In the automobile business, product is king. It’s the one thing that stirs up excitement with all ages and genders, and causes you to imagine how great you’d look behind the wheel.

This past year has given us some exciting products like the Chevy Camaro and the Dodge Challenger, two cars with iconic history that conjure up images of street car races and NASCAR competition. Both of these cars have generated a huge buzz and a lot of interest, and are perfect reminders about how exciting cars can be.

In South Texas, trucks are king. The area we live in relies heavily on trucks for work and play, from farming, ranching, and oilfield, to hunting, fishing and recreational towing. The majority of the truck market is made up of light duty half ton trucks, but heavy duty three-quarter and 1 tons have the most capabilities when it comes to towing, hauling and payload.

With that in mind, a new entry into the heavy duty truck segment this year is the new 2010 Ram Heavy Duty. It is newly redesigned and technologically advanced with more capabilities all wrapped up in one of the nicest looking trucks to hit the market in a long time. Let’s take a look under the hood:

The foundation of any truck considered to be worthy is its frame. Several years ago, manufacturers switched from C channel style frames to Hydro-Form frames. A Hydro-Form frame is a fully boxed frame that is formed using high pressure water and a stamping process. Using this method allows the manufacturers to use less heat and fewer welds which affect the integrity of the steel.

These new frames are the strongest frames ever built, with a tensile strength of 85,000 pounds per square inch. Because of a more solid foundation, this new frame structure does several things. It makes the cab a much quieter place because it reduces road noise, and it reduces vibration and ride harshness because the frame has less of a tendency to flex during driving.

Most customers overlook this important component because they are more focused on the cosmetics of the vehicle, but this is truly an important advancement in truck technology that will have a long-term impact on the enjoyment of the vehicle.

For Dodge, power trains have always been the strongest part of our product lineup starting with the legendary HEMI, which became popular during the 1960s because of NASCAR and Richard Petty. Technological advancements and recent improvements have created a gasoline motor which works well in a heavy duty application.

The 2010 HEMI will produce up to 383 horses and 400 pound/feet of torque. New cast aluminum cylinder heads feature large intake and exhaust ports for higher horsepower and torque output. A larger heavy duty radiator plus a newer high tech water pump creates better cooling to help control the engine temperature for optimum efficiency.

Not to be outdone, and also considered legendary is the 6.7 liter Cummins turbo diesel motor for heavier applications. This Cummins “B” series motor has been around for many years in tractor, marine and over-the-road truck applications, and is known for its durability.

It’s one of the strongest diesel motors in existence, coming in at 650 pound/feet of torque with towing capabilities that are unmatched. Unlike the older diesels, this motor comes equipped with a variable geometry turbo which provides superior throttle response and better performance. Plus, for heavy duty towing applications, a class exclusive diesel exhaust brake is standard equipment to help improve brake life.

But, with all that said, probably the most important advancement for the 2010 Cummins is that it meets all current government emission standards, unlike the remainder of the trucks in its class. Trucks not meeting those standards will be required to use a diesel exhaust fluid system, requiring the customer to refill this system on a regular basis, adding more cost and inconvenience.

When it comes to interior and exterior, the 2010 Ram HD will be similar in style to its sister truck, the 2009 Ram Light Duty. The interior will have a superior fit and finish through the use of premium materials and soft stitched textures. Available features are leather, bucket seats, heated and ventilated seats, navigation systems, electronic information center and more.

All this combined with new noise and vibration suppression mounts under the cab will make this one of the quietest cabins ever built. The exterior of the truck offers an exciting styling also: aggressive body lines, cross hair raked back grill, big bold headlights, wide tall stance and an aerodynamic hood and tailgate.

But probably the most distinctive features on the outside are the stamped louvers in the hood, giving the truck a bold aggressive look, and on the Ram 3500 dual rear wheel, the rear fenders are stamped into the side quarter panels instead of being bolted on. This gives the truck a smooth futuristic look, and also attributes to a more aerodynamic truck.

Going forward, the ability for this truck to meet the needs of the consumer is enormous. This is a quality truck with a wide range of capabilities that will appeal to anyone needing a truck for work or play.

So if you’re in need of some heavy lifting, maybe the 2010 Dodge Ram Heavy Duty is what you’ve been waiting for.