Other exterior upgrades include big BFT badges, a ram-air hood, chrome towing mirrors with built-in turn signals, chrome tubular running boards, chrome bed rails, and smoked clear running lights on top of the cab and in the dualie fenders.
6.7L Cummins Banks Upgrades
Since the 1-ton Ram already comes equipped with the 6.7L Cummins that's the cleanest and one of the strongest diesel engines ever sold, (50-state emissions legal and 350 hp/650 lb-ft of torque), the design team did not have to alter the drivetrain much to build an awesome tow rig. The Mopar crew got in touch with the diesel experts at Banks and installed everything available for the 6.7L engine, including a programmer good for up to triple-digit horsepower gains and a dual exhaust with four air-cooled tips designed to work along with the new DPF system that gets very hot during soot burn-offs. The Cummins engine is backed by the new, heavy-duty Orion 68RFE Dodge 6-speed automatic transmission with manual shift modes.
Is It Just a Concept Truck?
It's true. There is only one Dodge Ram 5500 BFT in existence, but that doesn't mean that the project is a dead end. It's obvious the Mopar designers are listening to real diesel drivers who want lifted trucks that are built to work hard. It's not difficult to imagine factory lift kits and optional 22.5-inch wheels. While a 10-foot bed from the factory probably won't become a reality, we've already seen shops that build Mega Cab diesel trucks with full-length 8-foot beds welded in place [Feb. '08]. So who knows? Maybe Mega Cabs with full-length beds will become a factory option for new Dodge buyers in the near future. We can only hope so.