If you want a cool car these days, you have to rely on a pickup. Finally a V8.
Tough off-road vehicles gradually turned into civilized SUVs. Nowadays, if you want a cool car, you have to rely on a pickup. Impressive, lots of space in a large cargo box and usually a big V8. We look at his Dodge Ram Van 1500 together with owner Jasper.
This Dodge Ram Van meets all requirements
It is not the case that Jasper Annegarn (36) from Zevenaar necessarily wanted a cool car two years ago, although his list of requirements was certainly clear. “I wanted a lot of space: I had to be able to take four people with me. A high towing capacity was also on the list, but I didn’t want diesel, because that is of no use to me,” says Jasper. This meant that an off-road vehicle with a gray license plate and a diesel engine was immediately eliminated. “Then there isn’t much choice anymore,” he notes. He miraculously ended up with what he secretly wanted most. It became a pickup, a 1999 Dodge Ram Van with V8 and gas system. Very suitable for him, both business and private.
Not a city car
As an entrepreneur, Jasper provides a special service: making campers more sustainable. “We convert new and existing campers so that they have sustainable energy management and are self-supporting. For example, we equip a camper with a large solar panel and a lithium-ion battery. This means that residents can simply cook electrically without a socket,” he explains. He installs at home, but also on location, hence the pick-up. “I can easily slide a solar panel into that covered loading area,” says Jasper. And after work or during the holidays, the children can comfortably fit in the backseat. Place your bicycles in the cargo area, just like all the other things a family with young children needs, and off you go, on holiday! There is also a downside. “It’s not the most handy car for the city, so I avoid it as much as possible. This is a car for cruising,” says Jasper. On average, the average consumption is 1 in 6.5.
Something about Ford
In addition to being a successful entrepreneur and family man, Jasper is also a petrolhead. When he mentions the four-wheelers he still has at home, we become silent for a moment. Huize Annegarn houses two Ford Scorpio, a Sierra, a Volvo S80 and a Peugeot 404. Is a business growing here? “No, not really a trade. In fact, the Sierra is a V6 4×4. It is no longer in great condition and I am not going to invest in it anymore. That’s why a buddy and I decided to participate in the Carbage Run with that car. In January we will take it from Malmö in Sweden to Helsinki in Finland.”
One of the two Scorpios has just been sold. And the S80 is intended for when the family wants to go somewhere that the Dodge is too bulky and too big for.
220 or 230 hp?
Oh yes, the Dodge. Jasper: “In the documentation I came across a power of 230 hp, according to the manufacturer, but I think the V8 stands for 220 hp. So I don’t know,” he says. Fortunately, that’s what we have judge Ghisbert van Ginhoven for: measuring is knowing. After some fiddling with the Dodge’s overdrive, the score is as you would expect from a car that is 24 years old and with an LPG system, which always costs a bit of power. Good job!
Technical data
Dodge Ram 1500 Magnum 5.2 V8
Year of construction: 1999
Engine: 5.2-liter V8
Max. power: 220 hp at 4,400 rpm
Max. torque: 407 Nm at 3,200 rpm
Drive: rear
Number of gears: 4, automatic
Brakes: front/rear discs/drums
Max. towing capacity: 2,600 kg
Dimensions (l/w/h): 6.20/2.01/1.82 m (Regular cab: 5.69 long)
Avg. consumption: 15.3 l/100 km (1:6.5)
0-100 km/h: nb
Top speed: nb