2014 Ram 3500 Longhorn on 2040-cars

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2014 Promaster looks like a Fiat, hauls like a Ram

A new day is dawning, folks. The old-guard vans of our youth are being replaced with a new flock of European-inspired commercial vehicles from the likes of Ford, Nissan (Renault) and Mercedes-Benz. Here in Chicago, Ram pulled the covers off its entry into the reborn commercial van market with the 2014 Promaster, based on the well-known European Fiat Ducato.
Ram makes no bones about the Promaster's Fiat underpinnings, though the company claims it has beefed up the machine for US roads and uses with a re-engineered chassis, a more robust suspension setup, improved brakes (from Brembo), additional corrosion protection, improved climate control and additional safety systems.
Power comes from one of two powerplants options, one gas and one diesel. First up is Chrysler's well-known 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 rated at 280 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. For a bit more pulling power and durability, Ram is offering a new 3.0-liter four-cylinder diesel engine pumping out 174 hp and, more importantly, 295 lb-ft of torque at just 1,400 rpm. That engine sends its torquey goodness through a six-speed electronically controlled automated manual gearbox.

2014 Ram 1500 Diesel

Remember when Mahindra & Mahindra was close to offering a compact diesel pickup here? A million voices from the truck-and-bed-loving tribes of the Internet cried out at once in anticipation, only to be silenced in disappointment when it didn't happen. And this was for a jitney with a bed that didn't exactly look robust in its press photos. The message these fans had was clear: light-duty truck + a diesel engine = a prayer answered for a significant contingent of truck buyers.
Ram tells us a fullsize diesel half-ton has been the number-one demand from customers, and it will be the first manufacturer to grand the wish when the 2014 Ram 1500 goes on sale early next year - "late availability" in Q1 of 2014 is the official word - with a 3.0-liter, six-cylinder turbodiesel provided by VM Motori. If you're wondering about the engine source, VM Motori has been a Chrysler supplier since 1992. DaimlerChrysler bought VM Motori in 2000, and after a few ownership-stake changes since then, it is presently a 50-50 joint venture between General Motors and Fiat. That will change shortly, however, with Fiat recently announcing it will buy GM's share and take full control of the company.
Driving Notes

Ram 1500 TRX too tame for you? Hennessey cranks its Hemi V8 to 1,012 horsepower

Ram captured the top spot on the horsepower podium when it released the Hellcat-powered 1500 TRX in 2020. The truck's 702-horsepower output places it comfortably ahead of the Ford F-150 Raptor, at least for now, but American tuner Hennessey saw plenty of room for improvement. It added over 300 horses to the TRX's cavalry. Hennessey is a master in V8-ology, so it was only a matter of time before it injected more power into the TRX. It announced two models named Mammoth 900 and Mammoth 1000, respectively, and each number vaguely corresponds to the V8's new output. The 900's 6.2-liter produces 912 horsepower and 873 pound-feet of torque, increases of 210 and 223, respectively, compared to the standard TRX. Hennessey achieved these figures by upgrading the supercharger pulleys and making relatively basic changes to the intake and exhaust systems. Stepping up to the 1000 unlocks 1,012 horsepower and 969 pound-feet of torque, numbers that give the 6,300-plus-pound truck the uncanny ability to reach 60 mph from a stop in 3.2 seconds. It flies through the quarter mile in 11.4 seconds at 120 mph. Building a pickup with supercar-like acceleration required installing a bigger, 2.65-liter supercharger, adding high-flow fuel injectors, and recalibrating the ECU. Intake and exhaust modifications are on the menu, too. Surprisingly, it doesn't sound like Hennessey made significant internal changes to the engine or to the transmission, which suggests the standard components can handle a massive amount of power. Context is useful here. Released in 2013, the fifth and final generation of the Dodge-turned-SRT-turned-Dodge again Viper took 3.3 seconds to sprint from zero to 60 mph, and it logged an 11.5-second quarter-mile time. Previewed in a computer-generated sketch, the Mammoth 1000 (shown above) also receives 20-inch wheels wrapped by 35-inch off-road tires, a 2.5-inch suspension lift, custom bumpers on both ends, extra LEDs up front, electronic fold-out steps, plus an array of model-specific emblems. Inside, Hennessey added a numbered plaque. 200 units of the Mammoth 1000 will be available for the 2021 model year, and pricing starts at $135,350 including the cost of the donor truck (which carries a base price of $71,790) and a warranty valid for two years or 24,000 miles. Put another way, you get 30.6% more power than stock for about 40% more money.