DALLAS – Chrysler’s Ram Truck brand said it’s planning to offer a new Heavy Duty model for its Ram 1500 Tradesman line. The vehicle will offer an 11,500-pound maximum trailer rating and 3,100-pound payload. The Ram Tradesman 1500 HD is offered exclusively as a 4x2 regular cab truck with an 8-foot bed.

Ram Truck also announced it would expand the Ram 1500 Express model lineup to include Crew Cab and Quad Cab models. Prices for the Ram 1500 Express Quad Cab start at $28,050, including destination charge. The Ram 1500 Express Crew Cab starts at $30,210. Ram 1500 Express regular cab pickups start at $23,080. The new Ram 1500 Express model offers buyers a standard HEMI V-8 engine with a 20 mpg fuel-economy rating.

For the new HD version of the Tradesman, Chrysler said the vehicle comes with a number of features that are attractive to commercial truck buyers.

“The Ram 1500 Tradesman Heavy Duty is a job-rated truck with the features commercial truck buyers want at a price they can afford,” said Fred Diaz, President and CEO – Ram Truck Brand and Chrysler de Mexico, Chrysler Group LLC. “The commercial truck segment is all about total cost of ownership and that includes being able to tow and haul more. It’s a simple matter of economics. More towing and payload means fewer loads. And fewer loads mean lower fuel bills.”

The Ram 1500 Tradesman Heavy Duty features a 3/4-ton Ram 2500 Heavy Duty frame with increased steel gauges, heavy-duty axles, and eight-lug wheel hubs. It’s equipped with the Heavy Duty version of the 5.7L HEMI V-8 engine, which Chrysler said is rated at 383 horsepower and 400 lb.-ft. of torque. The vehicle also features heavy-duty cooling, larger HD brakes, the HD six-speed automatic transmission, and standard Class IV hitch with lighted, above-bumper 4- and 7-pin trailer wiring connectors.