The Ram Warlock 1500 Conjures Up Nostalgia
2019 Ram 1500 Classic Warlock Conjures Up Nostalgia, Thrifty Neo-Pagan Transportation
No need to sell your soul: the Ram Warlock pickup is ominous yet reasonably priced.
By Andrew Wendler Published: Feb 14, 2019
A limited-edition Ram pickup channels the spirit of the Dodge Warlock produced from 1976 to 1979.
The package is available only on the 2019 Ram 1500 Classic, the value-priced carryover model.
A one-inch lift and heavy-duty rear shocks are among the functional upgrades.
When it comes to exhuming the past for profit, few major automakers have perfected the dark science as well as Fiat Chrysler Automobiles' domestic brands. The Dodge lineup is essentially a portal to the 1960s and early '70s, and now Ram is getting in on the fun with this 2019 Ram 1500 Classic Warlock edition, which offers a look back at the very un-gothlike late 1970s.
More than just a spiritual resurrection of the original Dodge Warlock pickup that roamed the Earth from 1976 through 1979, the 2019 Ram 1500 Classic Warlock also offers great value for the money. As Reid Bigland, head of Ram, says, "The Ram 1500 Classic Warlock is proof positive that value never goes out of style."
Featuring a monochromatic exterior with front and rear powder-coated bumpers, 20-inch semigloss black wheels, black wheel flares, dark bezels for the projector-beam headlamps, and dark badging and graphics, the Warlock is guaranteed to darken the driveway of even the most average suburban family. The one-inch factory lift kit, tow hooks, heavy-duty rear shocks, and optional sport hood back up its looks with some raw capability.
The standard interior kit includes Diesel Gray—hey, it's almost black—seating, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, an overhead console, a 7.0-inch cluster display, LED bed lighting, and power-folding mirrors. Optional heated bench or bucket seats, black side steps, and a spray-in bedliner are sure to cast a spell on the burgeoning goth/pickup-truck enthusiast market.
Engine choices include the 305-hp 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 and the portentous 395-hp 5.7-liter V-8, both mated to the familiar eight-speed automatic transmission. Buyers can choose rear- or four-wheel drive. Quad-cab and crew-cab versions are available, but only with the five-foot seven-inch bed. Curiously, the Warlock will be available in hues other than black, although it's hard to imagine who would risk summoning the ire of the chosen by parading though this dimension in a 2019 Ram 1500 Classic Warlock clad in Blue Streak, Bright Silver Metallic, Bright White, Diamond Black, Granite Crystal Metallic, Maximum Steel, or True Blue. Pearl White, Delmonico Red, and Flame Red are also available.
Overall, this is a fun take on a value package, but we'd be lying if we didn't say that we think it lacks some of the original Warlock's panache. Where, for instance, is the gold pinstriping that graced the tailgate and body of the original? Will purchasers of the modern Warlock take the time to craft their own wood bed stakes to replicate those of the original? One can only hope.
Buyers should be warned, however, that the Warlock package is only available on the 2019 Ram Classic, which is the value-focused carryover version of the previous Ram 1500 that lacks many of the standard and optional features and styling of the all-new 2019 Ram 1500. That said, the 2019 Ram 1500 Classic Warlock goes on sale within the next several weeks with a base MSRP of $37,040. So the Warlock is a good value, and there's nothing sinister about that.
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