Coil springs for Dodge Ram?

[haven]

The Pickuptruck.com web site just posted an article speculating that the 2009 standard Dodge Ram 1500 pickup will use coil springs front and rear. The 2500 and 3500 pickups will continue to use leaf springs. The article appears here:
http://www.pickuptruck.com/html/2009/dodge/ram/spied/rumors.html

Photos of a prototype Ram with rear coils have appeared on several web sites. Coil springs have better ride characteristics, but are rarely seen on pickup trucks. Maybe Dodge is acknowledging that the standard 1500 pickup with crew cab is purchased mostly for family transportation, not as a work truck.

It's unknown at this point if the Power Wagon model, which is based on the Ram 1500, will switch to coil springs. It's more likely that the Power Wagon label will be applied to a Ram 2500 instead. As a result, the Power Wagon would gain a little carrying capacity.

Chip Haven

[fisher205]

Chip, The 2500's and 3500's are coils in the front and have been at least since '94. - Brad

[Bella PSD]

Yea, but not coil springs front and rear. Chips talking about the rears going coil.

Louie

[theMec]

Pretty interesting. A few other related tidbits I read on other sites:
The new coil sprung rear axle is not a coilover like the front. The shocks are outside of the coil (from commenter Mike Levine on Autoblog)
Also it appears that 1967/1970 Chevy and GMC Pickups had a optional coil springs for the rear (commenter Michael on Winding Road) - so this is not a first.

Chip, I believe the Powerwagon has always been based on the 2500.
-steve

[calamaridog]

Should be interesting. At least it isn't IRS.

[boblynch]

I'm also interested in more details and pics of the exterior storage, new diesel motor, and crew cab (vs. quad or Mega cab) configuration.