Ram Rebadge Yields New Truck

Sterling Trucks to sell version of Dodge Ram

Posted February 22 2007 12:28 PM by esanchez
Filed under: Diesel News, Diesel Observations, Just the big trucks, Dodge

DaimlerChrysler subsidiary Sterling Trucks, itself a division of Freightliner, will soon unveil a new medium-duty truck, the Bullet, to be officially unveiled at the NTEA Work Truck show on March 6, 2007.

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From this photo, it's obvious the Bullet is based on a Dodge Ram. Details in the press release reveal a truck essentially similar to the Dodge Ram 3500 HD, available in both regular and crew-cab configurations. The 305-horse Cummins 6.7 is the only engine available at launch, matched to either an MB G56 6-speed manual transmission or an AS68RC 6-speed automatic. And to go along with its new "Git 'er Done" duds, yes, you can still listen to "Blue Collar Comedy" on the optional Sirius satellite radio.

Diesel Power's Take: It appears DaimlerChrysler, despite all the current turmoil, is planning to take the Super Duty on head-to-head, including through alternate sales channels.

Reader Comments:

1. Your not kidding about taking on the Super Duty! Looks more like a Ford than a Dodge!!

sd4me - Posted March 7 2007 03:53 PM

2. How does it look more like a Ford is my question? I mean it could be a Dodge very quickly...All you do is swap grilles and badges and there you go. Im very glad that Chrysler is taking on Ford.

cumminspower5.9 - Posted March 7 2007 05:03 PM

3. ok, so i dont see a ford in it, and its' not taking on the super duty. if they want to really take on the super duty, they should make a 4500 or 5500 series ram and offer higher axle ratios, not just a 3500 series truck with no bed, which is essentially all the ram chassis-cab, and the sterling bullet- are. dodge or chevy have nothing that even comes close to competing with the new f-450. also, another thing dodge needs to do to compete with the super duty (i know it's not diesel) is to offer another gas engine option to compete with the ford 6.8L V10, which won't be a hard thing to do for dodge. all they would have to do is offer the hemi 6.1 and they've got the triton v10 beaten by over 50 hp

SRSeahawk70 - Posted March 7 2007 08:08 PM

4. You are mistaken my friend. chevy does have a hevy duty lineup up to 5500 for 4x4's and 8500 for 2x4 and a tandem axel setup with an optinal cat c7. most people dont relize this.

TransAm777 - Posted March 11 2007 10:18 PM

5. i DO know that chevy makes up to an 8500 series truck. the 4500 series and up are based off of chevy's medium duty platform, and it doesn't include any kind of rear body. the f-450 comes out of the factory with a pickup truck body; the only thing it needs is a hitch, which is not included due to the wide variations of designs and types needed by customers.

SRSeahawk70 - Posted March 12 2007 03:14 PM

6. The F450 from factory is just a glorified hauler. The problem with it is that in most areas you will need a commercial licence to pull anything with it. Where Dodge / Sterling still don't get it is the fact that they need a FULL size crew cab. If we are seeing the end of Chrysler as we know it we will still be able to buy our Dodge trucks but with a different badge on the door as Sterling would likely pickup the entire line of 2500 through 5500. As far as gas engines go, there is NO point. Dodge doesn't need another gasser to look like they are competing with the other 2 companies. They don't sell many of those (in Canada anway) under that configuration. At more than $1.00 per litre and less than 10 MPG there is no point.

Wyatt Earp - Posted March 27 2007 11:14 AM

7. Startin to look to much like the ford powerchoke. take those stupid plastic fender flares off and put chrome ones on the plastic looks tacky stick to chrome.

BarronPFC - Posted August 17 2007 04:16 PM

8. well little info here the Sterling was owned by ford then about 10 years ago Freightliner prechused them that where the grill on it looks like a ford and why would you make a 4500 or 5500 series ram when you allready have bigger trucks DaimlerChrysler subsidiary Sterling Trucks, itself a division of Freightliner

hobbywelder71 - Posted December 16 2007 08:48 AM

9. hope fully sterling puts a better trans in the truck than dodge and the 6.1 hemi couldnt hold up to the challnge of pulling that kind weight

bddiesel - Posted April 4 2008 06:51 AM

10. Chevrolet Sold out to Navistar(FORD), and the sterling truck is nothing but a dodge with a new grill and new badges, If it were up to me they need to get rid of the clean diesel cause it aint doing nothing but creating more problems. For some reason I wish dodge would take on the Superduty cause Ford has a better truck but cummins has a better engine, yes I said engine not motor cause its not elctric. Some guy mentioned a gas engine in one ton dodge. i think they are crazy. thats all I have to say

cummins98-20 - Posted April 14 2008 07:20 PM

11. ITs called the MEGACAB

cummins98-20 - Posted April 14 2008 07:23 PM

12. That looks like a future ranch truck to me. You fellas can continue arguing with one another while i go out and buy a couple and do some real world testing. LOL have fun losers.

E2theRock2 - Posted April 23 2008 09:41 AM

13. Offer an 8.3 Cummins and I'm sold.

diesel4play - Posted December 7 2008 09:01 PM

14. HELLL YEAH DIS IS
WAT I'V BEEN WAITING FOR
DIS IS A DODGE STRATE UP
I DONT SEE ANY ford
IN IT
WELL IM GETING MI ONE OF DESE

GUTIERREZ.DT466 - Posted March 28 2009 09:01 PM

15. if the truck had an 8.3 cummins it would be more up the right alley with the 6.7 litre its really not much diff from the originall dodge 3500 or even the 2500 lineup of today it will just have a dif name also i would like to see them move away from dana axles and use something slightly bigger as with the rest of the drive train cause we all know that dodges have trouble standing up to the power of the 5.9 and 6.7 of recent trucks do to the power output of the engine

bluecummins - Posted August 17 2009 11:55 AM

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