Ram Power Wagon: history from 1946 to today

Ram Power Wagon history

Dodge built hundreds of thousands of WC-series four-wheel-drive trucks for the military in World War II and turned the design into a civilian one-ton 4x4, the WDX Power Wagon, sold from spring 1946. It used a 230-cubic-inch flathead six, cost around $1,600 new and stayed essentially unchanged through 1968; a 251-cubic-inch six replaced the original engine in 1961. A total of 95,145 WDX/WM300 Power Wagons were sold in the U.S., and export production continued after domestic sales ended.

The name was also used on Dodge's conventional W-series four-wheel-drive pickups until it was dropped for 1981, when four-wheel-drive Rams became Power Rams. It returned for 2005 on a dedicated off-road Ram 2500 with a 5.7-liter HEMI V8, electronically locking front and rear differentials, a 4.56 axle ratio and a 12,000-lb winch.

Later Power Wagons moved to the 6.4-liter HEMI (410 hp) for 2014, an eight-speed automatic and synthetic-rope winch for 2019, and for 2027 Ram offers the 6.7-liter Cummins turbodiesel, rated at 430 hp and 1,075 lb-ft — the first diesel Power Wagon.[1],[2],[3]

Years and production numbers

Generations and key variants

Engine and drivetrain facts

• The 2005 Power Wagon paired the 5.7-liter HEMI with electronically locking front and rear differentials, a 4.56 axle ratio and an integrated 12,000-lb Warn winch.
• From 2014 the 6.4-liter HEMI V8 (410 hp, 429 lb-ft) became the Power Wagon's engine.
• The 2027 Cummins option pairs 430 hp and 1,075 lb-ft with an eight-speed automatic; adding the diesel removed the front winch on those trucks.

Sources:[2],[3]

What changed over the years

1. 1946Civilian WDX Power Wagon goes on sale, based on Dodge's wartime 4x4.
2. 1961251 cu in six replaces the original 230 in the civilian truck.
3. 1968U.S. sales of the original end; export production continues.
4. 1981Power Wagon name dropped; 4x4 Dodge pickups become Power Rams.
5. 2005Name returns on an off-road Ram 2500 with HEMI V8, lockers and winch.
6. 20146.4L HEMI V8 replaces the 5.7L.
7. 2019Fifth-generation Ram HD; eight-speed automatic and synthetic-rope winch.
8. 20276.7L Cummins diesel offered for the first time.

Sources:[1],[2],[3]

What to check before you buy one

• Test both lockers, four-wheel drive and the winch — they are what separates a Power Wagon from a regular 2500.
• Inspect for off-road use: skid-plate damage, bent steering components, worn suspension bushings and front-end alignment.
• Check the winch cable or rope and the winch's operation; a 2027 Cummins truck does not have the front winch.
• For original 1946–1968 trucks, originality and restoration quality drive value; documented provenance and a specialist inspection are worth paying for.

Model-specific problems by generation are tracked on our Ram 2500 known issues page. Engine guides: 5.7L HEMI V8, 6.4L HEMI V8, 6.7L Cummins diesel.

Ram Power Wagon prices and values

Mileage: across 20,968 used Ram 2500 listings in our November 2026 study (all model years), the median odometer reading was 66,731 miles and 3.6% showed 200,000 miles or more. See how long a Ram 2500 lasts.

How to verify a Ram Power Wagon's factory options

Power Wagon equipment levels and options vary by year. For a 2005-or-later truck, CarWhere checks a specific VIN for licensed factory build data and, when it exists, lists the equipment it was built with. It reflects factory build data on record, not necessarily every installed item.

Standardized 17-character VINs began with the 1981 model year, so the original 1946–1980 Power Wagons predate them; every 2005-and-later Ram 2500 Power Wagon has one.[4]

For pre-1981 examples, the body (fender or data) tag and engine stampings carry the original factory codes; a VIN-based build lookup does not apply to them.