Dodge has announced a new budget-friendly Ram Adventurer 1500 that will give buyers a 390-hp Hemi engine for just $23,830. The new Ram Adventurer is a sportier version of the Ram Tradesman, which is a stripped-down work truck that was revealed earlier this month. The Ram Adventurer will include body-colored bumpers and grill as well as chrome exhaust tips and 20-inch wheels to set it apart from the Tradesman and make it look sportier. The Ram Adventurer will go on sale in the second quarter of 2011.

The Dodge Ram 1500 Adventurer will include the 5.7-liter Hemi V8 with 390-hp and 407 lb-ft of torque. That’s a great deal on a powerful truck, and the Adventurer will be one of the best performance buys when it hits dealers.

The entry-level Ram is not stripped down the meet the $23,830 price. In addition to the 20-inch wheels and chrome exhaust tips, the Ram Adventurer will have a locking tailgate, a 3.55 gear ratio rear axle, air conditioning and an audio jack for mp3 players. Dodge is hoping that buyers of the Ram Adventurer will customize their trucks and is promoting accessories like a trailer hitch and chrome tubular side steps and bed rails.

The Ram Adventurer is a temporary name for the budget performance truck, and Dodge is planning to change the name. The name isn’t really what’s important on the Ram Adventurer though, it’s the 390-hp V8 for under $24,000.

Images via Car and Driver.