The Ford F-150 SVT Raptor has shocked and awed us with its ability to handle off-road terrain at extra-legal speeds. The folks at Ram and Mopar are looking to give the Raptor its first taste of real competition with this, the all-new Mopar Ram Runner Stage II kit.

Jim Sassorossi, Director of Mopar Parts, tells Autoblog that the Ram Runner Stage II will be available for owners of 2009 to 2011 model year Ram 1500 models as soon as the Moab Easter Jeep Safari in Utah is completed, so figure on less than a month from now. The package gives owners control arms with an extra three inches of extension, Fox racing shocks with three inches of bypass to increase cooling and a best-in-class 14 inches of wheel travel. To accommodate that prodigious wheel travel, the Ram 1500's front fenders and rear bed-sides are replaced with wider pieces made of fiberglass.

The folks at Mopar feel their truck has several advantages over the Raptor, not the least of which is the fact that Ram owners can build it piece by piece. There are five upgrades in total, with the Pre-Runner Stage II lift kit taking up the bulk of the pricing at $13,270. Truck modders can then pick up a front bumper for $1,250, a rear tire carrier for $1,010, front fenders for $1,020 and rear fenders for $1,350. That adds up to $17,905, though Sassorossi estimates the entire package will set you back $19,000 on top of the cost of a Ram 1500.

We're told that all you need is any 2009-2011 Ram 1500 to build your Ram Runner, though a six-foot, four-inch bed is required if you want the rear fenders. While $19,000 for the complete package might sound like a deal, don't forget to add the substantial cost of labor. The big wheel/tire package, racing seats and roll cage are all extra, too. And despite how high that front bumper looks, Ram claims the truck is street legal in all 50 states.

To get customers excited about the new Mopar Stage II kit, Ram and Mopar also announced today that they'll be sponsoring the 2011 TORC short-course off-road racing series. The Ram Runner will become the official vehicle of TORC and serve as pace truck for all of the series' events.


Gallery: Mopar Ram Runner Stage II kit



Photos copyright (C)2011 Chris Shunk / AOL



More...