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Chevy Silverado edges Ram 1500 in Consumer Reports two-truck shootout

Forget Corvette versus Viper. When it comes to important head-to-head comparisons, fullsize trucks are where domestic automakers really care. And until the redesigned Ford F-150 makes its debut, the Chevrolet Silverado is going to have plenty to brag about thanks to a new Consumer Reports shootout against the Ram 1500.
It was a tight race among these V8-powered titans, but the all-new 2014 Silverado (and its GMC Sierra twin) barely edged out Ram's updated pickup with a score of 81 points - enough to make it the institute's top-rated fullsize truck on the market. Its narrow victory over the Ram, which finished just three points back, was due to its superior fuel economy, better towing and payload capacity and conveniences like a lower step-in height, easy-to-use tailgate and rear bumper steps that make loading and unloading less of a chore.
Importantly, CR notes that buyers with less heavy-duty truck needs might actually prefer the Ram over the Chevrolet, since its high points include a smoother ride thanks to its coil spring rear suspension, dominant infotainment system with Uconnect, and a big thumbs up for the available Hemi engine and eight-speed automatic transmission.

Ram 2500/3500 Heavy Duty trucks rustle up more luxury with Rodeo Edition

Now there's an even more luxurious version of Ram's Heavy Duty 2500/3500 pickup called the Ram Rodeo Edition. This takes the already highly-appointed Laramie Longhorn heavy duty work truck and gives it even more features for the 2018 model year. On the outside you get body-colored bumpers and side-steps. For single-rear-wheel trucks you'll get 20-inch aluminum wheels, and dual-rear-wheel trucks will have 17-inch polished aluminum rims. The Longhorn name will stretch across the tailgate in a more subdued fashion than we thought it would have. A suede headliner is the main change over the base Longhorn on the inside. Functionality is where the your money really goes for the Ram Rodeo, because it'll come with the gooseneck trailer prep package and bed-view camera. In addition to that you'll get a rear air suspension to aid in load-leveling when hauling payload or a trailer. A set of skid plates and the Mopar bed step round out the Ram Rodeo Edition changes. You'll be able to get the Ram Rodeo with the crew cab or mega cab configurations. Both the 6.4-liter V8 and the 6.7-liter Cummins I6 diesel are fair game as well. A base 2500 Longhorn will run you $56,440 including destination, but the Ram Rodeo Edition starts at $62,485. The 3500 bumps that up to $72,955. Luxury trucks are not cheap. Ram says the Ram Rodeo Edition will be available in the third quarter of 2018, so essentially, they've arrived. Featured video:

Jeep and Ram could be spun off from FCA, says Marchionne

Jeep is surely the biggest single feather left in the cap of the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles portfolio. Under Sergio Marchionne's leadership, Jeep went from fewer than 500,000 annual sales in 2008 to 1.4 million in 2016, and is on track for 2 million by 2018. Add in the brand's legacy, status as one of the most recognizable nameplates in the world, and rabid fan base, and Jeep has extraordinary monetary value to its parent company. Investors and analysts have certainly noticed Jeep's inherent value. According to The Detroit Free Press, Morgan Stanley's Adam Jonas asked FCA chief Sergio Marchionne if he would ever consider spinning Jeep and Ram, FCA's dedicated truck brand, into a separate corporate entity, and he responded with a simple "Yes." Jonas estimated Jeep's worth in January of this year at $22 billion. Ram was valued at $11.2 billion. Marchionne has a history of spinning off brands while keeping them part of FCA's corporate umbrella. The most noteworthy example of this value maximization was with Ferrari, which now trades on the New York Stock Exchange and rakes in $3.4 billion in annual revenue and close to $435 million in net income, reports the Free Press. Marchionne still serves as chairman and CEO of Ferrari, and Fiat heir John Elkann owns 22 percent of the Italian marque's shares. Even if the offloading of Jeep and Ram into a separate entity would amount to little more than a profit-driven ownership change on paper, it would be huge news to the brands' loyal fanbases. In any case, such a move would likely take years to actually happen and probably wouldn't mean much at all to the products that Jeep and Ram produce. In other words, Jeep fans can keep the pitchforks in the shed ... for now. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.