2013 Ram 1500 Crew Cab Laramie Short Bed 4x4 Only 6,148 Miles Like New! Loaded! on 2040-cars

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2020 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel Limited Drivers' Notes | Black gold

Ram didn’t have fuel economy numbers for us when we first drove the 1500 EcoDiesel, and because of that, a verdict could not be rendered. Today, thatÂ’s no longer the case. In maximum hypermiling 4x2 form, the EcoDiesel is rated at 22 mpg city, 32 mpg highway and 26 mpg combined. That puts it merely 1 mpg away from the Chevy Silverado Duramax, which achieves 33 mpg on the highway. In our testerÂ’s crew cab 4x4 configuration, it was rated at 24 mpg combined. The impressive efficiency can be attributed to the fully reworked 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6 under the hood. It makes 260 horsepower and 480 pound-feet of torque, with the full brunt of that torque being realized at a low 1,600 rpm. ItÂ’s a good thing, too, because the EcoDiesel redlines at 5,800 rpm. Towing maxes out at 12,560 pounds, and it has a payload rating of 2,040 pounds. ThereÂ’s a whole lot of truck to pull around, too. The crew cab backseat leaves enough space for even the tallest of riders to sprawl out, and the front seat is just as expansive and intimidating. As tested, our Ram 1500 was easily one of the most luxurious, expensive configurations one could possibly spec. It was done up in the highest Limited trim, which means every last premium material and feature is along for the ride. The base price was $58,660, but that doesnÂ’t mean Ram didnÂ’t find plenty of room for options. The most expensive of options happened to be the EcoDiesel engine itself, which comes in at $4,995. Yowza. Our truck also had the $3,995 Black Appearance Package, which adds an array of extras like 22-inch black wheels, a 19-speaker Harman Kardon audio system and black accents throughout the exterior. However, the 22-inch wheels were superseded by our truck's $795 Off-Road Group package that added 20-inch wheels with meatier tires, an electronic locking rear axle, multiple underbody skid plates and hill descent control. A $2,295 driver assistance package added adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, a parking assistant, 360-degree camera and ventilated rear seats among other less notable features. Lesser charges like the $1,495 panoramic sunroof, $995 Multi-Function tailgate and $995 RamBox system all contributed to this truck's $75,610 final price. Senior Editor, Green, John Beltz Snyder: The interior in this Limited is busy.

China own a Detroit automaker? Would the U.S. let that happen?

The news that several Chinese automakers want to buy Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, and that one has even made an offer, elicits some mixed feelings. On one hand, as some have pointed out, it could be a win-win both for China and for FCA's American workers, ensuring the company's survival and opening new markets. On the other hand, this is China, whose trade relationship with the U.S. is the source of considerable scrutiny from the Trump administration — and whose not-a-friend, not-an-enemy status is particularly difficult to gauge right now during heightened tensions with its client state North Korea. So would such a deal pass regulatory muster? One reason that springs to mind for blocking any sale has to do with national security. Chrysler's role as a military supplier dates back to Dodge trucks used by Gen. Blackjack Pershing to chase Pancho Villa in Mexico, and shortly thereafter by American forces in World War I. The Detroit Three automakers were, of course, mainstays of the Arsenal of Democracy of World War II. Even before U.S. entry into the war in December 1941, America's industrial machinery went into overdrive, and Chrysler was one of the biggest cogs. It engineered and built the M3, Sherman and Pershing tanks and trucks for Gen. George Patton's Redball Express. It helped develop a radar-guided antiaircraft gun that knocked German bombers and V1 rockets out of the sky — on one day, shooting down 97 of 101 V1s headed for London. On D-Day, the radar system helped thwart Luftwaffe counterattacks on the beaches of Normandy, and it later helped Allied forces break out at the Battle of the Bulge. Chrysler redesigned the Wright Cyclone engines used by the Boeing B-29 Superfortress, the plane that firebombed Tokyo and dropped the atomic bombs that ended the war. Chrysler even played a secret role refining uranium in Oak Ridge, Tenn., that was used in the Hiroshima bomb and in the ensuing Cold War arms race. It worked on military missiles and was NASA's prime contractor for the Saturn V rocket that put men on the moon. More recently, Chrysler produced the M1 Abrams tank. And of course Chrysler is the keeper of the flame for Jeep, a 75-plus-years military legacy handed down from Bantam and Willys to Kaiser to AMC to Chrysler. The point of this history lesson is to note that in times of war or national emergency, America's industrial might has been called to serve, and may well be called on again.

FCA spends $1.5 billion to retool plant for Ram production

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) is planning to invest $1.48 billion to retool its Sterling Heights Assembly plant in metro Detroit to build the next generation of the Ram 1500. The investment will allow the assembly plant to go from unibody to body-on-frame construction. FCA also confirmed that production of the Chrysler 200 will end in December in order for the plant to be altered. As previously reported, FCA is looking to move production of the 1500 from its current assembly plant in Warren to the Sterling Heights Assembly plant (both are in Michigan). While FCA has not released any official plans for the Warren Truck Assembly Plant, Automotive News reports that the plant will be retooled to manufacture the Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer SUVs. Earlier this month, FCA announced plans to invest $1.05 billion to retool the Jeep Wrangler factory. FCA's current investment plans are part of the automaker's push to put competitive products on the road. Related Video: News Source: FCA, Automotive NewsImage Credit: FCA Plants/Manufacturing Chrysler Jeep RAM SUV Sedan