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Winnebago Trend, Travato are first ProMaster-based RVs

While Ford has been the dominant supplier of chassis, engines and platforms for the recreational vehicle industry in modern times, its market share has been eroded by the increased availability of new commercial vehicles on the market. In the days of Daimler-Chrysler, the Sprinter was Chrysler's alternative to the Ford E-Series as a basis for Class B and C motor homes. But then Daimler split and the Sprinter went back to being a Mercedes product in the US, though it still continued currying favor in the RV world by offering diesel power with a smaller footprint. With the marriage of Chrysler and Fiat, though, the Pentastar brand once again has a foreign-sourced commercial van alternative - the Ram ProMaster - and Winnebago is the first RV manufacture to make it into a motor home.
Actually, Winnebago has unveiled a pair of ProMaster-based RVs: the Trend and Travato. The Trend is a Class C motor home, which generally means it's based on the chassis cab version of a van and features a bed over the cab and larger body for living space behind the B-pillars. Available in a tidy 24-foot length, the Trend can be had with two floor plans, both of which include large sleeping areas, a bathroom, kitchen and a dinette. The Trend also has some unique touches, including seats in the cab that swivel around to face the rear and three-point seat belts for the dinette.
The second ProMaster-based Winnie is the Travato, a Class B motor home, which is basically the full van model with as many amenities for living crammed into its quarters as will fit. The Travato measures in at just under 21 feet in length, but packs the full RV experience into the ProMaster's tall body, including a double bed, full bath, kitchen and dinette. The rear bed can even flip up and out of the way, allowing stowage of larger things likes bikes through the van's rear double doors.

2018 Ram 1500 Hydro Blue Sport is here to brighten your day

The 2018 Ram 1500 is the Baskin Robbins of trucks. There's a look and flavor for just about everybody. Whether you want something clean and bright or done up in chrome and gold, there's a Ram for you. Today, Ram revealed another new variant, the 2018 Ram 1500 Hydro Blue Sport. This bright blue bomber is based on the Sport model, and Ram said this is the final Sport edition model, following trucks like the Sublime Sport. While we haven't heard anything official, we do know a new Ram is coming sometime soon. Like the Sublime Sport, the Hydro Blue Sport takes a standard Ram 1500 Sport and paints nearly every exterior surface in a fantastic shade of blue. No one outside of maybe Lamborghini does paint colors quite like FCA. That's a trait that goes back decades, and we commend the automaker for not following the silver/white/black/beige trend of so many others. All the badging and small horizontal lines in the grille are painted black. The headlights and wheels, too, are dark rather than silver or chrome. The final exterior touch is two black stripes on the Sport's hood. The interior is the exact opposite of the exterior. The mostly black trim is accented with Hydro Blue touches on the vents, center console and doors. The seats have blue Ram badges and stitching. The Ram 1500 Hydro Blue Sport starts at $47,455 and comes in just one configuration, a crew-cab short-box model with a 5.7-liter Hemi V8. Two-wheel drive is standard, though four-wheel drive is optional. Optional features include 22-inch (4x2 only) and 20-inch gloss black aluminum wheels, black side steps, chrome side steps, air suspension, parking sensors and the RamBox bed storage areas. Production will be limited to just 2,000 units in the U.S. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2018 Ram 1500 Hydro Blue Sport Design/Style RAM Truck

2015 Fiat Ducato and French siblings get prettier face, finer features

The Ram ProMaster only introduced itself to US buyers - prognathous jaw first - last year, but it might quickly be the recipient of some plastic surgery. Above is the new face of the 2015 Fiat Ducato, which does duty as our ProMaster, the Citroën Jumper and the Peugeot Boxer and will be officially unveiled on May 12. Its face still slopes forward all the way to the bottom, but the distance and weight of the jutting chin has been greatly reduced by curving lines that more artfully integrate the new three-piece bumper with the sheetmetal. That bumper can be had in two colors, and the front end also gets new, sleeker headlights with LED DRLs.
Trims are named Classic, Tecno and Lounge, and all benefit from ESP, a new underride guard and an upgraded cockpit with touches like better seats, Bluetooth and a clipboard that can be affixed to the dash and is robust enough to hold smartphones and tablets. High-zoot options - which would give the ProMaster better fight against the Mercedes Sprinter if they carry over to our market - include lane departure assist.
The Ducato will come with choices of three roof heights, four lengths and eight capacity ratings. You'll find info on that and much more in the press releases from Fiat and Peugeot below, and we'll find out more about how the ProMaster will benefit in a few weeks.