DETROIT — Ram on Tuesday unveiled its updated 2025 heavy-duty pickups that offer more powerful and efficient Cummins turbo diesel engines, refreshed front ends and more interior screen space.

But the bigger recent news for the Stellantis NV truck maker is popular former CEO Tim Kuniskis coming out of retirement.

A day after the automaker confirmed he was back heading the brand last month, Kuniskis made a surprise appearance at a Detroit press event for the refreshed heavy duty and chassis cab lineup. He explained he'd been bored in retirement — and had a few thoughts about how to put Ram back on track after a dismal 2024 that ultimately saw U.S. sales plummet 19%.

"I wanted to get back in the fight," Kuniskis said. "And the reason that I'm here — some of you wrote about this, talked about this, and you're all thinking it, whether you said it out loud or not — is because we're getting our ass kicked. Let's be perfectly honest, we are getting our ass kicked. You see all the numbers. But it's going to change."

The CEO put most of the blame for Ram's recent struggles on its light-duty 1500 pickup and the delays getting its refreshed 2025 versions made in Sterling Heights out to customers over the past year. He said delays pushing out the updated Saltillo, Mexico-made 2025 heavy-duty trucks also has been an issue, "but now we got it. It's a great truck."

Ram's updated heavy-duty lineup should play a key role in boosting the brand's sales and helping it compete head-on with Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Co., which recently did similar updates on their work truck lineups, said Paul Waatti, director of industry analysis at AutoPacific. The Ram lineup includes 2500 and 3500 Heavy Duty pickup models, and 3500, 4500 and 5500 Chassis Cab versions, which can be customized for various work-truck purposes.

"The Ram heavy-duty lineup is a cornerstone for Ram and Stellantis, and these 2025 updates really show that Ram means business," Waatti said. "They need to improve their sales, and introducing a refreshed truck like this isn't always the biggest deal in the world, but in this case it's really important for Ram to nail this launch."

Expected to hit dealers later in the first quarter, the trucks offer Cummins 6.7-liter inline-6 High-Output Turbo Diesel engines, which are both more powerful and cleaner and quieter than past iterations, said Doug Killian, Ram's chief vehicle synthesis manager. The reworked diesel engine is paired with a new eight-speed transmission, up from six gears.

While the trucks can also be optioned with a 6.4-liter HEMI V-8, Kuniskis noted 70% of heavy duty customers opt for the diesel variant.

“This is a very specific pickup segment that requires a powerful tool — every 2025 Ram 2500 we sell allows the potential of 1075 pound-feet of torque in every gear, for a 70 percent increase in torque delivery from the previous generation 2500," the CEO said in a statement.

The front end of the pickups offer a new look with freshened grilles and split-LED headlamps that Nicho Vardis, the lead design manager, said were inspired by the brand's forthcoming electric pickup, the REV.

Inside, there are available larger center 14.5-inch screens (up from 12 inches), as well as an available 10.25-inch passenger screen. The more generous screen space can be helpful for navigation purposes, or attaching a trailer and maneuvering tight spaces using exterior cameras, executives said.

"Whether it's commuting to the job site or towing heavy equipment, the goal for us is to make the big truck feel manageable and precise," and a "full suite of camera functions" helps accomplish that, said Jon Gaudreau, chief designer for Ram interiors.

Waatti said the bigger screens and other upscale interior features demonstrate how Ram wants to maintain a reputation for offering rugged work trucks that have competitive hauling and towing specs while also providing some luxury and refinement.

Ram's heavy duty pickup pricing starts at $47,560, including destination, though it can run tens of thousands more depending on trim and features. The chassis cab trucks start at $49,285 including destination.

Brant Combs, director of Ram's North American sales operations, said the brand kept prices "very similar to 2024" — within a few hundred dollars across most trims — even with an increase in standard content. Elevated MSRPs has been one of the problems holding back Ram's sales, Kuniskis acknowledged.

At the heavy-duty press event last month, the CEO was teasing future products, like the coming electrified range-extended Ram 1500 Ramcharger, and hinting that more product announcements are on the way under his new leadership.

"Trust me," Kuniskis said, "I did not get off the bench, did not come here to not call some audibles. So stay tuned. More coming."

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