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2019 Ram 1500: FCA design boss discusses truck's 'well-dressed' new look

The Ram pickup may be FCA's linchpin vehicle. It is the brand's bestseller in America, by far. In 2017, more than 500,000 of these full-size trucks rumbled off of dealers' lots, outselling FCA's second-bestseller, the Jeep Grand Cherokee by a 2-to-1 ratio. Even in an American automotive market in which sales were down by nearly 2 percent, even in the last model year of production for the truck's current generation, sales were up by more than 11,000 units over 2016. "The Ram pickup is exceptionally important. Especially since the last one was so popular," says FCA Design Head Ralph Gilles. "We're in the middle of a truck war. And the public wins." No small part of the Ram's success has been derived from its sneering appearance, its more carlike ride, and its potent Hemi engines. Sales have nearly tripled in this generation, and many of those sales are poached from competitors at Ford and GM. So, when unveiling an all-new Ram pickup, many considerations have to be weighed. It has to fit in with the heritage of the vehicle, it has to offer significant advances, and it has to capitalize on its slight underdog status in comparison with the bigger players from Ford and General Motors, whose pickups sell over 800,000 units a year. "The Ram was designed as an honest truck," says Gilles. "But with our Longhorn and Limited, we are staring to look at how far we can push the luxury end of things. And with Rebel, we are looking at how far we can push in a sporty direction. So it's kind of a dual personality thing." Gilles says that the distinctive, unique selling proposition of the Ram is based in no small part on its looks. "I think we are the most well-dressed," he says. "The truck is sleek and smart looking, and will age well." Safety features are also key, especially when creating a smoothly holistic appearance, like the new Ram has. "We want to integrate all the safety features consumers want without making the truck look like it has the measles," Gilles says. Although the automotive market overall was down in 2017, pickup truck sales were up by nearly 5 percent over 2016, a rather stunning increase. But one that is reflective of contemporary tastes. Nearly two-thirds of all vehicle purchases in America last year were light trucks (this includes pickups, SUVs, crossovers, and vans.) In an era of intense technological change, this seems somehow retrogressive.

2023 Ram ProMaster detailed with many updates

The 2023 Ram ProMaster is here, and it’s sporting a bunch of great upgrades over the outgoing model. Starting on the design front, Ram gave the ProMaster a new (thoughtful) front end. The headlights are positioned out of the collision zone in a direct frontal crash now to save them in the event of an accident. Plus, the bumper has an integrated step that allows you to step up and either clean the windshield or swap wiper blades far easier. The headlights themselves are also improved. Standard halogen lights provide 15% more range of light, and optional LED headlights provide 50% more range. The popularity of black appearance packages has made it into the van world now, too, as this ProMaster is available with exactly that, blacking out grille, badges and wheels. Lastly on the appearance side of things, Ram introduced two new colors: Ceramic Gray and Spitfire Orange. Ram says these colors were designed specifically with its #vanlife customers in mind. Unfortunately, no images of these colors were available upon this storyÂ’s publishing. A new extra-high roof option is available for 2023, adding 10 inches over top of the previous high-roof option. Additionally, Ram is offering a new roll-up door in case that would fit a customerÂ’s lifestyle better than a traditional rear door. ItÂ’s made of anodized aluminum to be easier to use. There are 19 configurations available in total for the 2023 ProMaster including three roof heights, three wheelbases and four vehicle lengths. Every single one of them will come equipped with the Pentastar V6 (just like before) that makes 276 horsepower and 250 pound-feet of torque. All of the vans are also front-wheel drive only. And lest you forget, Ram is still planning on releasing its electric ProMaster in 2023 — Amazon will be taking delivery of thousands of those electric vans next year. Interior and tech upgrades are aplenty for the 2023 ProMaster. For example, the ProMaster uses the latest Uconnect 5 infotainment system. The standard display is a 7-inch screen, but you can tack on an optional 10-inch screen. That means it has wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto. You can spec a wireless phone charger, and the interior features both USB-A and USB-C ports. Safety and convenience features are made readily available. Standard safety equipment includes collision warning, crosswind assist, drowsiness detection and traffic sign recognition.

Chrysler's internal documents question Ram quality as workers protest

Chrysler is reportedly having a hard time ramping up production of its 2013 Ram 1500. According to The Detroit News, only 16 of the 58 trucks built at the Warren Truck Assembly Plant during the model's first hour passed final inspection. While quality eventually improved over the course of the day, just over half of the units built on Thursday were approved for shipment. Even with workers ordered to stay late to fix their mistakes, some 1,078 units remained outside the facility with defects. The problem, according to workers at the plant, is morale.
According to the report, Chrysler recently changed the shift schedule at the plant and workers are unhappy with the new situation. The new plan has workers split into three shifts, each covering four 10-hour days. With the shifts staggered, some workers now have to work nights and on Saturdays. Some employees are so upset that they've taken to protesting, though the move isn't sanctioned by the United Auto Workers.
Meanwhile, Chrysler admits there were internal issues with the launch, but that the company was able to contain them. A spokesperson has said "plant quality indicators are getting progressively better."