We just climbed out of the all-new 2014 Ram Power Wagon after nearly two full days of on- and off-road test driving, and think it just may be the best all-round HD pickup for off-road driving we have had our hands on. It handled high-speed graded roads like a champ, climbed chunky trails without a whimper, and performed admirably on some darn good rock crawling terrain as well. We will give you a full-scale report soon, but here are some hard facts to chew on.

The standard 6.4-liter HEMI V8 delivers a best-in-class 410 horsepower and 429 pound-feet of torque, but what is especially handy on trails is the fact that the engine calibration unique to Power Wagon allows the throttle response to soften when driving in 4-Low. The idle speed also increases by 100 rpm in 4-Low (from 650 to 750 rpm) — providing added control when ascending and descending off-road obstacles at slow speeds.

The suspension design is a 3-link system in front and a 5-link in the rear, with coils at all four corners. Bilstein shocks are used all the way around. The front axle’s excellent articulation is assisted through the Power Wagon’s unique three-point Articulink component that allows for greater motion, while still keeping it stable. And both axles include electronic locking differentials that can be activated from inside the cab once the truck is in 4-Low, as well as electronically actuated anti-sway disconnects.

The Power Wagon’s axles are built by American Axle Manufacturing, 9.25-inch in the front and 11.5-inch in the rear (an increase from the previous 10.5-inch rear axle), filled with 4.10 ratio ring-and-pinion gears. Why not 4.56s you might ask? Because the 6.4-liter HEMI puts out so much torque, the truck doesn’t need 4.56 gears to get rolling or climb hills, and 4.10 gears offer better highway performance, too. The rear axle shafts have also been upgraded to 38mm, and send power directly to the Goodyear 33-inch tire/wheel combination.

A standard Warn 12,000-pound electric winch was mounted behind the front bumper to assist in recovery efforts of another truck. And the Ram Power Wagon is capable of towing as much as 10,810 pounds. Well, this beast was quite a good off-roader in our opinion, and we certainly hope that Ram continues to produce this and many other off-road ready models like it. What do you think of the all-new Ram Power Wagon? Let us know in the Comments section below.