2019 Ram 1500 Slt on 2040-cars

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Ram 1500 TRX thunders across the desert ahead of August 17 debut

Ram turned every head at the 2016 edition of the Texas State Fair when it introduced a 1500-based, Hellcat-powered concept named Rebel TRX. Nearly four years later, it's finally ready to unveil the production version of its burly truck, which will seemingly lose the Rebel designation while keeping the supercharged V8. Aimed directly at the Ford F-150 Raptor, the 1500 TRX — an acronym which stands for Tyrannosaurus Rex; get it? — will arrive as a high-performance truck that feels right at home speeding through the desert. Although the preview video released by Ram hides the truck's overall design, it's reasonable to assume it will receive a rugged look characterized by a model-specific front bumper that increases the approach angle, skid plates that protect the underbody, and massive tires tucked under fender flares. It will be bigger and meaner than the standard 1500. It will sound the part, too, thanks to a version of the supercharged, 6.2-liter Hellcat V8 engine found in several Dodge and Jeep models. Although the concept made 575 horsepower, insiders (and spy videos shot on the Silver Lake Sand Dunes) hinted the production model will put over 700 horses under the driver's right foot. Ram will introduce the 1500 TRX online on August 17 at noon Eastern time, which is 9 a.m. in Los Angeles. It will stream the event on its various social media outlets (including its Facebook account and its YouTube channel). Sales will start in the coming months, but pricing information hasn't been announced yet. We expect the TRX will be pegged in the same price bracket as the F-150 Raptor, which starts at $55,150 including destination. And, while Dodge will only manufacture the Hellcat-powered Durango for six months, we'd be surprised if the 1500 TRX lands as a limited-edition model. Odds are Ram plans to fill every order it receives. Related Video:     RAM Truck Performance

Ram recalls 30k trucks over faulty turn signals

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Chrysler is issuing a recall of 30,197 pickup trucks in the United States, all from the 2013 model year. The affected vehicles are the Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500, all of which were built between September 9, 2012 and March 5, 2013.
The problem affects models equipped with "optional premium taillamps," and according to NHTSA, the turn signal indicator "may not flash at a double rate to give a notification to the driver of a turn signal malfunction." The report states that if a driver is unaware of a problem with the turn signals and continues to use them as normal, other vehicles on the road may not be alerted that the vehicle is turning, which increases the risk of a crash.
Other recall woes have affected the Ram line recently. In April, we reported that Ram 1500 models were being recalled due to an improper adjustment of the parking brake cable, and several thousand Heavy Duty models were being called in for engine covers that do not have as much heat resistance as they're supposed to.

Current Ram 1500 sticking around into 2019

Ram is preparing a big redesign of its 1500 pickup truck for 2018, but for fans of the current truck, don't feel like you need to rush out to grab one – it's sticking around until 2019. That's according to Automotive News, whose sources spoke on condition of anonymity. The move allows Ram to take a two-prong approach to truck sales, offering the current model as a low-cost option for fleet users while pushing retail consumers toward the new pickup. The factories that build the 1500 today – Warren, MI, and Saltillo, Mexico – will assemble around 200,000 trucks in 2018 and 65,000 in 2019 before Ram phases out the older model. Meanwhile, FCA's Sterling Heights, MI, plant will screw together 325,000 redesigned 1500s starting in 2018, with production to increase to over 400,000 units in 2019. While Ram refused to comment when AN reached out, FCA CFO Richard Palmer hinted at the move during a conference call last week, saying "having more pickup capacity will allow us also to satisfy the fleet customers' demand on pickup, which we struggle to do today because we favor retail in the U.S. and Canadian volume, which have higher margins." "As we realign our capacity, we're going to be able to continue to work on improving our fleet mix," Palmer said. Beyond making a play for fleet buyers, continuing to build the current 1500 guarantees dealerships maintain a solid inventory as Ram ramps up production of the new truck. You can check out leaked images of the redesigned Ram here. According to Automotive News, the new truck won't use aluminum, like the Ford F-150, relying on steel instead. FCA's 3.6-liter V6 will provide thrust along with turbocharged options, although there's no mention of the venerable 5.7-liter Hemi V8. Don't read too much into that, of course – we'll eat our shoe if the 1500 ditches the popular eight-cylinder. It's still too early to predict when the 2019 Ram 1500 will debut, but it will likely happen in 2018 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit or perhaps at a non-auto show event. Related Video: