2013 Ram 1500 Gets Ready to Rumble with New Concept

The long-neglected full-size sport-truck segment may be headed for a revival, backed by entries like the new 2013 Ram 1500 Rumble Bee Concept. Although just that—a concept—the revved-up Ram comes after the recent debut of the production-bound Ford F-150 Tremor, and with all-new full-sizers from GM beginning to hit the market, a 2014 Chevy Silverado SS wouldn’t be entirely out of the question.

As for the 2013 Ram 1500 Rumble Bee, well, it builds on the momentum of the 2003 iteration, launched a decade ago at the Dream Cruise but well-remembered even today.

“The Ram 1500 Rumble Bee continues to have a strong fan base and what better place to celebrate its 10-year anniversary than Woodward Dream Cruise,” said Reid Bigland, president and CEO of the Ram Truck Brand for the Chrysler Group LLC. “There’s a lot of energy surrounding concept trucks and buzz models, and the Ram Design Team revels in creating something that is unique for our customers to enjoy.”

And putting together a 2013 production version would be a fairly simple task, since nearly all of the upgrades—as cool as they are—come right from the current Chrysler Group parts bins. Speaking of which, those enhancements include:

• "Speed Bee” exterior design cues that combine a matte Drone Yellow finish with gloss black stripes and other graphics
• An extensive Mopar ground-effects kit
• Leather-mesh sports seats in black and Drone Yellow
• HEMI power, starting with a 5.7-liter, 395-hp V8 that gains a further bump in motivation from a Mopar cold-air intake system
• A performance-oriented 4.10 gear set

On the other hand, the 2013 Ram 1500 Rumble Bee Concept does have its share of show-truck exclusives, like 24-inch Vellano VRH custom wheels and a lowered King Suspension. The crown jewel of the truck, however, is a rather unique advance in terms of premium cabin materials. Following the natural progression from real wood flourishes, to various metals and carbon fiber, the 2013 Ram 1500 Rumble Bee adds “insect” to the list: It has an actual bee, encased in amber, as an accent for the rotary shifter of its eight-speed TorqueFlite transmission.