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Ram adds 3 more special edition pickup models for 2022

Ram trotted out three new special editions Thursday at the kickoff of the State Fair of Texas, including a revival of the Southfork package, the new (Ram) Red, and the flashy TRX Ignition Edition. Yes, Ram does a lot of special editions. Welcome to trucks. Ram says all three models will hit showrooms before the end of the year.  Southfork returns for 2022 on the Limited model, rather than on the Laramie as it did a few years ago. As we reported previously, it effectively replaces the Limited Longhorn 10th Anniversary Edition model that was offered for 2021 and incorporates a multi-function tailgate, a deployable bed step, spray-in bed liner, a metal pedal kit and Falken Wildpeak All-Terrain tires. It comes with an exclusive Mountain Brown interior, standard bucket seats and suede door bolsters with leather insert and a laser filigree detail. MSRP starts at $63,315 (including $1,695 for destination).  The remaining two models are new entries. The (Ram) Red package commemorates Stellantis' pledge to help the Global Fund fight health emergencies in partnership with (RED). It's a fairly on-the-nose package with several red-tinted elements along with (RED) badges outside and in, and can be added to Limited Crew Cab models with either of the two available Hemi V8s or the EcoDiesel with a starting price of $64,945. Next up is the TRX Ignition Edition, which appropriately samples some of the supertruck's existing popular options and slaps them together with some unique aesthetic elements. Inside, you'll find orange contrast stitching and “TRX” seat back embroidery, copper carbon fiber accents and an orange center console badge. Feature upgrades include a HUD, a driverÂ’s screen depicting a TRX in Ignition Orange, and pedestrian emergency braking. You get a special set of (18-inch) wheels in addition to the obvious graphics package. There's also a panoramic sunroof and some other exterior goodies (spray-in bed liner, cargo tie-downs, bed step, LED cab-mounted brake light). Ram says it will only build 875 examples of the Ignition Edition. The TRX Ignition Edition will set you back at least $93,280 ... if you can even find one.   

Rivian R1T faces first competitive test in Rebelle Rally

Not long ago, the Rivian R1T electric pickup engaged in a very public bit of development testing as a support vehicle for "Long Way Up" — the trip Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman took on Harley Davidson LiveWire electric motorcycles from Ushuaia, Argentina, to Los Angeles. Next month, the R1T enters the realm of competition testing by competing in the Rebelle Rally, the all-female navigation rally held over 10 days and 1,243 miles in the sandy, rocky hinterlands of California and Nevada. The team behind the wheel will be pilot Emme Hall and navigator Rebecca Donaghe, who won last year's Rebelle Rally driving the then-new Rolls-Royce Cullinan. This is the first year in the Rebelle's five-year history that there will be a pure electric vehicle. A Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV will be the only other entrant flying the electrified flag. To welcome the battery-electric pickup and any other electrified runner that wants to join in the future, rally organizers have arranged a battery-powered mobile charging system to be deployed along the course. It's not clear which battery and motors the Rivian will house, but the top spec would provide a 180-kWh pack, up to 750 horsepower, and a range of more than 400 miles in normal conditions. The race will help Rivian hone the pickup's off-road credentials, the brand's creative director saying, "Adventures like the Rebelle Rally are what Rivian vehicles are made for." The Rebelle isn't a timed rally, so the point isn't to beat up the R1T with marathon stints on the throttle. As a navigation rally, competitors aim acquire points by hitting certain checkpoints, making strategy key. The ability to clamber over and through whatever's in the way won't hurt, either, a technique aided by the R1T's height-adjustable suspension that provides 14 inches of ground clearance on its tiptoes. The ability to do tank turns might also come in handy. The Rivian will prove itself by placing, or teach important lessons by falling out. All of this is a necessary step for a manufacturer selling "electric adventure vehicles." There are only two classes in the Rebelle Rally, Crossover and 4x4. Crossovers can be two-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, and can have unibody construction but no low-speed transfer case. The 4x4 class is traditional off-roaders with a low-speed transfer case, ranging from the Jeep Wrangler to the Range Rover.

500+ hp Stellantis 'Hurricane' I6 previews a world without Hemis

After years of rumored development, Stellantis has revealed its new six-cylinder engine family. The 3.0-liter, twin-turbocharged "Hurricane" I6 will offer V8 power, forced induction torque and six-cylinder efficiency in a package designed to fit into any of the company's North American rear-wheel-drive platforms.  What is "V8 power," exactly? Well, in standard output guise, the new I6 cranks out more than 400 horsepower (the specific figure will vary by application) and 450 pound-feet of torque, while the high-output variant is good for more than 500 horses and 475 lb-ft. The final figures will be dependent on the application. We'll save you a little legwork: In current Ram, Jeep and Dodge products, the 5.7-liter Hemi tops out at about 395 hp and 410 lb-ft, give or take, and the 6.4-liter around 485 hp and 475 lb-ft.    This is a clean-sheet design that is only related to the company's turbocharged four-cylinder by some common measurements. The I6 is exclusively direct-injection (no hybrid/port-injection here) and the two I6 variants share 96 common parts, including the block and oil pan design. The differences are found in their internals, intake plumbing, valvetrain components and the turbochargers themselves. Stellantis is not yet ready to share specs or supplier info for the turbos but says announcements will come from its partners soon.  The standard-output I6 has a compression ratio of 10.4:1 and revs to 5,800 rpm. It will run on regular fuel, albeit with reduced performance; 91 octane is recommended for maximum output. The high-output variant has a compression ratio of 9.4:1 and will rev to 6,100 rpm. That one will require premium. The new I6's advantages go beyond basic power output. Every Hemi family engine currently in production is based on an iron block design, so they're heavy. The aluminum-block I6 shaves weight off the total engine package, even if some of that gets added back thanks to the turbos and their associated plumbing. The standard-output I6 weighs 430 pounds, Stellantis engineers told us; the high-output adds just another 11. Fully dressed 5.7-liter V8s are in the 550-560-pound ballpark, and 6.4-liters close in on 600 pounds.  You may be wondering, "Why a clean-sheet gasoline engine now, when the industry is moving toward battery-electrics?" A valid inquiry, and one Stellantis was prepared to address. While the company will be pivoting to electrification over the next decade, it won't be instantaneous.