Monza-based aftermarket company Aznom has gone all out with its latest offering, switching from its usual practice of selling customisation parts to fully reskinning a Dodge RAM 1500. The result is called the Palladium, and alongside the new look, the V8's output has been increased to 710hp, delivering the modified pick-up to 62mph in 4.5 seconds, before topping out at 130mph. We’re told it handles better thanks to chassis mods, too. But you’ve got to get to grips with that styling first.
Assuming Aznom’s small-faced-but-enormous (it's nearly six metres long) creation looks better in the metal, the work is at least extensive. The whole front and rear sections have been switched, with a mix of materials in the panels said to be produced using traditional methods – although we’re not sure how traditional carbon fibre manufacturing can really claim to be. At least the 5.7-litre motor gets a proper seeing to; two turbochargers, air-to-water intercoolers and a new exhaust system up the flow, while forged and rebalanced internals work with higher-spec injectors to achieve the power gains.
As for the chassis, the Palladium – which Google tells us means “a rare silvery-white metal resembling platinum” – sits 30mm lower thanks to swapped out suspension. That helps give Aznom’s creation a more obviously road biased stance than Dodge’s rugged original. The structure itself is said to be more rigid, with a steel cage at the back to improve the doubtless modest torsional stiffness – and give the car its awkward rear lines (note the odd boot opening in the gallery). It’s not all about rigidity, though; Aznom said its finished car has 30 different configurations for the dampers so it can cater to different driving demands.
Naturally, this uprated pick-up gets beefier brakes with 408mm front discs and Brembo six-piston calipers up front, while at the back, four piston calipers work with 380mm discs. Wholly necessary, you’d imagine, given that Aznom’s work won’t have done anything to reduce the underlying RAM’s 2.2-tonne factory weight. Especially not inside where a retrimmed interior, which swaps Dodge’s lower cost materials for leather and suede, is very much the car's (dubious) reason for being. Either way, the 'hyper-limousine' is plainly about grabbing people's attention. We don't know how much it costs, but something tells us it’ll be no less divisive than the appearance.
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