2014 Ram 1500 Lone Star Crew Cab 4x4 on 2040-cars

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New Winnebago Solis Pocket is the brand's smallest camper van

Winnebago, the brand whose iconic boxy motorhomes with the big "W" logo were a fixture at campgrounds back in the '70s, has since branched out into other RVs including camper vans. The company has just introduced its latest, the Solis Pocket, which is both its smallest and most affordable offering, but one that still packs a lot of features. As surfaced by Motor1, the Winnebago Solis Pocket is based on the Ram ProMaster van with a 136-inch wheelbase and is 17 feet 10 inches long. That makes it almost two feet shorter than the next-larger Solis 59P, which is based on the 159-inch-wheelbase ProMaster. The camper van is powered by a 3.6-liter V6 hooked to a six-speed automatic. That gives it a 3,500-pound towing capacity, and the van comes standard with a trailer hitch. At 113 inches tall and with a 6-foot 3-inch interior height, the Solis Pocket packs a lot into its small space. The camper van sleeps three, two in the drop-down Murphy bed at the rear of the rig and one in a two-seat dinette/sofa that converts to a small single bed. A kitchenette with a two-burner cooktop, a sink with a 20-gallon freshwater tank, and a mini-fridge are arranged on the passenger side of the van. A 3.2-gallon cassette toilet tucks under one of the dinette seats. The two front seats also swivel to face the interior. The price for the Solis Pocket is $95,736. Clearly, "least expensive" does not mean cheap. For reference, the Solis 59P starts at $107,821. If the whole #vanlife is starting to sound unattainable, maybe consider #trailerlife instead. Winnebago's camping trailers start at $22,172, and that roughly $73k cost differential would buy a pretty sweet tow rig. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Fiat Chrysler picks Google, Samsung for global connected car system

DETROIT — Fiat Chrysler said on Tuesday it will use technology from Alphabet Inc's Google and Samsung to connect all its vehicles by 2022, providing music and video and facilitating future car-sharing and self-driving capabilities. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV (FCA) will use Google's Android operating system globally instead of a mixture of software that varies by region, a spokesman said. The automaker will also use a cloud-based digital platform from Samsung Electronics Co Ltd's Harman unit. Unlike its rivals General Motors and Ford, FCA has spent virtually nothing on developing self-driving vehicle technology. This saves the company large amounts of money, but makes it reliant on outside parties to provide technology and systems. FCA said it will launch the new capabilities in the second half of 2019. The company said the system will aid owners "by predicting maintenance needs, locating fuel and charging stations, receiving traffic prompts and restaurant offers and providing live customer-care assistance at the push of the button." Chrysler Dodge Fiat Jeep RAM Technology Emerging Technologies connected car

2020 Ram 3500 heavy duty interior spied

The 2020 Ram 2500 and 3500 trucks continue their steady testing regimen, and the engineers are still keeping the trucks under careful wraps. Or at least they are with the outside. As the photos above show, some test drivers got a little sloppy with interior coverings, and our spy photographer took advantage of the situation. And the good news is that the interior will be basically identical to that of the 2019 Ram 1500. We say good news because the Ram's stylish interior and well-thought-out controls are part of why it's our favorite fullsize pickup right now. This particular model has the 8.4-inch UConnect touchscreen infotainment. Since the entire center stack is the same as the 1500, we wouldn't be surprised if the monster 12-inch display were to be available on high-end trims. The small 5-inch infotainment will probably be the standard option. Another interesting detail is that this test truck does not have the rotary shift dial shared with the Ram 1500 and various other Chrysler products. Instead, it has a traditional steering column-mounted shift lever. As for the outside, nothing new is revealed to us. We shouldn't have to wait too long to see the production truck, though. We expect it to be revealed early next year. What we've seen so far seems to indicate that the heavy duty Rams will have styling a little closer to the old model than to the new 1500. Still, expect grilles and other cues from the lighter duty model, just translated to a slightly different shape. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.