Every year, the Specialty Equipment Market Association’s show in Las Vegas attracts a wide range of custom builds and plenty of concept cars built by automakers hoping to get their hands on a few of those sweet enthusiast dollars. Sometimes you get a completely off-the-wall build that looks cool but will obviously never go into production. Other times, you get a hybrid Camry with an appearance and handling package. For SEMA this year, Ram decided to go back to the 1970s and show off a 1500 equipped with a modern interpretation of the Dude package.
And yes, I meant the 1970s, not the late 1990s. Sorry, Gen Xers currently rushing down to the comments to post “The Big Lebowski” gifs. This truck has nothing to do with that Dude, so you can calm down (aka go back to thinking Office gifs are the height of humor). Instead, this SEMA concept is inspired by an appearance package that was originally marketed with the help of Don Knotts, the actor who voiced Mayor Turkey Lurkey in the 2005 animated film “Chicken Little.”
“Works like a wrangler. Looks like a ‘Dude.’ Now you can order the Dodge Sweptline ‘snazzed up’ with the new ‘Dude’ Sport Trim Package. The ‘Dude’ is designed for people who want a ‘tough truck’ built by Dodge and a sport truck that has the looks to make heads turn,” one ad claimed at the time. And if that wasn’t enough for you, it included a quote from Knotts saying, “The DUDE is another Tough Truck from Dodge.” Exciting!
The Dude package
So what does this new Dude get you other than a reminder that you’re (almost definitely) a Dude who drives a Tough Truck from Dodge Ram? Well, starting with a Ram 1500 Big Horn, the Dude adds Sublime Green paint with a black graphics package inspired by the original Dude pickup, as well as a performance hood with black hood side and scoop bezel stripes, a black lower front grille and grille surround, a black roof and mirrors and a black tailgate with the Ram name in Sublime Green.
On top of that, you also get 20-inch black wheels, side-exit exhausts and a custom front splitter and side sills, which are supposed to “accent the lowered stance.” So it sounds like the truck has also been lowered, but there’s no information in the release on exactly how much lower the Dude rides compared to a stock Ram 1500. Under the hood, you get the old 5.7-liter V8 that recently came back from the dead with a cold-air intake. After all, it is a SEMA truck. Inside, Ram was brave enough to continue the green theme, adding accents and trim pieces throughout the cabin.
Ram
Most importantly, though, Ram added an in-console safe that it claims is “to secure valuables,” but we all know is specifically to protect the handguns Ram owners are tired of people breaking into their trucks to steal. Now, the folks looking for a free gun will still break in, but as long as the owner remembers to lock it, they won’t be able to steal the (formerly) free gun inside. Genius.
Ram hasn’t said whether the new Dude will go into production or how much it could cost, but hopefully it proves popular enough to make that happen. Partly because I love the idea of more green trucks but also so fewer stolen guns end up on the streets. Also, lower is safer for pedestrians, which is always a win.
