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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 Long-Hauler prototype spotted testing, world about to get new largest pickup?

In the past few months, Chrysler's Ram brand has gone from also-ran status behind Ford and General Motors to a class leader in many truck categories including fuel economy (25 miles per gallon highway) and towing (30,000-pound maximum capacity). Now, based off these spy shots recently taken, it looks like Ram is preparing to introduce the be all and end all of pickup trucks, with a production version of its leviathan 2011 Long-Hauler Concept.
Our spy shooters recently caught the two-year-old concept truck running around Auburn Hills, MI covered in stickers that would indicate the truck could be testing for a production model, and last we heard back in September, Chrysler has been trying to build a business case for the massive hauler. On the other hand, seeing as how the only changes made to this truck since it was first unveiled are a full factory tailgate and various Mopar accessories (mud flaps, exhaust finisher and bed step), it doesn't appear that any changes have been made that fit in with the recently announced 2013 Ram HD models.
As a refresher, the Long-Hauler rides on the 197.4-inch wheelbase of the Ram 5500 chassis - usually reserved for stake or box trucks - allowing it to combine the luxury of the Mega Cab with the cargo capability of an eight-foot bed and enough room in between to fit a 60-gallon reserve fuel tank. This, along with the 50-gallon, in-bed fuel tank and the truck's factory fuel tank means that the Long-Hauler has the ability to carry 162 gallons of diesel fuel - enough for one incredibly long haul.

Ram/Jeep Ecodiesel engine has Maserati roots

The 3.0L turbodiesel V6 in the 2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel earned a slot on Ward's Automotive 2014 10 Best Engines for its power, fuel economy and refinement. In a piece looking at how Fiat subsidiary VM Motor developed the engine, Ward's also makes note of the fact that the same lump goes in diesel versions of the Maserati Quattroporte and Ghibli. They're tuned a bit differently, naturally, with the QP putting out 275 horsepower and 442 pound-feet of torque, the smaller, lighter Ghibli making do with the same number of horses but a lower torque output of 420 lb-ft.
The 240 horsepower and 420 pound-feet put out by the oil-burning six-cylinder in the Ram was tamed with a host of advances, but it appears that Ram hasn't tamed demand: the initial allocation of 8,000 engines was spoken for within three days of the truck going on sale. Head over to Ward's to read the story of how Ram worked out the equation light-duty-pickup + diesel = success.