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VWerks Ram KTS is a Ram Runner aftermarket-style

Chrysler first introduced us to its Ram Runner exactly two years ago at SEMA, but for buyers of this Raptor-like truck who don't want to go through dealerships for the upgrades, VWerks has just the thing. Looking every bit as mean as the dealer-built Ram Runner, the VWerks Ram KTS gets a wide-body treatment and upgraded off-road performance suspension similar to its Mopar contemporary.
Starting life as your everyday Ram 1500, the Ram KTS on display at SEMA features a beefed-up KORE long-travel suspension system and off-road tires that allows the truck to tackle tough terrain at high speeds. From there, VWerks also added wider front and rear fenders, matte black 17-inch wheels and a Flowmaster performance cat-back exhaust system. For buyers looking for the rough and rugged look of the KTS but not needing the high-speed, off-road abilities, VWerks also offers the Baja Series kit that replaces the performance suspension system with a set of 20-inch wheels.
The VWerks Ram KTS and Ram Baja Series kits are available on any 2009 through 2013 model year Ram 1500, but there is no word on pricing for either kit yet. Scroll down for more information about both kits, and check out the KTS in our live gallery above.

Ram ramping up MI truck production, does deal with Texas Rangers

Thanks to a host of upgrades at the Warren Truck Assembly Plant in Michgan, Ram Trucks is boosting production of the already strong-selling Ram 1500 to build 28,585 more of them a year. That works out roughly to five more per hour, or an additional 100 per day. The major key to the improvements was redesigning 353 assembly workstations to allow employees complete their tasks more efficiently. According to Ram, the expansion was done to meet growing demand for the pickup.
These kinds of comprehensive changes can't happen over night, obviously. From the end of 2013 through the summer shutdown in August, the Warren Truck plant received automation tweaks in the body shop and upgrades to the color booths in the paint shop.
However, the biggest shift was working with "UAW-represented team leaders and operators" to examine every workstation for efficiency improvements. In that analysis, the company identified and altered over 100 problems that could have caused an injury. What really helped to boost the production rate so significantly was moving about 300 parts, or grouping them into kits for better ergonomics, and eliminating walks to grab tools. Once everything was done, about 63 percent of workers at the factory got updated training.

2019 Ram 1500 pickup shows its full face in spy photos

We're only a couple of weeks away from the 2019 Ram 1500 full-size pickup truck's public reveal at the Detroit Auto Show, but we're still getting little sneak peeks of the new Ram. In these spy photos, we get the last piece of the truck's front fascia puzzle, the badge. (UPDATE, January 2018: Here are the story and photos from the 2019 Ram's full reveal at the Detroit Auto Show.) As expected, the Ram logo fits in a little space between the split chrome bars in the middle of the grille. We're still not sure if this horizontal bar grille will be the only version or if there will be an assortment as there is on the current model. This iteration is the only version we've seen so far. These shots also show how this grille integrates nicely with the headlights. The turn signal LEDs line up with the gap in the chrome bar, the lower portion of the bar lines up with the lower running lights, and the upper portion lines up with the main headlight element. The rest of the truck will be fully revealed at the Detroit Auto Show. We know it will feature a 5.7-liter V8, which will probably be accompanied by at least a gasoline V6 if not a new version of the EcoDiesel V6, too. It may also be shown with the previously spied split tailgate. For additional peeks at the pickup, check out these previous spy shots, as well as our renderings. Related Video: