The G/T package — available on both Laramie and Rebel trims, only on crew cab short-bed versions — is, like many of these special editions, largely comprised of bits pulled from the corporate parts bin. The mechanicals are mostly familiar: a 5.7-liter V8 with mild hybrid capabilities, four-wheel-drive, an eight-speed automatic, an optional four-corner air suspension — but the truck also benefits from a few performance-minded add-ons: aluminum paddle shifters and a gear lever with a manual shift gate; Mopar-sourced cold air intake and performance exhaust; an aggressive hood that ostensibly helps the Hemi run cool; performance gauges built into the infotainment screen to track 0-60 runs and the like; and, of course, G/T badging inside and out.
All that is to say, of course, that it drives just like other similarly-equipped Rams: with unexpected smoothness for a full-size pickup truck, both in ride and power delivery. The Hemi V8 is a potent lump, but still not quite equal to the top-shelf motors from GM or Ford in terms of absolute power. And the design — from the inside or out — still stands as perhaps the most handsome-looking truck on sale today.
That said, while the leather bucket seats are certainly nice and the vent-laden hood is fine, two G/T features stand out: the sporty exhaust, and the the sturdy shift lever that rises from the center console. The former brings a bit of old-school muscle car burble to the Ram's exhaust note, which in turn pulls a smile onto your lips every time you tow into the gas with purpose; it doesn't change the way the truck drives, but it might change the way you do. It really ought to be standard on every Hemi-powered Ram.
The shift lever, however, is an improvement in terms of ergonomics. In recent years, carmakers from Audi to Volkswagen have moved away from traditional shifters in favor of electronic ones that use circuits, not physical motion, to manipulate the gearbox. Ram is no exception: the brand moved over to a rheostat-style shift knob nearly a decade ago for most of its trucks. It saves space, and is likely cheaper, too — but there's no disputing the physical lever (taken from the Ram 1500 TRX) is ergonomically superior. You can tell from touch what selection you've made, and there's no groping around when you need to shift in a hurry — say, when making a three-point turn in the middle of a busy street. Plus, while the G/T also comes with paddle shifters, you can use the shifter instead to slam through gears like a rally car driver if you'd prefer; the upshift/downshift gate is even oriented in the proper direction for sporty driving, with upshifts to the rear and downshifts to the front. Sometimes with cars, the sportier choice is also just the sensible one.
