2012 Ram 1500 No Reserve Hemi 4x4 Low Miles Look!! on 2040-cars

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Ram 1500 EcoDiesel is coming soon, but a midsize Ram, not right now

NEW YORK — At this year's New York Auto Show, we had the opportunity to talk with the head of Ram Trucks, Jim Morrison, and he had a few interesting tidbits about what's coming and what isn't for the brand. The first big news is that the 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 diesel is finally coming to the all-new Ram 1500 later this year. Up until now, the engine was only available in the previous-generation Ram 1500 and current Ram 1500 Classic. The new Ram 1500 EcoDiesel won't have the same engine, though. It will be a redesigned 3.0-liter turbodiesel that will also appear in the Jeep Gladiator in 2020. That means it should also make 260 horsepower and 442 pound-feet of torque, unless the Ram gets unique tuning that changes the output. Morrison wouldn't elaborate on any other details, though, including whether it would utilize the eTorque mild-hybrid assist of its gas powered cousins. The other news concerns things we probably won't see from Ram anytime soon — and one of them is a midsize pickup truck. Morrison said there are no plans for one yet, though the company is always considering options. In the meantime, the current strategy is to offer the Ram 1500 Classic as an option to potential midsize buyers. The thinking, of course, is that the Ram 1500 Classic is cheaper than the redesigned Ram 1500, and it's a bigger truck than midsizers. We can't help but wonder if the Gladiator might also make a midsize Ram a tougher sell at the moment. Finally, Morrison still had nothing to say about a regular cab offering for the redesigned Ram 1500. The only full-size Ram 1500 offering with a regular cab is the Classic model, leaving four-door models only on the normal 1500. We know that regular cabs don't sell well, so it's understandable that there isn't an offering yet, but it seems the company will have to offer one eventually when the Classic runs its course. Odds are that a future Ram 1500 regular cab will look something like the Ram 2500 and 3500 regular cab models, but with a more subdued grille.

EarthCruiser adds a bigger camper option to its heavy duty pickup line

EarthCruiser is a camper and expedition vehicle company based out of Oregon that we've previously covered for its huge commercial truck-based machines. But they offer more than that, from drop-in campers for smaller pickups to heavy duty pickup conversions. The company's latest product is one of the latter, offering a larger camping area than the current EXD model. This new camper conversion is called the Terranova. The big differentiator between it and the EXD is the camper section, which extends over the truck cab on the Terranova. This means that bed space can be moved to above the truck cab, instead of having to use a convertible dinette. So less reconfiguring, and generally more usable space. One other major difference is that the EXD is only available for the Ram 3500 and Ford F-350. The Terranova is being designed for both of those trucks as well as the Chevy Silverado 3500. The EarthCruiser Terranova is otherwise very similar to other EarthCruiser models. The camper section is made of fiberglass and plastic, and the pop-up roof is insulated with foam. The curtains are triple-layered. The company says it can house four people. It comes with a freshwater tank and pump to help supply the kitchen sink, drinking water tap, bathroom sink and indoor and outdoor showers. There's also a cassette toilet. The kitchen features an induction stove top and small refrigerator and freezer. A fan system is standard, and air conditioning is optional. Power comes from a 400-aH lithium-ion battery. The Terranova isn't yet available. EarthCruiser is finishing up design and engineering, and it plans to have finished examples early next year. The company is taking reservations now, though. Pricing hasn't been announced, but an EXD runs between $220,000 and $265,000, and we would expect the Terranova to cost even more. Related Video: Featured Gallery EarthCruiser Terranova Expedition Camper renderings Chevrolet Ford RAM Truck Off-Road Vehicles Special and Limited Editions RVs/Campers

Fiat Chrysler and Peugeot boards meet to finalize merger

MILAN/PARIS — The boards of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Peugeot will meet separately on Tuesday to discuss finalizing an initial agreement for a $50 billion merger to create the world's number four carmaker, sources said. A source close to FCA said the two companies could announce the signing of a binding memorandum early on Wednesday, followed by a conference call to explain further details later in the day. The two mid-sized carmakers announced plans six weeks ago for a tie-up to help them deal with big challenges in the industry, including a global demand downturn and the need to develop costly cleaner cars to meet looming anti-pollution rules. Ahead of the meetings, entities representing the Peugeot family, Etablissements Peugeot Freres (EPF) and FFP, unanimously approved a proposed memorandum of understanding for the planned merger, a source familiar with the situation said. FCA and PSA have said they would seek to finalize a deal by year-end to create a group with 8.7 million in annual vehicle sales. That would put it fourth globally behind Volkswagen, Toyota and the Renault-Nissan alliance. PSA's Carlos Tavares will be chief executive and FCA's John Elkann — the scion of Italy's Agnelli family, which controls FCA through their holding company Exor — chairman of the combined company. The group will include the Fiat, Jeep, Dodge, Ram, Chrysler, Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Peugeot, DS, Opel and Vauxhall brands, allowing it to serve mass and premium passenger car markets as well as those for trucks and light commercial vehicles. Related Video:       Chrysler Dodge Fiat Jeep RAM Citroen Peugeot