2013 Laramie New 5.7l V8 16v Automatic 4wd on 2040-cars

Auto blog

2019 Chicago Auto Show Truck Roundup: Toyota, Ford, Chevy and Ram bring it

The 2019 Chicago Auto Show features an array of heavy-duty trucks, smaller trucks, other kinds of trucks, and well, more trucks. That means new versions of the 2020 Chevy Silverado Heavy Duty and 2020 Ford F-150 Super Duty, a refreshed 2020 Toyota Tacoma and a trick tailgate on the 2019 Ram 1500. Sound a little crazy? Morgan Stanley research says 68 percent of passenger vehicles sold in the United States last year were classified as light trucks. So actually, bring on the trucks! Here's some impressions on the Chicago reveals, plus our take on the 2020 Subaru Legacy sedan. — Toyota updated the 2020 Tacoma with some light but useful enhancements. An improved infotainment has new audio features and larger screens. The grilles and wheels are different, but nothing drastic. Toyota still offers nice differentiation across the Tacoma lineup, and the design tweaks are subtle but thoughtful. Toyota tends to stretch out the Tacoma's generations, so it's wise to keep modifying and iterating to keep pace in this competitive segment. — Staying with Toyota, the Land Cruiser Heritage Edition is a legit special model that fans of this historic nameplate will appreciate. An anchor of the Toyota line in the United States since 1958, the Land Cruiser's roots date to Toyota's 1951 BJ Series military vehicle. Two colors, Midnight Black and Blizzard Pearl, are exclusive to this model and look slick against the blacked-trimmed grille and lightly bronzed wheels. Inside, bronze stitching is used on the steering wheel, seats, center console and other parts. The best part? Land Cruiser spelled out in script on the rear pillar. It's a limited model (1,200 units) and pricing isn't out yet, but that badge is probably why you buy this SUV. — The 2020 Chevy Silverado HD gets imposing looks that differentiate it from the light-duty range, an eye-popping max towing capability of 35,500 pounds and some updated powertrain elements. A new gas-fed V8 that serves as the entry point is one of the highlights, and the 6.6-liter mill makes 401 hp and 464 lb-ft, up significantly over the old 6.0-liter. There's also a new Allison 10-speed transmission teaming with the Duramax diesel to achieve that lofty max towing figure. With an updated trailering system and a larger cabin, the Silverado HD range is comprehensively remade to fight Ram and Ford. — The 2020 Ford Super Duty is also redone, and like the Chevy line, it gets a new gas V8 checking in at 7.3 liters.

Maxwell RHEV Prototype First Drive Review | More than meets the eye

The Maxwell RHEV looks just like any small business' panel van, sporting large vinyl graphics and unassuming steel wheels. You'd have no idea that the co-founders of the startup based out of Seattle had grafted a salvaged Voltec powertrain from a junkyard Chevy Volt into this Ram ProMaster. Somewhere, a battery pack lurks. Maxwell's co-founders, CEO Max Pfeiffer and engineer Trey Camp, open the cargo area to reveal a completely unaltered space. Both are ex-Tesla employees with a long fascination for the #vanlife movement – that their interests intersected in a hybrid cargo van isn't surprising once you start talking to them. This is their first vehicle, a salvaged ProMaster sidelined with a blown 3.6-liter Pentastar, and it's both their prototype and the only Maxwell in existence right now. That said, the company is building a low-roof version for a customer, which will be lighter, have less aero drag and therefore be more efficient. The company is just emerging from a stealth startup mode, and while their backstory is fascinating, I'm still wondering where the Volt's 18.4 kWh battery pack is. "There's nothing in the back ... we're able to get the battery underneath the floor, in the center," Pfeiffer says. Ducking my head under the side reveals, sure enough, a little underside blister that contains the battery, tucked up neatly. The other changes to the RHEV – short for Range-extended Hybrid Electric Vehicle – are minimal. He pops the hood. There are some rough edges, but the 1.5-liter, 101-horsepower engine and 48-kW motor fit comfortably on custom engine mounts and with re-routed exhaust, behind a fascia that improves aero and houses the charge port. Custom axles send power to unaltered Ram hubs and brakes. "This version, it's a little bit prototype-y," Pfeiffer says. "We've had more time to work with the CAD [computer-aided design, engineering drawings] we were able to get from GM and Chrysler, and we've done a better job packaging for production." GM already spent billions on the Voltec and its controlling software, and Maxwell can happily ride those coattails. Despite the help GM has lent Maxwell, there are no official ties. An emulator sends spoofed signals to the Ram instruments, which have a new custom-printed face. The Ram's body control module is left alone. For powertrain faults, Maxwell says the vehicle can theoretically be serviced by any Chevy dealer, and any issue with the rest of the vehicle can be handled by a Ram service shop.

Stellantis reports surprising 2020 results, is 'off to a flying start'

MILAN — Low global car inventories and cost cuts should boost Stellantis's profit margins this year, though a shortage of semiconductors and investments in electric vehicles could weigh on results, the newly-formed automaker said on Wednesday. The forecast came as Stellantis, created by the January merger of Peugeot-maker PSA and Fiat Chrysler (FCA), reported better-than-expected results for 2020 that sent its shares up around 3% in morning trading. "Stellantis gets off to a flying start and is fully focused on achieving the full promised synergies (from the merger)," Chief Executive Carlos Tavares said in a statement. Stellantis is the world's fourth largest carmaker, with 14 brands including Fiat, Peugeot, Opel, Jeep, Ram and Maserati. It said 2021 results should be helped by three new high-margin Jeep vehicles in North America and a strong pricing environment there. The U.S. market has driven profits for years at FCA and starts off as the strongest part of Stellantis. The group's guidance assumes no more significant lockdowns caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic, which shuttered auto plants around the world last spring. Stellantis should also get a lift as its starts to implement a plan aimed at delivering over 5 billion euros a year in savings, without closing any plants. Tavares has also pledged not to cut jobs. But a pandemic-related global shortage of semiconductors, used for everything from maximizing engine fuel economy to driver-assistance features, could hurt business. Auto industry executives have said the shortage should ease by the second half of 2021. Stellantis said its "electrification offensive" could also weigh on results this year. Automakers are racing to develop electric vehicles to meet tighter CO2 emissions targets in Europe and this week Volvo joined a growing number of carmakers aiming for a fully-electric line-up by 2030. Stellantis plans to have fully-electric or hybrid versions of all of its vehicles available in Europe by 2025, broadly in line with plans at top rivals such as Volkswagen and Renault-Nissan, although Stellantis has further to go to meet that goal. The carmaker is targeting an adjusted operating profit margin of 5.5%-7.5% this year. That compares with a 5.3% aggregated margin last year: 4.3% at FCA and 7.1% at PSA excluding a controlling stake in parts maker Faurecia, which is set to be spun-off from Stellantis shortly.