2014 Ram 1500 Tradesman/express on 2040-cars

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Ram teases a new way to get off the beaten path

File this under "What do we have here?" The Ram Trucks Twitter account posted a 15-second video teasing... well, we have no idea what it is, but it's coming this month. The word "Hiking" appears twice in the video of two hikers coming to a fork in a dirt road, where a sign reads, "Caution, unpaved trail ahead." After that, we're only told that "Life's more fun off the beaten path. An exciting new way to get there is coming soon!" Now you know what we know. But if you happen to know more, feel free to give us some clues in Comments. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. News Source: Ram Trucks via Twitter, World Car Fans RAM Truck Videos

Dodge, Jeep and Ram could soon be owned by Chinese automakers

For the past several years, Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne has made it widely known that the automaker he helms is up for grabs. First, he sent an email to GM CEO Mary Barra, who immediately refused to even discuss a merger. Later, Marchionne set his sights on Volkswagen. That too was swiftly rebuffed. It seemed like no global automaker was remotely interested in a partnership. Now, Automotive News reports that several Chinese automakers have come calling, only FCA isn't ready to answer. At least not yet. The news broke this morning that a major Chinese automaker had made an offer to purchase FCA for slightly above market value. FCA refused, saying the offer wasn't quite generous enough. It's unclear which automaker made the offer, but Automotive News says there's more than one interested party. FCA representatives have recently traveled to China to meet with Great Wall Motors, while Chinese representatives were seen at FCA corporate headquarters in Auburn Hills, Mich. The Chinese government has a lot of money invested in local automakers. It's putting pressure on these automakers to expand globally, including to the United States. As it stands, it's a matter of when a Chinese automaker will start selling cars here, not if. Purchasing an established automaker with a wide range of products and a huge dealer network would do wonders in giving the Chinese a foothold here. Sure, Geely owns Volvo, but a luxury automaker doesn't have nearly as much reach as a more mainstream company like FCA. This seems like the best case scenario for both a Chinese automaker looking to move into the U.S. and for FCA, at least from a business standpoint. The latter doesn't seem to have any other interested parties. It will be interesting to see how FCA would sell a deal like this to the public. We're not sure everyone will be happy with Dodge, Jeep and Ram falling under Chinese ownership. FCA didn't turn down the Chinese because they didn't like the idea. It turned down the offer because there wasn't enough money on the table. Related Video: News Source: Automotive News Earnings/Financials Alfa Romeo Chrysler Dodge Fiat Jeep RAM

2019 Ram 1500 eTorque fuel mileage numbers released [UPDATED]

UPDATE: A previous version of this story said that the Ram 1500 with the 3.6-liter V6 and eTorque was the most fuel efficient gasoline-powered truck in America. The 2018 Ford F-150 powered by the 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 engine has ratings as high as 20 city, 26 highway, and 22 combined, which is 1 mpg better on the highway than Ram's six-cylinder eTorque. According to the EPA, the 2019 Ram 1500, when equipped with the 3.6-liter V6 engine and the brand's new eTorque technology, delivers 20 miles per gallon in the city, 25 on the highway and 22 combined in rear-wheel-drive form. Adding four-wheel drive drops those figures to 19/24/21. Those are big improvements over last year's Ram, which had a max efficiency rating of 17/25/20 without the eTorque system. By way of comparison, a 2018 Ford F-150 with the 3.3-liter V6 is rated at 19/25/22. That's down a single mile per gallon in the city but is otherwise a match for the Ram. The most efficient truck from Chevrolet currently rated by the EPA is the 2018 edition with GM's long-running 4.3-liter V6 at 18/24/20. There's a good chance Chevy's upcoming 2.7-liter turbocharged four-cylinder will take the efficiency crown, but it's not yet available. Ram also offers its eTorque technology on its Hemi V8-powered 1500. The EPA rates the two-wheel-drive V8 at 17/23/19 with eTorque (down one mpg on the highway with four-wheel drive). That's a meaningful gain of two miles per gallon combined over the standard non-eTorque Hemi offering. Ram's eTorque system replaces the trucks' standard alternator with a 10-horsepower electric motor and includes a 48-volt lithium-ion battery pack in addition to the standard lead acid battery. We took an eTorque Ram out for a quick spin and found that the technology makes for a truck that's nicer to drive, with the small electric motor working to make gearshifts feel smooth and refined. And now that we know it provides a real boost in fuel efficiency, it seems eTorque could be a big win for Ram. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.