2024 Ram 1500 Tradesman on 2040-cars

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Italian coachbuilder wraps a modern-day Citroen van in a retro skin

Italian coachbuilder Caselani resurrected an obscure, often-forgotten model from Citroen's past to offer van buyers an additional retro-styled option. Called Type HG, it's based on the current-generation Citroen Jumpy. One of the French carmaker's best-known vintage vans is the Type H, which was built with only minor changes from 1947 to 1981. It's aged into a sought-after classic that's popular as a food truck and as a camper from Paris to Sydney. Few realize Citroen planned to release a smaller model named Type G which looked almost exactly like the H but used an air-cooled flat-twin engine shared with the 2CV. Several prototypes were made, but the project was canned in favor of the 2CV-based, nine-horsepower AU van released in 1951. It's this little-known prototype that only exists in Citroen's official heritage collection and in the minds of the most indoctrinated French car enthusiasts that Caselani chose to bring into the 21st century. And, because the Type G (shown below) was a shrunken copy of the Type H from a design standpoint, making a body kit that fits the Citroen Jumpy was relatively simple. Caselani liberally borrowed styling cues from its modern version of the Type H, which is based on the larger Citroen Jumper sold as the Ram ProMaster in the United States. It adds a new-look front end with a vertical grille, chromed chevrons, and round headlights positioned as far out of the body as regulations permit, corrugated body panels, and a redesigned rear end. Whitewall tires are optionally available. Caselani offers the Type HG as a passenger van, a crew-cab van, and a panel van. Pricing starts at 29,400 euros before taxes are factored in, a sum that represents about $35,000 and that corresponds to a short-wheelbase panel model powered by a 100-horsepower, four-cylinder turbodiesel engine. Alternatively, motorists who already own a Jumpy can purchase the transformation kit on its own for 14,800 euros (about $17,500). For added peace of mind, Caselani pointed out the conversion was created with Citroen's input, and the brand authorized the kit. We know what you're thinking: what on earth is a Jumpy? Glad you asked! It's a van positioned in the middle of Citroen's commercial range. It slots between the Berlingo, which competes in the same segment as the Ford Transit Connect, and the Jumper, which is marketed as an alternative to the Ford Transit.

Ram recalling over 43k Promaster and C/V Tradesman vans for separate issues

Ram has announced that it will be recalling over 43,000 vehicles as part of a pair of campaigns targeting its two main cargo haulers, the ProMaster and C/V Tradesman.
In the case of its newer offering, the 2014 ProMaster, 21,470 vehicles are being recalled so that Ram dealers can replace the head restraints. The current restraints apparently leave too large of a gap between it and the occupant's head. Of the over 21,000 vans being recalled, nearly 19,000 are in the United States while the remaining 2,500 are in the barren tundra we call Canada.
For the old C/V Tradesman, meanwhile, its recall has been prompted by an investigation into the side-curtain and thorax airbag sensors. It was found that on vehicles lacking rear climate and audio systems in the back, a gap where these components should be could "generate a resonance" that could affect the sensors' operations. 22,115 vehicles are affected, covering model years 2013 through 2015. As with the ProMaster, the vast majority of vehicles are found in the United States, while just under 4,000 are in Canada.

Watch the 702-horsepower Ram 1500 TRX terrorize the Nurburgring

Warning: Video above contains NSFW language. Ram's massive, Hellcat-powered 1500 TRX views performance differently than, say, the 2022 Audi RS3. It was designed for the dunes, not for the track, but that didn't stop a British YouTuber from taking the behemoth to the Nurburgring in Germany to find out what it can do. While the famously challenging track is often open to anyone willing to pay to get in, regardless of whether they're in a Porsche 911 GT2 RS or in a rented Kia Rio, officials have reportedly started turning away folks who show up in massive trucks, so getting the TRX past the gates was a small victory. Once on the track, the supercharged, 6.2-liter V8's prodigious 702-horsepower output quickly pelts the pickup towards its 117-mph speed limiter. Ram conservatively quotes a 0-60 time of 4.5 seconds, and the TRX has no trouble pulling it off. That's great on a drag strip, but on the 'Ring? You need to turn, and sharp handling doesn't appear on the TRX's resume; you may as well ask a Honda Civic Si to blast across the desert at 90 mph. It leans into turns like a fighter jet, but the Hellcat V8 pulls it out of a bend with ease as it completely dwarfs every car it passes — except a first-generation Land Rover Defender, which looks equally out of place. Interestingly, it sounds like the biggest issue the 6,400-pound TRX ran into while lapping the 'Ring was related to its braking system. There's no word on what shape the different parts were in before the run, but the front brakes can be seen smoking — and smelled, according to the man in the camera car — relatively early on in the run. But, here again, this is not the type of situation they were developed to perform in. "My brake pedal is about halfway down the floor at the moment, but it still has some functionality ... a little bit," the driver says at one point. And yet, the overall experience was positive. "This was a great thing to do! I'm really glad I did it," he concluded. As a bonus, the off-road-tuned suspension lets the TRX pass other cars (including a lot of high-end models) by simply moving two wheels from the track to the grass. We've embedded the full, 17-minute-long video above; note that it includes some NSFW language. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.