German Motors & Engineering has released a tuning package for the Ram 1500, called the “Off-Road Edition.” The package gives the American pickup truck a comprehensive overhaul, covering the exterior, engine, and suspension. GME’s objective is to give the RAM 1500 the kind of off-road versatility you normally don’t see in a car in Germany. To that extent, the tuner did as good a job as you’d expect from a company that knows what it’s doing.

What Makes Ram 1500 Off-Road Edition by GME So Awesome?

Just because the Ram 1500 is a no-frills, go-anywhere pickup, that doesn’t mean it can’t be the subject of a tuning program. German Motors & Engineering put that to the test when it created a kit specifically for the American hauler. The program is as extensive as it gets for the Ram 1500, starting with exterior upgrades that include new Xenon headlights replacing the stock halogen lamps of the Ram 1500. The pickup also benefits from aesthetic upgrades, most of which are found in the front section. The chrome mesh insert is another upgrade worthy of the Ram 1500’s personality. Stylistically, that’s all there is to it, though GME is also offering a few more options like a functional metal grille with an integrated LED light bar.

The Ram 1500’s appearance fits its Off-Road name. But to really justify the billing, GME sought the approval from the German Technical Control Board to install an Edelbrock supercharger kit to the pickups’ massive 5.7-liter V-8 engine. Together with an air-water-air intercooler, the German tuner is able to increase the V-8 engine’s output from its standard 395-horsepower and 410-pound-feet to a more capable 550 horsepower and 530 pound-feet of torque. But that’s not all. If customers aren’t satisfied with the tuned output, the tuner can still throw in more horsepower into the mix tuning the supercharger. Give GME the green light to play with the supercharger and add reinforcements to existing engine parts, and it can increase the 1500’s V-8 engine’s output to a whopping 900 horsepower. That’s power worthy of the Off-Road name.

Obviously, there’s more to the Off-Road package than the splash of style and the added power. To accentuate the V-8 engine's sound, the German tuner also has its own exhaust system with remote-controlled valves inside the three-inch pipes. Opt for this upgrade, and you’re going to feel and hear what a 900-horsepower Off-Road is fully capable of.

The package includes height-adjustable, remote-reservoir dampers from Fox, revised subframes, upgraded steering knuckles, and replacements for other suspension-related components. Once the pickup’s height is raised, the tuner takes out the 1500’s stock wheels and replaces them with a set of massive 20-inch wheels wrapped in 37-inch Toyo off-road tires.

This, ladies and gentlemen, is a pickup worthy of a man’s man. It’s a fairly rare sight to see one in Germany, so those who opt to purchase the kit from GME will have no problems standing out in a sea of Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz models. The tuner didn’t say how much the whole program costs, but it did indicate that if you’re interested in scoring one, the tuner is more than happy to listen to your requests.

Further reading

Read our full review on the 2019 Ram 1500.

Read more Ram news.