2012 Ram 1500 R/t, Rare Truck, Not One Nicer Than This! on 2040-cars

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Submit your questions for Autoblog Podcast #321 LIVE!

We're set to record Autoblog Podcast #321 tonight, and you can drop us your questions and comments regarding the rest of the week's news via our Q&A module below. Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes if you haven't already done so, and if you want to take it all in live, tune in to our UStream (audio only) channel at 10:00 PM Eastern tonight.
Discussion Topics for Autoblog Podcast Episode #321
Unibody Ford Ranger replacement

2020 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel fuel economy numbers are right in the zone

Every new truck spec gets it own awards show nowadays. In this next envelope we have EPA fuel economy ratings for the 2020 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel — drumroll, please: 22 miles per gallon in the city, 32 mpg highway, 26 mpg combined for the 4x2 trim; 21 mpg city, 29 mpg highway, 24 mpg combined for the 4x4. As one would expect, the numbers plop the EcoDiesel in the middle of the pot with light-duty diesel versions of the 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and 2019 Ford F-150. In 4x2 guise, city mileage for the EcoDiesel ties the F-150 and is one mpg short of the Silverado, highway mileage rates two mpg more than the F-150 and one mpg short of the Silverado. In 4x4 trim, EcoDiesel city mpg is one mpg more than the F-150 and two mpg short of the Silverado, EcoDiesel highway number is four mpg more than the F-150 and ties the Silverado.    Of course, Ram would also like you to know that when it comes to output and carrying, the third-generation oil-burner tops the half-ton trio with 480 pound-feet of torque, 20 lb-ft more than the Silverado, and posts the highest tow rating at 12,560 pounds. Buyers who opt for the 4x2 diesel Ram and the 33-gallon tank will be able to travel the furthest, too, going beyond 1,000 miles before the fumes give out. Every trim gets the new EcoDiesel option for 2020, including the Ram Rebel for the first time. The 3.0-liter V6 is a $4,995 option, making it either $3,000 or $3,300 more than the 5.7-liter Hemi V8 eTorque trim depending. The EcoDiesel price ladder starts with the Tradesman Quad Cab at $36,890 plus a $1,695 destination charge, for $38,585 total. The 2019 Ram 1500 Classic will continue offering the second-generation 3.0-liter EcoDiesel, starting at the unchanged price of $40,835 for the Tradesman Crew Cab 4x2.

Chrysler set to make $266M-investment into 8-speed transmission production

Chrysler will shortly make a significant $266-million investment into its Kokomo, IN transmission factory in a bid to expand production of its eight-speed automatic transmissions. The gearboxes, which are built under license from Germany's ZF Friedrichshafen, have been well received by customers and critics, and according to an SEC filing obtained by Automotive News, the transmissions will eventually find their way to all of Chrysler's rear-drive offerings (Viper and heavy-duty Ram models, aside). According to AN, a Chrysler spokesman says the investment has not been confirmed, but once it is, it'll mark the company's latest in a growing line of investments at the facility. Chrysler has poured $1.5 billion into Kokomo since 2009.