2012 Ram 1500 Laramie / Loaded / 1 Owner / 18k Miles / Call 800-513-9326 on 2040-cars

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2019 Ram 1500 eTorque Drivers' Notes Review | Filling in the gaps

When the 2019 Ram 1500 debuted earlier this year at the 2018 Detroit Auto Show, the biggest news was arguably the addition of the 48-volt mild hybrid system. Dubbed eTorque, the system is standard on V6-equipped models and a $1,450 option on trucks with the 5.7-liter Hemi V8. It's not a hybrid in the traditional sense. Despite Ram's claim that the system adds up to 130 pound-feet of torque on the V8, it only does so for a fraction of a second and doesn't actually change the engine's total output. You'd be hard pressed to notice a difference if you didn't know the system was there. But that's kind of the point. There's been a lot of confusion about what eTorque is and how the system works. Much of that falls on FCA's shoulders. The automaker didn't do a great job of explaining the whole thing, leaving us to work out much of it for ourselves. This isn't meant to boost performance, towing or payload. The Ram eTorque can't run on battery power, so don't expect a Toyota Prius with a bed and wood trim. It's here to make the truck just a little bit more efficient by improving areas where conventional internal-combustion engine's fall short. The eTorque system replaces the engine's alternator with a small, belt-driven electric motor. On the V6, the motor is part of the water pump assembly and driven by that belt; the V8 uses a dedicated belt that's separate from the other accessories. A small battery pack is mounted upright behind the rear seats inside the truck's cabin. There's also a DC-to-DC converter to charge the battery and convert 48 volts down to 12 to power the truck's normal systems. Visually, the only difference between an eTorque-equipped model and a standard one is a small metal box at the top of the engine. There's no badging and the battery pack can't be seen, even with the rear seats folded up. The system is designed to be as seamless and innocuous as possible. The auto start/stop system spins up the engine a little quicker. Shifts from the eight-speed ZF automatic transmission are a little smoother as the eTorque system smooths out and fills in the gaps. It does so for a fraction of a second, but it works its magic often. Big gains in fuel economy have already been made. It's going to take things like Ram's eTorque system to improve internal combustion engines from here on out. Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore: I'd like to say I noticed a huge difference between the Ram eTorque and the regular Ram, but I didn't. That's how it's supposed to work.

The $100,000 Winnebago Solis is a Ram ProMaster camper with a pop-top

Think of it as bunk beds for the outdoors. Maximum personal space, and the campsite has plenty of room for activities. It's an overall win-win. Camper vans with pop-tops are some of the most useful and versatile adventuremobiles out there, and now Winnebago has created its first entry into the growing market. For the first time, Winnebago is entering the Class B pop-top camper van business with the new Solis. Based on a Ram ProMaster chassis, the Solis' exterior is 19-feet-6-inches long, 8-feet-11-inches tall, and 6-feet-8-inches wide. Inside, the ceiling is 6-foot-2-inches high, and campers have access to 21 gallons of stored water. Power comes from a 280-horsepower 3.6-liter V6 and a 220-volt solar panel is integrated into the roof. In the video below, Winnebago Product Manager Russ Garfin says the goal with the Solis was to maintain durability while keeping things as simple as possible to get the job done. With the front captain's chairs swiveled around to face inward, they look at a cabin that is basic but comfortable. The driver's seat pairs with a removable swiveling plywood table with two more seats on the other side. Behind the rear passenger seats, there is a tri-purpose heated bathroom. The toilet is technically in the shower, and the space can also be used as a drying room for wet gear or laundry. The cassette toilet holds five gallons, and the shower has hot or cold water. The gray tank holds 20 gallons. Opposite the bathroom, the kitchenette is on the passenger-side wall. On the end near the door is a 12-volt compressor-driven fridge and freezer. The cooking unit also includes a countertop extension, built-in storage, a two-burner stovetop with backsplash, and a full faucet and sink. All of the insulation and plumbing on the Solis is four-season ready, as well, so adventuring can be done anywhere at any time. In the rear, the Solis has a murphy bed that flips up and out of the way. It sleeps two adults and stores a new "movable table" underneath. When the bed is up, that table can be put down to make a working space or for hanging out at the rear of the vehicle. There is also more storage under the rear floor space. Doubling the sleeping space is the fiberglass pop-top. The roomy space sleeps two more adults and is easily accessible thanks to a folding ladder that can be stored above the driving cabin. The Solis simplifies the camping experience by packaging full amenities and lots of sleeping space within a small van.

FCA recalls 1.1 million vehicles worldwide due to confusing shifter

Fiat Chrysler is recalling 1.1 million vehicles worldwide to address the problematic shifter used on cars with eight-speed automatic transmissions. The issue is that the console-mounted shifter acts like a rocker switch and always returns to the middle position after moved. This has been deemed confusing to drivers – confusing enough to cause some to exit their vehicles without first selecting Park and leading to the car rolling away. FCA says 41 injuries are related to the shifter problem, and no evidence of equipment failure has been found. The company will enhance warning chimes and alter the shift strategy, meaning alert messages will be displayed in case the driver door is opened while the engine is running. With the door open, the transmission will prevent the car from moving even if Park is not selected. The affected vehicles are certain model-year 2012–2014 Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 sedans, as well as model-year 2014–2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee SUVs, an estimated 811,586 US vehicles in total. The recall also affects 52,144 vehicles in Canada, 16,805 in Mexico, and 248,667 vehicles elsewhere. The shifter is used with ZF-designed and ZF-built eight-speed automatic; Audi uses a similar shifter setup in some of its vehicles, including the current-generation, which predated Chrysler's use of it. Chrysler uses a different, a rotating-dial-type shifter on eight-speed-equipped Rams. The company moved away from the problem shifter design in 2015 for the Charger and 300, and the Grand Cherokee's shift lever was modified for 2016. Owners of affected vehicles will be notified of the recall when service is available. Fiat Chrysler urges customers to follow the instructions in the vehicle's owner's manual in the meantime. Related Video: News Source: FCAImage Credit: AOL Recalls Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM Ownership Safety SUV Sedan