2014 Ram 1500 on 2040-cars

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2023 Ram 1500 gets tech upgrades, Limited Elite special edition

The 2023 Ram light-duty and heavy-duty lineups gain a suite of minor upgrades and a revamped special edition. Starting with the 1500, all trims gain Rear-seat Reminder Alert and an LED hitch lamp in the tailgate handle. Models above the two Tradesman trims will have access to an optional 12-inch frameless digital gauge cluster. The gauges can be displayed in digital or analogue form, further customization in the form of five configurable tiles and nearly 24 menus, and cluster configurations able to be saved to a particular user profile. Every 1500 trim that gets the 12-inch Uconnect 5 system will also get Stellantis' Emergency Vehicle Alert system, a boon for distracted drivers who might not realize there's an emergency vehicle approaching. The Ram 1500 Rebel will come with Selec-Speed Control standard. Swiped from Jeep and the TRX pickup, Selec-Speed Control is effectively off-road cruise control. Using buttons on the steering wheel, the driver can set the speed between 0.6 to 5 miles per hour when the transfer case is in 4WD Low. The feature will join the optional Back Country Package that can be optioned on the Big Horn and Lone Star trims, and the Off-Road Group available to the Big Horn, Lone Star, Laramie, Limited Longhorn and Limited trims. That Off-Road Group unlocks another goodie for 2023, being 22-inch all-terrain tires, but only for the Laramie, Limited Longhorn and Limited models. One special edition continues and another swings in. The Ram RED Edition carries on into 2023 for the Limited Crew Cab. It gets red RAM lettering in the grille and on the doors outside, the same again on the center console lid. For next year, it comes with a UV-C light in the glove box. Place an item in the glovebox and press a button a button on the center console, that light turns on for three minutes to kill pathogens like bacteria, viruses, mold and fungus. The RED model is part of Stellantis' pledge to help the Global Fund fight health emergencies in partnership with the 16-year-old non-profit RED. The new special trim is the 2023 Ram 1500 Limited Elite Edition. This is Ram's continued swapping of names for special editions on the Limited, which has seen the 10th Anniversary and Southfork names in recent years. The $2,145 10th Anniversary Package rolls on into the new model year.

Mopar updates owner apps to make car ownership easier

Owners of any Fiat Chrysler vehicle will want to head to the Apple App or Google Play store to download the latest version of their brand-specific smartphone app. Developed by Mopar, the new suite of FCA Owner apps specific to each brand pack a number of valuable features. For starters, the apps let owners access information like maintenance schedules, service history and recall notices. The apps also include an array of how-to information and instructional videos, offer push notification for important updates like maintenance offers and recall alerts, and allow customers to schedule test drives and receive quotes from their local dealers for new vehicles. But that's just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. The FCA Owner apps also feature an augmented reality function that helps drivers identify instrument-panel icons. There's a Parking Reminder feature that helps drivers remember where they parked their car, guides them back to their parking spot and tracks the time left on the meter. Finally, there's an Accident Assistant feature that helps drivers record the specifics of an accident, upload insurance information and take photos of the scene. It'll even help find the closest certified collision repair facility, schedule an appointment and access roadside assistance. The apps are available for any Chrysler, Dodge, Ram, Jeep, Fiat or Alfa Romeo built from 2011 till today, and are available for either iOS or Android. If you've got more than one FCA vehicle in your garage, you needn't download multiple versions of the app as they'll work on any model the Italian-American automaker offers. Mopar Enhances FCA Owner Apps - Redesigned FCA Owner apps offer a wide range of VIN-specific information - Owners can access maintenance schedules, service history, recall notices and more - "Augmented reality" function, beginning with 2015 models, allows owners to use camera feature on mobile devices to scan and identify instrument panel icons - Industry-first Accident Assistant feature helps owners easily document important accident information and quickly locate a certified repair facility - Individual brand versions of the app support all FCA brand vehicles - FCA Owner apps are free to download for both iOS and Android mobile devices May 29, 2015 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - The Mopar brand has redesigned and enhanced its suite of FCA Owner apps, putting more resources than ever at owners' fingertips with easier access to vehicle and lifestyle information.

2020 Fiat Ducato Electric is the Ram ProMaster's EV cousin

As we all know, the Ram ProMaster has Italian roots. Despite featuring a 3.6-liter, 24-valve Chrysler Pentastar V6 with 280 horsepower, the ProMaster was born a humble Fiat Ducato over a decade ago, the Ducato's roots stretching far into the past. There was even been a rebadged Alfa Romeo version of the Ducato in the early '80s, so badge engineering isn't a strange concept when it comes to this line of vans. Nevertheless, the mother company has come up with a Ducato that's not propelled by the Pentastar or a European diesel engine: the 2020 Ducato facelift will come with a fully electric powertrain in Europe. The Ducato Electric is the first EV from Fiat Professional, the work vehicle division. Earlier, there have been natural-gas-powered versions, which continue to form a part of the model palette, but a BEV Ducato is unprecedented. Still, or perhaps for that reason, Fiat is taking small steps when electrifying its van lineup: The Ducato Electric will at first be made available to "major clients" via pilot projects, which means trusted Fiat customer fleets will function as beta testers for the van, most likely only in Europe. No technical details are available yet, either, making the Ducato something of a Mystery Machine. These fleets, some of which have already helped to develop the EV van, can pre-order the Ducato Electric this year with the vehicles delivered in 2020. Even if the van's availability has a touch of '90s EV uncertainty, Fiat says there's "no compromise" in the van's load-carrying capacity and performance. We also expect more information to trickle out in the near future, and given how handy a silent yet torquey van is in some use cases, perhaps the Ram version will also get officially electrified at some point. Aftermarket solutions, like the Maxwell RHEV, already exist. Disclaimer: Autoblog accepts vehicle loans from auto manufacturers with a tank of gas and sometimes insurance for the purpose of evaluation and editorial content. Like most of the auto news industry, we also sometimes accept travel, lodging and event access for vehicle drive and news coverage opportunities. Our opinions and criticism remain our own — we do not accept sponsored editorial.