2019 Ram 1500 on 2040-cars

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2019 Ram 1500 Tradesman shows off its simple lights

Each time a spy photographer has caught the 2019 Ram 1500 pickup running around, it's always had the same style of lights and grilles. This time, one of our photographers caught two Rams that have noticeably different versions of those body parts. The first one shown above has the same grille we've already seen. The difference is that the flashy LED-accented headlights are gone. Instead, it uses much simpler, more conventional reflector-style headlights. That doesn't mean Ram hasn't taken the time to give them a little flair, though. The lamps are divided such that the upper element lines up with the upper portion of the grille, and the lower portion with the grille bars and lower opening. The taillights are much simpler, too, also using a reflector setup and very clear lenses. These plain headlights lead us to believe that this is a base-model 1500 Tradesman. The second Ram shown has its lights well-covered, but the grille is exposed, and it's also different from past prototypes. It has a wavy mesh pattern in the grille openings rather than slats. The crossbar design remains, though. This different grille also confirms that Ram will offer appearance variations to distinguish models. We're not sure if this is a higher-level or lower-level trim, though. We would have a better idea if we could see the lights. All our questions should be answered soon, since the new Ram 1500 will be fully revealed next week at the Detroit Auto Show. Then we'll see all the grilles and headlights and their associated trims as they were meant to be. Related Video:

Only in Japan: Dodge van one-make racing series is a thing

Japan seems willing to embrace a level of automotive insanity that many other places lack. Whether it's 1,200-horsepower Nissan GT-Rs blasting through tight, tree-lined mountain roads or advertisements with dances for the Toyota Prius Plug-in, the country definitely has a unique way of expressing a love for autos. The D-Van Grand Prix might be one of our favorite examples yet of crazy Japanese car culture, because the annual, one-make race at the Ebisu Circuit is exclusively for heavily customized Dodge vans. Like many great things, this wonderfully crazy idea came from a little rule breaking. D-Van Grand Prix organizer Takuro Abe was at a track event for a motorcycle racing school, and vans were used to haul the bikes around. During lunch someone came up with the idea for a race. Ignoring that the big machines weren't actually allowed on the circuit, the drivers headed out. The popularity has just grown since then. These days, the racing vans absolutely aren't the stock machines from the event's inspiration. In addition to stripped interiors and track rubber that you might expect, the list of mods for them is a mile long. For every possible advantage, the racers fit them with things like Brembo brakes, cross-drilled rotors, heavy-duty transmissions, and much more. Seeing vans lumbering around the track is very weird at first, but the racers take the competition very seriously. These folks even employ all sorts of little tricks to coax the most from the machines. This is a fascinating motorsports story, but be sure to turn on the subtitles to understand the interviews with the competitors.

Ram reveals 2014 truck lineup, EcoDiesel V6 a $2,850 option on 1500 models

The fullsize pickup truck market is as competitive now as it's ever been, and with Ford's F-Series line leading the way in sales, GM's Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra twins boasting brand-new designs, you knew Ram wasn't about to rest on its laurels for the 2014 model year.
And so we present to you the 2014 Ram lineup, with the biggest change being the addition of an optional 3.0-liter EcoDiesel engine for the 1500 model (the same powerplant that's gotten rave reviews in the latest Jeep Grand Cherokee) and the proliferation of the eight-speed TorqueFlite transmission across the entire model range. That engine boasts 420 pound-feet of torque to go along with its 240 horsepower, which means it ought to be able to tow just about anything the 5.7-liter Hemi can, while returning significantly better fuel mileage. Sadly, Ram has not yet released official estimated mpg figures, though it is claiming best-in-class results (though there aren't any other light-duty diesel pickups to compare against).
Standard on Ram 1500 is the Pentastar V6 engine that was introduced for the 2013 model year, pushing 305 horsepower and 269 lb-ft of torque, and the Hemi V8 is optionally available with 395 horsepower and 410 lb-ft of torque. All engines are mated to the eight-speed automatic. The previously available 4.7-liter V8 has been dropped for 2014.