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Detroit 3 to implement delayed unified towing standards for 2015

Car buyers have a responsibility to be well-informed consumers. That's not always a very simple task, but some guidelines are self-evident. If you live in a very snowy climate, you generally know a Ford Mustang or Chevrolet Camaro might not be as viable a vehicle choice as an all-wheel drive Explorer or Traverse, for example. If you want a fuel-efficient car, it's generally a good idea to know the difference between a diesel and a hybrid. But what if it's kind of tough to be an informed consumer? What if the information you need is more difficult to come by, or worse, based on different standards for each vehicle? Well, in that case, you might be a truck shopper.
For years, customers of light-duty pickups have had to suffer through different ratings of towing capacities for each brand. For 2015 model year trucks, though, that will no longer be a problem. According to Automotive News, General Motors, Ford and Chrysler Group have announced that starting with next year's models, a common standard will be used to measure towing capacity. The Detroit Three will join Toyota, which adopted the Society of Automotive Engineers' so-called SAE J2807 standards way back in 2011.
The standard was originally supposed to be in place for MY2013, but concerns that it would lower the overall stated capacity for trucks led Detroit automakers to pass. Ford originally passed, claiming it'd wait until its new F-150 was launched to adopt the new standards, leading GM and Ram to follow suit. Nissan, meanwhile, has said it will adopt the new standards as its vehicles are updated, meaning the company's next-generation Titan should adhere to the same tow ratings as its competitors.

FCA shifts Ram Heavy Duty trucks from Mexico to U.S., creating 2,500 jobs

DETROIT — Fiat Chrysler Automobiles said on Thursday it will shift production of Ram Heavy Duty pickup trucks from Mexico to Michigan in 2020, a move that lowers the risk to the automaker's profit should President Donald Trump pull the United States out of the North American Free Trade Agreement. Fiat Chrysler said it would create 2,500 jobs at a factory in Warren, Michigan, near Detroit, where the Ram 1500 is currently built, and FCA will invest $1 billion in the facility. The Mexican plant will be "repurposed to produce future commercial vehicles" for sale global markets. Mexico has free trade agreements with numerous countries. Fiat Chrysler Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne a year ago raised the possibility that the automaker would move production of its heavy-duty pickups to the United States, saying U.S. tax and trade policy would influence the decision.If the United States exits NAFTA, it could mean that automakers would pay a 25 percent duty on pickup trucks assembled in Mexico and shipped to the United States. About 90 percent of the Ram pickups made at Fiat Chrysler's Saltillo plant in Mexico are sold in the United States or Canada, company officials said. Negotiators for the United States, Mexico and Canada are scheduled to meet later this month for another round of talks on revising NAFTA. Canadian government officials earlier this week said they are convinced that Trump intends to announce his intention to quit the agreement. Trump has threatened to force the rollback of NAFTA, which enables the free flow of goods made in the United States, Canada and Mexico across the borders of those countries. He also has criticized automakers for moving jobs and investment in new manufacturing facilities to Mexico and prodded them to add more auto production in the United States. View 31 Photos On Wednesday, Toyota and Mazda announced they would build a new $1.6 billion auto assembly plant in Alabama, drawing praise from Trump. Vice President Mike Pence praised Fiat Chrysler's announcement. "Manufacturing is back. Great announcement. Proof that this admin's AMERICA FIRST policies are WORKING!" Pence said in a Twitter posting. Chrysler raised its output in Mexico by 39 percent in 2017 to 639,000 vehicles, according to Mexican government data. That made Fiat Chrysler the third-largest producer of vehicles in Mexico in 2017, after Nissan and General Motors.

2021 Ram 1500 TRX vs. 2020 Ford F-150 Raptor | How they compare on paper

Now that the 2021 Ram 1500 TRX has debuted, it’s time to pit the off-road truck against its only true competitor: the Ford F-150 Raptor. Ford has left us in a weird spot with the Raptor, though. ItÂ’s currently in-between models, as the regular 2021 F-150 is out, but the 2021 Raptor hasnÂ’t been announced yet. Since the F-150 is moving into a totally new generation for 2021, the Raptor is bound to be much different a year (or even months) from now than it is today. Regardless, the Raptor as it stands today is still a worthy adversary for RamÂ’s new super truck. The TRX is much more expensive than the Raptor at its base level, but you can spec out a Raptor that comes close to the TRXÂ’s base price. That said, a TRX can crest $90,000. Neither of these trucks are cheap. So, letÂ’s get to the all-important specs and figures. The chart is below. WeÂ’ll note that Ford offers the Raptor in SuperCab and SuperCrew forms, but the TRX is only offered in Crew Cab size. For comparisonÂ’s sake, weÂ’ve chosen to provide figures for the SuperCrew that closely aligns with the Ram Crew Cab.   Powertrain ItÂ’s fairly obvious who has the advantage here. FCA just keeps spreading the Hellcat love around, and Ram is the latest brand to get a taste. The TRX has a whopping 252 horsepower and 140 pound-foot advantage over the Raptor. ItÂ’s also far quicker to 60 mph than the Ford. Nothing in the truck realm can touch the TRX in a straight line. Plus, the supercharged V8 produces much better noises than the F-150 Raptor and its boosted V6 is capable of.  Fuel economy for the TRX isnÂ’t out yet, but expect it to be even more horrendous than the RaptorÂ’s. If efficiency is even remotely important to you, neither of these trucks should be on your shortlist.  Both these trucks come with four-wheel-drive standard, and they both have a number of drive modes that alter the powertrainÂ’s characteristics depending on the terrain. Baja mode transforms the trucks into the desert runners that they both are at heart, but theyÂ’re plenty capable of crawling around rocks, too. We wonÂ’t know for certain which is best at specific tasks until we can get them both on (or off) equal ground. Suspension / off-roading capability The specs are freakishly similar when we compare ground clearance, approach/departure angles and water fording, but these two trucks use different strategies to get there.