11 Best Special Edition Ram Trucks

1979 Dodge Lil Red Express Museum

Over the years, Dodge (and subsequently Ram) established a tradition of cool short-run editions, starting with the Dodge Warlock in 1976, followed by the Little Red Express (shown above). These “toy trucks for the street” were pivotal, marketing factory-fresh pickups with a whole new twist. Flash forward four decades or so and the Ram Truck design team produces special edition limited-run pickups on a regular basis. Limited editions create demand through scarcity and stimulate interest on the showroom floor. The newest and best special edition Ram trucks make use of the Mopar Custom Shop’s inventory of bolt-on mods.

1976 Dodge Warlock

The short-wheelbase Dodge Warlock fueled the factory custom pickup craze when it hit the streets in the 1976 model year. The Warlock was offered on the 2-wheel-drive D100 or 4-wheel-drive W100 Dodge pickups. The truck broke new ground with bucket seats, chrome-plated running boards, oak sideboards, and a unique wheel/tire combo. Color choices were limited to three exterior hues - Bright Red, Dark Green Metallic, and Black - all were fitted with a black interior. Gold pin striping on the hood, tailgate, flanks, and rear fenders are set off by accents above the wheel wells, as well as the center of the hood and tailgate. A tip of the hat goes to allpar.com for background info on the Warlock. (1977 Warlock shown above.)

1978 Dodge Little Red Express

The Little Red Express was Dodge’s follow up to the Warlock for the 1978 model year. It is, without a doubt, one of the most iconic pickup trucks of the last fifty years. This sweet little hot rod was based on a step-side D150 half ton pickup and fitted with a 4-barrel equipped police-spec 360 cubic inch V8 engine mated exclusively to an A-727 automatic transmission. The bright red paint, dual chrome side stack exhaust, and wood paneled bed make the Little Red Express a rolling piece of Americana and an intriguing collectible. A #1 Concours example is valued at over $30,000. Dodge displayed a Lil Red Express tribute concept at the 2012 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Nevada.

1978 Ram Macho Power Wagon

The 1978 Dodge Macho Power Wagon is Mucho Macho! Based on the W100 Sweptline pickup, the 4x4 Macho Power Wagon was offered in short- and long-bed versions. If you've ever watched an episode of Simon & Simon and wondered what that truck was, wonder no more. Macho Power Wagons were offered in eight colors, with a 2-tone treatment that covered the hood, cab roof, and lower body in low-gloss black. A factory-installed roll bar in the pickup bed signaled the owner's intent and begged for a set of KC Highlighters. The Macho package was also offered on the Ramcharger and Trail Duster.

2004 Dodge Ram 1500 Rumble Bee

The 2004 and 2005 Dodge Ram 1500 Rumble Bee paid homage to the legendary Mopar muscle cars of the sixties and seventies. The HEMI-powered Rumble Bee was only offered as a regular cab short box and available in either monochrome Solar Yellow or Black. A bold contrasting vertical racing stripe ran across each side of the cargo bed, accented by the iconic Super Bee cartoon logo. (The Super Bee can be found on today’s Scat Pack Chargers and Challengers.) The Rumble Bee’s hood was adorned with an aggressive (yet non-functional) center scoop and the truck rolled on 20-inch chrome wheels. The interior featured a gloss yellow center dash bezel, yellow door panel inserts, and a numbered plaque. Cloth upholstery was standard, with leather available as an option. A concept Rumble Bee (shown above) was displayed at the 2013 Woodward Dream Cruise to commemorate the 10-year anniversary.

2014 Ram 1500 Mossy Oak Edition

Few brands hold universal appeal for outdoor enthusiasts like Mossy Oak. Ram Trucks first introduced a Mossy Oak Edition in 2011. The model ran for two years, before taking a year break, returning in the 2014 model year. 2014 RAM 1500 Mossy Oak Edition trucks feature Break-Up Infinity camouflage patterned bed caps on the exterior, along with optional rocker panel and tailgate camo stripes over Black, Black Gold Pearl or Prairie Pearl paint. The interior displays the camouflage pattern on the dash center and door panel inserts. Cloth upholstery (in Canyon Brown or Frost Beige) was standard and Katzkin Espresso Tuscany Leather seats with Mossy Oak embroidery were optional. The truck was based on the Outdoorsman trim level and only offered as a 4x4 Crew Cab.

2015 Ignition Orange Ram 1500 Sport

I saw an orange blur appear in the rear view, as was driving on the Interstate a few weeks back. As the blur came into focus, I realized it was a 2015 Ignition Orange Ram 1500 Sport. I’d never seen one in person before, which wasn’t surprising, as only 1000 were built for the 2015 model year. The Ignition Orange Ram 1500 Sport is decked out with monochrome paint, flat black stripes on the hood, and 20-inch black alloy wheels. The interior features black leather upholstery with orange stitching and inserts, along with gnarly Ram logos on the headrests. Orange isn’t for everyone, but for those who crave it, this is a relatively rare truck that may hold its value well, due to scarcity.

2015 Ram 1500 Black Sport Crew Cab

When it comes to menacing looks, nothing tops a murdered truck. The Ram 1500 Black Sport Crew Cab delivers the trifecta with deadly black paint, 20-inch semi-gloss black alloy wheels, and a full black leather upholstery. Interior features include an 8.4-inch touchscreen Uconnect infotainment system, a 9-speaker audio system (with subwoofer) and dual zone HVAC. The exterior’s magnificent monochrome treatment is unfettered with chrome accents or bright trim - all emblems are blacked out and a 5.7-liter HEMI V8 lurks beneath the Sport Performance hood. The bifunctional halogen headlamps feature LED accents. Production was capped at 1000 Black Sport Crew Cabs in 2015. With the success of the 2015 model, production continues for the 2016 model year.

2016 Mopar Ram Rebel 1500

Just 500 lucky owners will take possession of the limited edition 2016 Mopar Ram Rebel 1500 4x4 Crew Cab. While Mopar started cranking out special edition muscle cars in 2010, this is the first time the crew has produced a special edition truck. The Mopar Ram Rebel’s distinctive exterior rides high with off-road wheel flares and 17-inch satin black alloy wheels. The paint scheme (either 2-tone Flame/Red Brilliant Black or solid Brilliant Black) is set off by a blue and black Mopar accent stripe that runs from the front wheel well to the tail of the truck. The hood has a bold matte-black hood graphic, flanked with dual air scoops. The belly of the beast is toughened up with black skid plates on the front bumper and power steering box. Interior touches include a stainless steel door sill guards and a serialized Mopar badge on the glovebox.

Photo by Ram Trucks

2016 Stinger Yellow Ram 1500 Sport

They’ll see you coming from a mile away in the 2016 Stinger Yellow 1500 Sport. This bright beauty is only offered as a Crew Cab and the 5.7-liter HEMI V8 is standard. Only 2,250 will be built, with the production run split between 4x2 and 4x4 versions. The Stinger Yellow Sport is clad in the same hue as the Lone Star State-exclusive Yellow Rose of Texas edition. The most prominent visual differences between the two are the Stinger’s more angular alloy wheels, full monochrome paint treatment, and dual scoop hood with flat black stripes. The black interior features body-color stitching and Sport embroidered leather upholstery with Ram head logos on the headrest, along with sport mesh colored inserts.

2016 Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn

The western-themed 2016 RAM 1500 Laramie Longhorn Crew Cab duels it out with the Ford F-150 King Ranch, Chevrolet Silverado 1500 High Country, and the Toyota Tundra 1794 Edition for top dawg at the OK Corral. An exquisite interior features some filigreed gauge bezels, luscious leather upholstery, saddle bag literature pockets, and barbed wire patterned floor mats. The Laramie Longhorn comes standard with the HEMI V8, but you’ll want to check out the EcoDiesel V6 engine option for the ultimate in fuel efficiency with oodles of torque. An available air suspension system automatically lowers the truck at highway speeds. It can be lowered for loading and unloading, as well as raised for off-road use. Climb into this beauty and you’ll be transported to the old west.

Photo by Dan Gray