Chrysler’s Ram brand has set a new benchmark that won’t be easy for its rivals to match in the continued battle for dominance in the heavy duty truck segment. The 2013 Ram 3500 is now rated to tow an outrageous 30,000 lbs thanks to more power from the 6.7 Cummins turbo-diesel engine, and a long list of upgrades.

This rating puts this car 6,900 lbs ahead of its nearest rival, the Chevy Sileraso 3500 HD. The truck also comes with a new Gross Combined Weight Rating, the combined weight of the truck, trailer and payload, of 37,600 lbs.

With the Cummins engine pushed to 850 lb-ft of toruqe, the output is up 50 more than its previous model. In addition, with a new max tow rating of 18,350 lbs and a Gross Combined Weight Rating of 25,000 lbs. 250 models also get improvements for 2013.

All Ram HD trucks for 2013 get improved cooling, lager front drive shafts and U-joints, while new features include a factory-integrated fifth-wheel and gooseneck hitch mount, a 17,000-pound Class V hitch that has 1,800 pounds of tongue weight, plus electronic stability control for the dual-rear-wheels. There is also a Center High-Mounted Stop Light (CHMSL) camera to help line up the trunk with a trailer.

“We built the new 2013 Ram Heavy Duty to be the undisputed Heavy Duty ‘King of the Road.’ These new rigs deliver on the number one key attribute most critical to these customers: uncompromising capability,” said Fred Diaz, President and CEO of the Ram Truck Brand. “Towing capability, reliability, and engine performance are ranked first though third, respectively, with HD customers. The 2013 Ram Heavy Duty trucks unequivocally deliver all those things, as well as a very low total cost of ownership.”

Images courtesy of Chrysler-Group