: In the RAM 1500.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yes.
[SPEAKER_00]: That's a lot.
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_01]: Well, and that's where, you know, these same elements we're talking about here, if you look at the different models, you know, sometimes we refer to as a modular design approach where we specifically have these parts in mind, like the trim rings, [SPEAKER_01]: and the wood parts and these bolster inserts that we are custom tailoring and tailoring them to the different personality of each model.
[SPEAKER_01]: And these are the things like it's like the [SPEAKER_01]: to use a cooking analogy like the chef's pantry.
[SPEAKER_01]: These are all the ingredients in our pantry that we can change to change up the recipe of the truck for each different model.
[SPEAKER_00]: Nice.
[SPEAKER_00]: Well, thanks for kind of sharing some of that history.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, thanks for asking us some of the details behind it.
[SPEAKER_01]: I think it's really interesting.
[SPEAKER_01]: I appreciate it.
[SPEAKER_01]: No problem.
[SPEAKER_01]: Thank you.
[SPEAKER_00]: I thought I knew a lot about pickup trucks, especially their interiors, too, but I learned quite a bit actually.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_00]: I had no idea they used variable depth laser technology to cut the leather, you know, and do those designs on those pieces of leather.
[SPEAKER_00]: That was pretty neat.
[SPEAKER_02]: Which explains some of the cost of a trim like that, because [SPEAKER_02]: Like you saw, there's tons of effort and technology in the manufacturing that goes into making one of those trucks happen.
[SPEAKER_02]: But...
[SPEAKER_02]: as expensive as they are, there is a more affordable way to get yourself into a long horn.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yes, it's to buy used.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's a huge knife.
[SPEAKER_00]: Often do.
[SPEAKER_00]: But Cole, our producer, Cole, can you go and show us a price of a brand new truck first before we kind of look at what's going in the use market?
[SPEAKER_00]: So the limited long horn.
[SPEAKER_02]: So right there, it starts at 76,900, so neither of us are our long horn guys new.
[SPEAKER_00]: Well, we would have to sell a bunch of stuff just to be able to get into one of the final apps, refine that, some stuff, do some moving around, but and that's probably before the destination cost.
[SPEAKER_00]: So I would say like you're approaching almost 880 grand before some of the optional outdoor for sure.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, so so what happens if you don't have 80 grand laying around so I would go used and like like we just mentioned they started in 2011 Yeah, right so you can actually go down in the use market and I love auto tempest because they provide a lot of data like aggregated in one place So we unite all have to click around to like five or six different websites.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, we could just go to auto tempest and actually see all the data right there [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, this is a really cool tool, which is why we partnered up with them and what's neat about it is that you can be as specific as to say, I want in this year range, not only a RAM 1500, but specifically I want to shop for a longhorn, for example.
[SPEAKER_02]: So that's what we're seeing populated here.
[SPEAKER_02]: It's all longhorn trims.
[SPEAKER_02]: And you can see the trend of what trucks in that year-range are selling for.
[SPEAKER_02]: So you can kind of see what the market is doing a little bit.
[SPEAKER_02]: And you can see some extreme examples on either end.
[SPEAKER_02]: Obviously there's a concentration around the middle of what the average price is.
[SPEAKER_02]: But there's some trucks that are maybe really low mileage at sell for a little bit more money.
[SPEAKER_02]: And then some trucks that we see with, for example, over 200,000 miles at sell.
[SPEAKER_02]: For I think we saw one that sold for about 10 grand.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, about 10 grand on the low end for like a 2011 or 2012, so here's a call is let's look at one like on the cheaper side.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, and see how many miles.
[SPEAKER_02]: Here's a 2012 with...
[SPEAKER_02]: How many miles?
[SPEAKER_02]: 145,000 miles for 14 grand.
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_02]: Pretty sharp looking truck.
[SPEAKER_02]: It doesn't.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's a two-tone look, right?
[SPEAKER_00]: It's heavy powered.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's got that Western interior.
[SPEAKER_00]: So it's got, you know, like I said, I really kind of appreciate that type of stuff.
[SPEAKER_00]: So yes, I mean, you would have to look at its history, right?
[SPEAKER_00]: And it's see exactly what this truck is about.
[SPEAKER_00]: But 145,000 miles for a truck like that is actually not a lot.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, no.
[SPEAKER_00]: In my opinion.
[SPEAKER_02]: It's not too bad in the truck from the photo.
[SPEAKER_02]: It looks pretty good.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, and of course you can drill into this data a little bit more.
[SPEAKER_00]: Let's look at the more expensive one.
[SPEAKER_00]: Cole, can we go back and look at the one at the higher end of this?
[SPEAKER_00]: Let's see if we have some pictures here.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_02]: So even on the high end, yeah, this truck, for example, has about 80,000 miles, even on the high end, they're going for a little over 20, which is held a lot less than 80 grand.
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_02]: So this is in Colorado.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, Inglewood.
[SPEAKER_00]: Hey, it's like Denver area.
[SPEAKER_00]: We can actually go down and uh, well, maybe this truck sold in March.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, March of last year.
[SPEAKER_00]: Oh, yeah.
[SPEAKER_00]: So we can't really see this now.
[SPEAKER_00]: But we might see it out on the road.
[SPEAKER_00]: Exactly.
[SPEAKER_00]: So that's kind of why I like this tool dude because it kind of shows what I've learned about looking at this data for last months and years is that COVID.
[SPEAKER_00]: you can still see the COVID bump.
[SPEAKER_00]: So if you go back to the graph, you could see the data starts somewhere in 2019 and then you see an uptick in those values across the board for every manufacturer.
[SPEAKER_00]: And then it kind of comes down after 2022, but you see it's kind of leveling off.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_00]: So I see, I think a lot of these trucks are gonna be kind of steady, steady in their price.
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, and it's an awesome tool to have because all the time I'll have a friend reach out to me and say something like, hey, man, I'm looking at this 2013 BMW 335 IS Tudor manual manual or something.
[SPEAKER_02]: And it's got this many miles and it's listed for, you know, [SPEAKER_02]: I don't know.
[SPEAKER_02]: We need to check off the top of my head.
[SPEAKER_02]: I hate to tell you.
[SPEAKER_02]: I am not.
[SPEAKER_02]: Not confident to tell you whether or not that's a good deal.
[SPEAKER_02]: So this is a way that you can hone in on exactly [SPEAKER_02]: one specific kind of vehicle and figure out what you should be paying for it.
[SPEAKER_00]: Exactly, and also you could do like even choose like a body color, right?
[SPEAKER_00]: Let's say there was a special color that here, maybe it was yellow, maybe it was orange or something else.
[SPEAKER_02]: Special edition, maybe it was red.
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, and you can adjust for my age, you can adjust for a lot of the options, so that's nice.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I like the specificity of this tool and also aggregation.
[SPEAKER_02]: And again, just being able to see that you can get a truck that is several years old for a fraction in the price of something new, obviously, that's not surprising, but it is encouraging because when you see a number like $80,000, I mean, I get it, that's what luxury costs and for the people that are shopping for them, you know, it probably makes sense, but [SPEAKER_02]: for somebody like us.
[SPEAKER_02]: We would be looking at a truck that's few years old.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, exactly.
[SPEAKER_00]: And of course, you don't have to go to 2011 or 2012.
[SPEAKER_00]: You could go, you know, down about five years, right?
[SPEAKER_00]: And find something in the middle, right?
[SPEAKER_00]: Totally.
[SPEAKER_00]: So, so you don't have to go that old.
[SPEAKER_02]: Still pay, you know, half the price of a new one.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_00]: Totally.
[SPEAKER_00]: So I guess I saw a lot more trucks.
[SPEAKER_00]: I did not just see the long horns.
[SPEAKER_00]: So how about we switch gears a little bit.
[SPEAKER_00]: Go back to that, that was area of Fort Worth area.
[SPEAKER_00]: And look at a lone star and maybe look at a couple of more expensive trim levels as well.
[SPEAKER_00]: For the 2025 model year, RAM updated their 1500 light duty full-size pickup trucks like the one we were seeing with the red truck with John.
[SPEAKER_00]: But for 2025 model year, they're also redesigned and updated their heavy duty pickup truck lineup.
[SPEAKER_00]: And right here, I'm standing next to a 2500 heavy duty with a comments.
[SPEAKER_00]: And this is also a long horn.
[SPEAKER_00]: a limited longhorn and I just want to take this as an opportunity to explain what's going on here just a little bit more and let me show you the interior of this truck as well.
[SPEAKER_00]: You could see the same theme, the same materials, and I think this truck, I think it is a 2025 model actually, so it's had some wear on it, but it still looks really, really great.
[SPEAKER_00]: I really can appreciate it.
[SPEAKER_00]: But you can see this badge on a set of consoles has limited long horn and it's distinct once again from a limited trim So I was confusing it to I thought the limited kind of morphed into a limited long horn But still the limited truck trim is its own vehicle with a different interior and a limited long horn is its own edition You see right here [SPEAKER_00]: And they both used to be called Laramies, actually, back in a day like John explained.
[SPEAKER_00]: So that was something I was getting kind of confused about.
[SPEAKER_00]: But once again, just a very premium trim and the rear.
[SPEAKER_00]: same thing you could take a look and of course this is a heavy duty crew cab with a shorter standard box and you could see actually the heavy duty cab is not as huge as the 1500 you can kind of visually see the space between the front seat and the back seat and kind of the way the floor is designed but nonetheless still same premium appointment and the leather [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I can really tell that this is high quality stuff right here.
[SPEAKER_00]: And both of them actually came out in 2011.
[SPEAKER_00]: So if you look back to 2011, how they were introducing this western motif with these trucks, the heavy duty pickup trucks, long horns, and the light duty 1500s kind of came out almost the same year.
[SPEAKER_00]: There.
[SPEAKER_00]: So very cool to see, and it's also inspired by the biggest pickup truck market.
[SPEAKER_00]: in the country, and maybe the world which is Texas, there was saying one of every six pickup trucks in the country sold in Texas and also RAM was saying they're heavy duty lineup about 20% of their sales are in Texas, so this is pickup truck country.
[SPEAKER_00]: And this is the motif, the long horn, the western motif, that's very popular right here.
[SPEAKER_00]: So, I wanted to show you this particular truck, this is a ram 1500 crew cab loan star edition.
[SPEAKER_00]: So, what is loan star?
[SPEAKER_00]: Obviously, right now I'm near Fort Worth, Texas, so it makes a lot of sense, that's Texas.
[SPEAKER_00]: But I learned something.
[SPEAKER_00]: during this trip, I thought I knew most things about pickup trucks, new ones, after doing this for 15 years, but I learned something brand new.
[SPEAKER_00]: So if you are ordering a RAM 1500, loan star like this one, and you don't live in Texas, you can't do it.
[SPEAKER_00]: if you're ordering a brand new vehicle.
[SPEAKER_00]: So, so that's quite interesting.
[SPEAKER_00]: Basically this truck is also the big horn.
[SPEAKER_00]: Big horn is there next trim level up from the tradesmen, the base work truck.
[SPEAKER_00]: So think of it as just a little bit nicer than a work truck.
[SPEAKER_00]: But then Texas gets its own lone star addition, but [SPEAKER_00]: You have to actually live in Texas.
[SPEAKER_00]: That's kind of cool because it's kind of regional, region specific or state specific in this case.
[SPEAKER_00]: But you can see inside of this truck, a little bit more simple than others.
[SPEAKER_00]: Cloth seats, but I think one of the most comfortable seats in the business, actually, carpeted formats, carpeted floors.
[SPEAKER_00]: This one also is a five person.
[SPEAKER_00]: So it's got a big center console.
[SPEAKER_00]: And actually the steering wheel is wrapped as well so it's a little bit more premium but still a smaller screen so this is an 8.1
[SPEAKER_00]: inch diagonal center screen so nothing hugely fancy but also with a it has an eye for value so these start at around fifty four thousand dollars as far as a crew cap is concerned and of course you could option them up with different [SPEAKER_00]: additional features.
[SPEAKER_00]: This one also has the 5.7 Hemi V8 mild hybrid, but for 2027 model year this is very important.
[SPEAKER_00]: Ram is expanding once again.
[SPEAKER_00]: I can't imagine.
[SPEAKER_00]: they didn't have enough power trains and enough trim levels, but once again they're introducing the rumblebee, a muscle trucks, and the 5-7 and the muscle truck will not have a e-torque system.
[SPEAKER_00]: It'll be a straight V8 with no mild hybrid.
[SPEAKER_00]: But the hybrid trucks, these mild hybrids will still exist.
[SPEAKER_00]: So they're not removing power train options.
[SPEAKER_00]: They're just adding more and more new ones.
[SPEAKER_00]: Also the 64 Apache high horsepower engine is coming to the drumblebee, muscle truck, and then of course the Hellcat powered models as well, as far as the new TRX and also the new Rumblebee SRT trucks.
[SPEAKER_00]: So, heart to imagine that they're adding yet more power trains [SPEAKER_00]: trim levels and a new category of pickup truck.
[SPEAKER_00]: But you kind of have to do it.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's a very competitive segment, very competitive market, full size pickup trucks and also heavy duties like on this side.
[SPEAKER_00]: There's also the new Lunar Edition for 2026.
[SPEAKER_00]: very competitive segment and everybody likes something unique.
[SPEAKER_00]: I know I do.
[SPEAKER_00]: I want something kind of specialized for me with my own, maybe color choices, my own regional preferences, just whatever I like.
[SPEAKER_00]: I want to be able to buy a pickup truck with just the right options.
[SPEAKER_00]: And that's why manufacturers like RAM are providing so many choices over a million different configurations that we're talking about.
[SPEAKER_00]: This Lunar Edition truck, I have a separate video about.
[SPEAKER_00]: You can check it out on oldtfl.com.
[SPEAKER_00]: But basically it combines this ceramic gray color with a new kind of exterior [SPEAKER_00]: I guess touch, specific to this trim, where the grill's around in the front is actually body color instead of all blacked out and also it has a blacked out bumper, obviously steel on this heavy duty and a blacked out grill insert but I think it frames it really nicely, makes it really premium, this is a very expensive truck.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's got everything for a HD rebel, which this is, and this truck [SPEAKER_00]: Sticker price is the way it sits is $103,000 if you can believe it for a RAM 2500 heavy-duty HD Rebel Lunar Edition and it's got Rebel Badging on the inside on the interior and a special off-course off-road theme and also orange stitching.
[SPEAKER_00]: So that's kind of another example of personalization of the interior [SPEAKER_00]: Each trim level gets its own touch and this lunar addition gets its own orange stitching and you can kind of see the modular Designed that John was referring to [SPEAKER_00]: where he was talking about these pieces of the same size.
[SPEAKER_00]: They're just done in different materials and different qualities and somebody put their sunscreen all over this door.
[SPEAKER_00]: So it happens, this is the real world.
[SPEAKER_00]: So those are some of them other unique trim levels that are here in Texas.
[SPEAKER_00]: And you could buy a lunar edition anywhere.
[SPEAKER_00]: The long-star, you have to live in Texas for, [SPEAKER_00]: or at least deliver it to Texas, but the lunar edition you could order and buy from anywhere.
[SPEAKER_00]: As far as the RAM 1500 trucks go, this is the top dog as far as luxury and also price.
[SPEAKER_00]: What you see right here is the 1500 tungsten.
[SPEAKER_00]: So tungsten actually sits above limited trim and above limited long horn trim.
[SPEAKER_00]: So it's way up there.
[SPEAKER_00]: I'll tell you about the price in a second, has a unique front end.
[SPEAKER_00]: But also this kind of a plastic cover in the front to cover the front bumper area And it actually goes up to the headlamp on the side so you can see it's kind of a one piece Of course it has the fog lamps down below [SPEAKER_00]: and the main headlamp above, but it's not my favorite look, here's the reason, it's that if you step back just a second and forget that this is a pickup truck, it kind of looks like an SUV to me, because of the front bumper makes it look a little bit more sleek, a little bit more car-like, I'm not a huge fan of that, I want my pickup truck to look like a truck,
[SPEAKER_00]: and not look like an SUV or a car, but speaking on the features level, let me show you inside because really the idea is that this is like a luxury car.
[SPEAKER_00]: which is a pickup truck.
[SPEAKER_00]: You can see it's a little bit lower to the ground because of air suspension.
[SPEAKER_00]: You have this power side step that deploys.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's super simple to get in and look at the materials and everything that goes along with it.
[SPEAKER_00]: Even they move the seat controls for the power seats to the door card instead of being on the seat itself.
[SPEAKER_00]: It includes massage adjustments for every type of feature and you could see the leather and the overall quality and the side of the seat is pretty insane and just the rest of the interior is just super nicely executed.
[SPEAKER_00]: So if you think about it, this is basically a luxury car, which is a pickup truck.
[SPEAKER_00]: It can still tow a trailer, it's still whole stuff and it's been.
[SPEAKER_00]: and it's very very useful.
[SPEAKER_00]: The tungsten models for 2026 start at $88,000.
[SPEAKER_00]: This one has the high output twin turbo inline 6 hurricane with 540 horsepower.
[SPEAKER_00]: This is still a heavy truck because it's got so many features.
[SPEAKER_00]: Let me check the payload really quickly.
[SPEAKER_00]: And just over around 1,100 pounds.
[SPEAKER_00]: So the payload is a little bit on the lower side because this is so laden with features.
[SPEAKER_00]: Let me just show you the bed here.
[SPEAKER_00]: Let's get the remboxes with 400 watt outlet right here on the side.
[SPEAKER_00]: So it's kind of secure weather protected storage on both sides of the bed.
[SPEAKER_00]: Actually, I do like this feature.
[SPEAKER_00]: And then in the back here, the tailgate, of course, is power operated and you can see the bed divider and the tunnel cover here.
[SPEAKER_00]: This particular truck you see here in this color and with all the features, this is $93,000 and you could use a key fob or you can click the tailgate button and the tailgate closes up again.
[SPEAKER_00]: And you could see right now, it's very low, easy to reach into.
[SPEAKER_00]: Very nice and the most expensive RAM 1500 you could buy right now.
[SPEAKER_00]: So I learned just something else that if you don't have a Texas address brand new if you're shopping brand new right you cannot really buy an order alone star addition [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, which is interesting.
[SPEAKER_02]: So who knows, maybe on the use market after a little while those will be desirable because it's kind of a little bit more unique.
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_00]: Exactly.
[SPEAKER_00]: But uh, Lonthor basically is a big horn like I was talking about, right?
[SPEAKER_00]: Um, which is [SPEAKER_00]: Not very high.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's not even in the middle of their price range.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's a little bit on the lower side.
[SPEAKER_00]: But that's about value, right?
[SPEAKER_00]: I think that's why it's in actually popular in Texas because it combines some cool features like Fowl Drive and some other appointments.
[SPEAKER_00]: But it's slightly lower price.
[SPEAKER_00]: But I found it's weird that let's say you're in a neighboring state.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_00]: Oklahoma.
[SPEAKER_00]: What's up with that, I can buy a low-star addition truck?
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, it's interesting because it's based on your address, right?
[SPEAKER_02]: Not necessarily the dealer.
[SPEAKER_02]: Well, like, oh, hey, maybe the dealer's address.
[SPEAKER_02]: Could be, so yeah, I wonder how that works.
[SPEAKER_00]: You could order it to the dealer and text us, be like, pick it up and drive it home.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, whatever.
[SPEAKER_02]: Okay, no, it's not like it would be illegal to find a way to get your hands on that truck if you want to.
[SPEAKER_02]: If you've already wanted to.
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, if you want to.
[SPEAKER_00]: We showed the tungsten, right?
[SPEAKER_00]: This is like almost a luxury car of trucks.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's actually was sitting kind of low on a grassy field.
[SPEAKER_00]: It looked like an SUV almost.
[SPEAKER_00]: So that's kind of not my bag.
[SPEAKER_00]: But you know where it is, my bag?
[SPEAKER_02]: rebel of four trucks yeah absolutely we've had a lot of experience with the rebel even our former co-worker still friend Alex he had a ram 1500 rebel yeah the previous generation yeah remember doing several videos with Alex's truck um [SPEAKER_00]: TFL truck also owned a that's 2019 right back in the day so we're now we're going back to round the browser yeah the rebel rouser which was the first new generation truck with that e-torque now beloved e-torque system right for love for sure
[SPEAKER_00]: No, actually people have some not-so-good things to say about.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_00]: Anyways, but, but how about we kind of build like a RAM Rebel X?
[SPEAKER_00]: Rebel X is actually a special edition that they introduced last year, to once again, to kind of mark 10 years of Rebel, but now it survives for 26.
[SPEAKER_00]: And it's actually adding some luxury to it, and it costs about what?
[SPEAKER_00]: It starts at about $3,500.
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, so it's not in an expensive thing to get, but if we select the color and... Oh, wait, we have to select something else.
[SPEAKER_00]: Rebel level 2 equipment group, you know what?
[SPEAKER_00]: Every manufacturer does something like this, where you pick a package, but you're required to buy something else.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_00]: Add something to it.
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, so that package gets you the big sunroof.
[SPEAKER_02]: It gets you, let's see, the GT interior, some leather.
[SPEAKER_00]: And also ventilated seats, you know, just really nice equipment, you know?
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_00]: So, so it's kind of like a luxury version of the rebel.
[SPEAKER_00]: Right.
[SPEAKER_00]: But I use slicing too thinly, you know what I'm saying?
[SPEAKER_00]: Like the R8 show is also fairly premium truck.
[SPEAKER_00]: You could also pick one up for like 80 grand.
[SPEAKER_00]: Now we're talking about 80 grand, right?
[SPEAKER_00]: Cole, can you like select something?
[SPEAKER_00]: And well, right now we're showing 71.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_00]: But I saw one for like 80.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_02]: So, so, so pretty quickly that price can kind of snowball and get a little, little at a control.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, and now you're, you're kind of, um, also in the Ari Cho territory, which is their premium Afro truck.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, which started around with 75ish $1,000.
[SPEAKER_00]: And then, of course, the TRX is coming, um, actually it's going to be here this summer, so it's imminent.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, the new 2027 Ram TRX.
[SPEAKER_02]: But I also think that a rebel customer and RHO customer might be a little different because the RHO makes several compromises to be as off-road focused as it is.
[SPEAKER_02]: So even though the RHO is generally considered just the better the nicer off-road truck than a rebel, [SPEAKER_02]: I still think that there are buyers that would rather have a rebel than an RHL.
[SPEAKER_00]: And I think that comes in in multiple ways.
[SPEAKER_00]: I agree with you because of a rebel, mostly.
[SPEAKER_00]: Well, yeah, because it's when you're buying an RHL or TRX, this truck is six or seven inches wider.
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, and much softer suspension because there's suspension, that's what it's designed for.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, perhaps less payload, right?
[SPEAKER_00]: So there's different things.
[SPEAKER_00]: And to Parker, Ari Cho, and I don't know a tight parking lot, that's a challenge, right?
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_00]: To drive it through a tight trail in the mountains.
[SPEAKER_00]: That's another challenge.
[SPEAKER_00]: So definitely there's a special custom type of customer for that.
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, exactly.
[SPEAKER_02]: So I think the rebel, probably for the majority of people at least that are still using their truck to do a lot of work.
[SPEAKER_02]: The rebel might make more sense.
[SPEAKER_02]: I mean, we've we've towed with R.A. Joe and with the TRX in the past and they'll do it.
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_02]: It's just not the they're squatting a little bit more.
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, it's not the main goal of the truck.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, it's not.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's also kind of show off a little bit, you know, especially the Syrax makes really good noises.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_00]: So it's kind of showing off, maybe you're status, some people want some more subtle.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_00]: So maybe a little bit nicer equipped rebel is what a lot of people.
[SPEAKER_00]: And apparently Rem thinks so because they're offering it again.
[SPEAKER_00]: Right.
[SPEAKER_00]: And continuing that line.
[SPEAKER_00]: So there's something there.
[SPEAKER_00]: Their customers for those trucks.
[SPEAKER_00]: So finally, I wanted to go back to Texas one more time, because you know me, I've owned kind of more affordable versions of trucks recently as well.
[SPEAKER_00]: And I think I found one that kind of has equipment.
[SPEAKER_00]: The Goldilocks truck.
[SPEAKER_00]: But it's not 80 grand.
[SPEAKER_02]: Exactly.
[SPEAKER_00]: Over 11 years ago, I remember Nathan and I went to Flagstaff, Arizona, for the launch of the original previous generation RAM 1500 Rebel.
[SPEAKER_00]: That was Ram's kind of introduction into specialty off road trucks.
[SPEAKER_00]: This was way before the TRX.
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, of course, the F-50 Raptor existed then and was kind of dominating that premium off-road pickup trucks space.
[SPEAKER_00]: But RAM has been in this business now 11 years.
[SPEAKER_00]: Last year in 2025, they introduced the Rebel X RAM 1500 and the X not really used to stand for extreme.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's standard.
[SPEAKER_00]: 10, 10 years.
[SPEAKER_00]: It was celebrating 10 years of the rebel, but it's coming back for 2026 and maybe when 2027 and beyond.
[SPEAKER_00]: And it's just really a more of a premium version of the RAM 1500 rebel.
[SPEAKER_00]: So it combines the affordability with a premium interior.
[SPEAKER_00]: Not quite as nice as a tungsten or longhorn, but very functional and sporty.
[SPEAKER_00]: You can see the even the X on the seats and also on the center console.
[SPEAKER_00]: So it's not just a decal, it's a little bit more than that.
[SPEAKER_00]: just to celebrate some of the heritage, that event was very cool because we started snowing on us up in Flagstaff, we went to the Cinders Park, which is basically a volcanic area with that very special kind of surface which are little tiny black rocks.
[SPEAKER_00]: And now it's, of course, here in the latest iteration.
[SPEAKER_00]: This particular one has a hurricane engine, 420 horsepower, standard output engine, but you could also get it with a 57-hemi.
[SPEAKER_00]: And I think a lot of people who are buying a rebel 1500, I think they're choosing the hemmy, and I was talking to some ram folks here at the event, and they said V8 engines are more popular in Texas here than most other regions.
[SPEAKER_00]: So I think it kind of makes a lot of sense, as far as traditional pickup truck.
[SPEAKER_00]: region and traditional pickup truck customers.
[SPEAKER_00]: So this has a suspension life that's got a real-locking differential, all the technologies, all the drive modes, a really aggressive tires, this is good your regular direct tracks.
[SPEAKER_00]: These tires are very similar to what they have on heavy duty, as far as the tread pattern, heavy duty rebels.
[SPEAKER_00]: And also, I believe the star is available on the RAM 1500 Warlock.
[SPEAKER_00]: They have a really extensive off-road pickup truck a lineup, including the Warlock.
[SPEAKER_00]: on the kind of the lower end of the price scale, then they have the new back country.
[SPEAKER_00]: I have a separate video about that at altifl.com, the RAM 1500 back country, and a truck like that, the Hydro Blue One, it's an Alfred package.
[SPEAKER_00]: kind of goes along a little bit more with a back-country price level, which is in the middle, then there's a rebel, rebel X like this, then there's an Aricho and the upcoming return of the TRX.
[SPEAKER_00]: So they have a mind boggling number of trim levels as far as also the off-road trims are concerned.
[SPEAKER_00]: And I want to show you this blue truck a little bit more detail because I think it combines a good amount of features at a slightly lower price point which is where I like to be.
[SPEAKER_00]: Ah, here it is.
[SPEAKER_00]: So first of all, I love the exterior color on this RAM 1500.
[SPEAKER_00]: This is Hydro Blue.
[SPEAKER_00]: the blue that kind of is a little bit more vibrant, it pops, they've used it on many different trim levels.
[SPEAKER_00]: The truck you see here is the it has a very simple name and a very simple function.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's called 4x4 off-road genius, right?
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean it's just the name of it kind of says what it is.
[SPEAKER_00]: That's what I love.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's also basically a big horn in Texas it's called a lone star [SPEAKER_00]: But in this case it has a painted front bumper, which is kind of a nice feature, but it's a separate bumper, it's steel, separates it from the headlamp area, it's got toe points, recovery points in the front, it's really proper, it doesn't have a ton of ground clearance, so if you're really serious about off-roading, let's walk on this side, if you're really serious about off-roading, any huge clearance and a lot of tire, this may not be a truck for you, but once again it combines a little bit of style,
[SPEAKER_00]: with a Falcon Wild Peak 83 WA tire, so still, well this one is on a 20 inch wheel, which is not my favorite actually, I would change the wheel as far as getting more sidewall, but the tire is nice.
[SPEAKER_00]: This tread pattern, it's good on highway, I just drove it here from fourth-worth.
[SPEAKER_00]: On highway, it glides on the road, very comfortable.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's got a rear locking differential.
[SPEAKER_00]: This one has a few trimings and a couple of additional options, but they have a rear locking differential.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's got a full-drive automatic mode, four-high, four-low.
[SPEAKER_00]: You could see all the buttons in there.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's got a towing package, cloth seats that are very comfortable.
[SPEAKER_00]: This one is equipped with a bigger screen, but the seats have a nice little contrast stitch.
[SPEAKER_00]: So if I was selecting a RAM 1500 truck, I would gravitate towards the off-road or 4x4 off-road package.
[SPEAKER_00]: So I'm not personally looking for something fancy, like a rebel or even a back country.
[SPEAKER_00]: Just staying a little bit more simple and still having a very usable truck that you can [SPEAKER_00]: put a lot of people in here.
[SPEAKER_00]: Gavin and I are hiding our luggage in here.
[SPEAKER_00]: So, sorry about that, it's really hot outside, but didn't want our bags to melt down.
[SPEAKER_00]: But, this is where I would gravitate to.
[SPEAKER_00]: Once again, this is based on a big horn trim and it starts at around 53-54,000 bucks.
[SPEAKER_00]: This one, of course, has many, many features and options combined into it, like the side step as well.
[SPEAKER_00]: And this one is powered by a hurricane, but you can put an optional V8 in this truck.
[SPEAKER_00]: And this one is around 60, again, it was a 65,000, I think.
[SPEAKER_00]: So once again, it has a lot of optional equipment, but you can get a little bit of a simpler build.
[SPEAKER_00]: Stay maybe below or around 60 grand or maybe below 60 for a brand new truck and also get some deals.
[SPEAKER_00]: I've seen a lot of incentives out there on trucks.
[SPEAKER_00]: And the truck right there, this one, that's the backcountry.
[SPEAKER_00]: So that one is that in the tank color, that exterior color is called tank.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's basically the same color as this Rebel X.
[SPEAKER_00]: And that's the new trim level that's coming back in the random line up But you see how in different color are sun conditions that tank color looks different and very quite dark It's actually supposed to be like this dark green Maybe you could see it from another side, but that's why I like hydro blue [SPEAKER_00]: Hydro blue, it always looks blue.
[SPEAKER_00]: It doesn't change color on you and depending on different conditions.
[SPEAKER_00]: So that's kind of why I really appreciate just a more simple truck, maybe in a bright color.
[SPEAKER_00]: So this is the way I would go.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's like I was saying, I like a lot of things about this truck, hydra blue color pops.
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, which is nice to see because so many of the new vehicles that we see and that we test and especially that are at the dealer stocked are some version of gray or white or black.
[SPEAKER_02]: And we like to see color on vehicles and pops.
[SPEAKER_00]: Hickel, can you go back to the, I guess, main configurator page here, and we could actually look at, it was a big horn, which is also long-star, right?
[SPEAKER_00]: If you have like a dealer address in Texas, so if you build a 4x4 version of it with a crew cab, crew cab go down a little bit more, yeah, shorter bed, because, you know, crew cab longer beds, those are like limousine trucks.
[SPEAKER_00]: Those are long, [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, very humongous, and I think you have to pay for that color 2.95 That's that's not too bad.
[SPEAKER_00]: That's a small price to pay for that color.
[SPEAKER_00]: Look at this.
[SPEAKER_02]: I just Yesterday I wrote a Harley Davidson with a $4,000 paint job [SPEAKER_00]: But truck has a lot more metal.
[SPEAKER_00]: It is.
[SPEAKER_02]: I'm impressed they can paint it for so little.
[SPEAKER_00]: So I think that's a economy of scale probably.
[SPEAKER_00]: And this one had like a four by four package.
[SPEAKER_00]: So if it goes scroll down just a little bit more off-road group, yes.
[SPEAKER_00]: So you know what, like, they're also introduced the back country truck that we have videos about on oldtfl.com.
[SPEAKER_00]: But how about level one?
[SPEAKER_00]: If you click level one, [SPEAKER_00]: Once again, they're making you choose more stuff.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yep, black interior is fine.
[SPEAKER_00]: And now we are at where, continue.
[SPEAKER_00]: Where it's 56 grand, my friend.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, not bad, right?
[SPEAKER_02]: Oh, no, it's not too bad.
[SPEAKER_00]: So, this is a 5-7-Hemi.
[SPEAKER_00]: Oh, what is?
[SPEAKER_00]: We need to check in the engine.
[SPEAKER_00]: This may be a pentastar.
[SPEAKER_00]: Oh, you need a hammy.
[SPEAKER_00]: So, well, if we do need a hammy, we need to add.
[SPEAKER_00]: How about the hurricane?
[SPEAKER_00]: What would you do?
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, because the hurricane?
[SPEAKER_00]: Actually, the truck I drove was a hurricane.
[SPEAKER_00]: More than 1,000 bucks less.
[SPEAKER_00]: So $1,700.
[SPEAKER_00]: So let's select that.
[SPEAKER_00]: That's 420 horsepower and ultra-smooth engine.
[SPEAKER_00]: Now we're at 57,700.
[SPEAKER_00]: So yes, still considerable chunk of change, but it's not 80 grand that some of these other trucks are.
[SPEAKER_02]: in, I don't know, 17 hundred bucks to go from a penistar to a hurricane.
[SPEAKER_02]: When a truck is closing in on 60 grand already, to me seems like kind of a drop in the bucket.
[SPEAKER_02]: It is.
[SPEAKER_02]: And the difference between that turbo straight six, and the experience of driving a penistar V6 is pretty significant.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's so massive.
[SPEAKER_00]: Some people may not care, right?
[SPEAKER_00]: Like, let's say you do like people want gutless trucks.
[SPEAKER_00]: No, but let's say, let's say you're using it for work.
[SPEAKER_00]: Maybe you have a landscape in business, right?
[SPEAKER_00]: And you're running around Fort Worth area.
[SPEAKER_00]: And do you really, you could save some money, right?
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, you could buy a lawnmower for $1700 and start your business, you know, or, and maybe you don't care that you have $420 horsepower.
[SPEAKER_00]: You know, there's customers for those types of vehicles.
[SPEAKER_02]: If you make sure employees drive a penistar, think about the turnover and the investment in training new employees because they'll be horrible.
[SPEAKER_02]: Hate driving the V6.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_00]: But if they drove a hurricane engine with that much horsepower, wow, can you imagine the liability?
[SPEAKER_00]: And it'd be drag racing in every light.
[SPEAKER_02]: Anyways, no magic getting smoked by a landscaping truck with a lot of talking about motorbikes, yes, that would be something.
[SPEAKER_00]: No, but that's kind of where I was.
[SPEAKER_00]: Like the truck look is an interesting, right?
[SPEAKER_00]: It has an interesting color, it's got full-wheel drive, it's got a lot of different equipment on it, it's got that hurricane engine for under 60 grand.
[SPEAKER_00]: I thought that was a pretty decent opportunity to do it.
[SPEAKER_02]: I still don't feel like the hurricane gives you a ton of experience and feedback from behind the wheel, but it is a quick engine, even in standard output forms.
[SPEAKER_02]: So would you go for the Hemie, maybe?
[SPEAKER_02]: It's a tough call, it's a tough call because functionally bad hurricane.
[SPEAKER_00]: Let me, it's pretty impressive.
[SPEAKER_00]: Let me paint another picture for you.
[SPEAKER_00]: We were at that park, right?
[SPEAKER_00]: Looking at all these trim levels of all the, all the all the ram tracks.
[SPEAKER_00]: And all of a sudden, I heard a Hemie accelerate.
[SPEAKER_00]: We all know what that sounds like.
[SPEAKER_00]: Oh yeah, it's a nice sound for a lot of you.
[SPEAKER_00]: It was one of the journalists kind of leaving the park and heading out somewhere.
[SPEAKER_00]: That's notice, it was cool.
[SPEAKER_00]: The hurricane engine would accelerate quicker than that, but you will never hear it.
[SPEAKER_00]: You know, because in the distance, it's so efficient and it's so smooth that it will just sound like, I don't know, a wash of air, it's kind of passing by, which is, yeah, they don't sound just good.
[SPEAKER_02]: They don't sound like mine.
[SPEAKER_00]: But you're not gonna get that punch of listening to that truck.
[SPEAKER_02]: No, but it's still a hell of a lot better than the experience of a penistarity.
[SPEAKER_02]: The penistar is not a bad engine and they've made over 16 million of them since it came out.
[SPEAKER_02]: So hard to believe prolific.
[SPEAKER_02]: They're pretty solid.
[SPEAKER_02]: So yeah.
[SPEAKER_02]: Objectively speaking, it's not a terrible engine.
[SPEAKER_02]: It's just any any V6.
[SPEAKER_02]: You're going to have to ring it out to get the power.
[SPEAKER_02]: Even a little bit to a lesser degree, but especially up here in the mountains, you still got to ring out the 5-7, get power at times, whereas to its credit, as much as it doesn't sound that good that hurricane's got a lot of low-end torque, which is pretty nice.
[SPEAKER_00]: agreed.
[SPEAKER_00]: So now hopefully after listening to this podcast and watching this podcast, hopefully you can get an idea like okay so we didn't look at every single trim like for example the Warlock wasn't there for example the tradesmen wasn't around but we've reviewed all those trucks and I think really I mean the reason why [SPEAKER_00]: 16 or 11 or 16 or 17 trim levels exist is because there's probably a truck for everybody, right?
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, that's the idea.
[SPEAKER_00]: That's the whole point.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, and the truck for you is it was it was the big horn in this case in this case I mean, I really wanted to step up to the rebel, maybe you know, and but [SPEAKER_00]: or the three ninety two rum will be ooooh but that wasn't available yet it's not available it's coming later closer to the end of this year or maybe early next year we should probably get a rum will be should we should talk to rum about this yeah i don't think we haven't had that discussion but we might need to [SPEAKER_00]: actually I heard rumblings in his office about rumbl be something that would be good but only rumblings okay well yeah you're never saying ever already well thanks for joining us on this one uh next week there should be some major news yeah uh I don't know exactly what type of specs we're gonna get but stay tuned there's gonna be something big next week thank you
About this episode
The hosts break down the 2026 Ram 1500 buyer landscape, starting with why trim choice matters—“they have like 16 or 17 different trim levels”—and how Texas is a huge pickup market. They then zoom in on the Longhorn theme, from its 2011 prototype roots to “barnwood veneer” and laser/metalwork details that aim to look handcrafted but stay repeatable. Later, they shift to practical buying: configurator gaps (TRX not shown), cab/door tradeoffs, and used-price research with Auto Tempest.
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In this episode of TFL Talkin' Trucks, the guys break down a recent media event in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas—the absolute capital of the truck world. With Ram offering a staggering lineup of different trim levels to satisfy buyers' desire for individuality, choosing the right truck can feel impossible. To help clear up the confusion, Andre and Kase dive into a complete buyer's guide, covering everything from affordable everyday work trucks to ultra-premium luxury haulers.
The episode highlights the 15-year history of the western-themed Limited Longhorn edition, featuring an exclusive interview with Ram’s chief interior designer about the hand-crafted details, real branded barnwood, and variable-depth laser technology that go into making these high-end cabins. The guys compare features across the mid-tier, Texas-exclusive Lone Star edition, the aggressive off-road Rebel X, and the brand-new, top-of-the-line $93,000 Tungsten model powered by the high-output Hurricane inline-six engine. Finally, they use AutoTempest to check out the used market, showing how buyers can score a classic V8 or a heavy-duty model for a fraction of today's new sticker prices.
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