2014 Ram 1500 Slt on 2040-cars

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2023 Ram Rebel 2500 HD adds the diesel engine you can't have in the Power Wagon

Have you been wanting a Ram Power Wagon, but couldn’t pull the trigger because Ram wonÂ’t sell it to you with the Cummins diesel engine? Well, today, Ram has an answer for you, and itÂ’s the 2023 Ram 2500 Heavy Duty Rebel. Officially at least. Go ahead and call it Ram Rebel 2500 HD if you prefer. And if you couldnÂ’t tell by now, itÂ’s heavy duty truck week — Chevy released a refreshed Silverado HD earlier this week, and Ford revealed its next-gen Super Duty shortly thereafter. Similar to the light-duty Ram 1500 Rebel, the HD version is a pickup with some off-road chops and off-road looks direct from the factory. YouÂ’ll quickly notice that it looks very similar to a Power Wagon — Ram says much of the exterior design cues are actually shared with the Power Wagon. However, the Rebel differentiates itself with a Mopar “sport performance hood” and Rebel badging throughout. It comes standard with 20-inch wheels and 33-inch off-road tires, but Ram says 18-inch wheels will be made available later in the 2023 model year. It features a unique off-road suspension (optional rear air suspension), four-wheel drive, Warn Zeon-12 winch rated for 12,000 pounds, rear limited-slip differential, rear electronic locker and skid plates to protect the fuel tank and transfer case. DonÂ’t expect it to best a Power Wagon off-road, though, as it doesnÂ’t get above-and-beyond extras like the front-locking differential and electronically disconnecting sway bar. The powertrain story might be enough to sway you to the RebelÂ’s side, however, as unlike the Power Wagon, this Heavy Duty Ram can be had with the diesel engine. Ram still makes its 6.4-liter V8 the standard engine in the Rebel (like it is in the Power Wagon), and it makes a respectable 410 horsepower and 429 pound-feet of torque. This setup wonÂ’t get you maximum towing capability, but the diesel will, maxing out at 16,870 pounds — a Power Wagon maxes out at 10,590 pounds of towing capacity. The 6.7-liter Cummins turbodiesel inline-six produces 370 horsepower and 850 pound-feet of torque in the Rebel. You get a six-speed automatic with the diesel, but the gas engine comes with an eight-speed automatic. Maximum payload is 3,140 pounds, which is another huge plus for the diesel-powered Rebel over the Power Wagon that maxes out at only 1,630 pounds. Inside, the Rebel can be had with cloth, Bristol leather or “Natura Plus” leather seats.

Ram 1500 Marines-inspired Built to Serve edition wears tank-like green paint

Ram rolled out the latest addition to its military-inspired Built to Serve lineup of trucks right before Thanksgiving. Based on the hot-selling 1500, it's available in two distinct colors named Tank and Flame Red, respectively. Each branch of the U.S. armed forces is getting a variant of the truck, and the newest member of the range honors the Marine Corps. Like the three previously-unveiled 1500s, it receives a decal of the American flag and Built to Serve stickers on each quarter panel, black exterior trim pieces, body-colored fender flares, and 20-inch aluminum wheels finished in a shade called Technical Gray. Ram expects active-duty service members and veterans will scoop up most of the production run, so it added Velcro panels on the side of each front seat that let motorists display the patch of their choice, whether it's a flag, a name badge, or a unit insignia. It also added front sport seats upholstered in cloth and vinyl, all-weather floor mats, and an emblem on the dashboard, while the Marines-inspired model gets Medium Greystone accent stitching. Buyers can combine the Built to Serve appearance package with all body styles and powertrains, even if they haven't served in the armed forces. Every truck comes with the 4x4 Off-Road Group, which bundles features like all-terrain tires, an electronic-locking rear axle, hill descent control, tow hooks, and four thick skid plates. Ram will start taking orders for the latest Built to Serve 1500 in December 2020, and production is scheduled to start in early 2021 at the firm's Sterling Heights, Michigan, plant. Pricing information hasn't been published yet, but production will be limited to 1,000 trucks finished in Tank and an additional 1,000 units painted Flame Red. The fifth and final member of the range, honoring the Coast Guard, will be unveiled in early 2021.  Related Video:

Autoblog's guilty pleasure cars

Guilty pleasures are part of life – don't even try to pretend like you don't have one (or two, or six). In the non-automotive space, this could come down to that secret playlist in your iPhone of songs you'll only listen to when you're alone; or think of that one TV show you really do love, but won't admit to your friends. I've got plenty, and so do you. Going back to cars, here's a particularly juicy one for me: several years ago, I had a mad crush on the very last iteration of the Cadillac DTS. Oh yes, the front-wheel-drive, Northstar V8-powered sofa-on-wheels that was the last remaining shred of the elderly-swooning days of Cadillac's past. Every time I had the chance to drive one, I was secretly giddy. Don't hate me, okay? These days, the DTS is gone, but I've still got a mess of other cars that hold a special place in my heart. And in the spirit of camaraderie, I've asked my other Autoblog editors to tell me some of their guilty pleasure cars, as well – Seyth Miersma, as you can see above, has a few choice emotions to share about the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. Read on to find out what cars make us secretly happy. Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG This decadent convertible is the epitome of the guilty pleasure. It's big, powerful, fairly heavy and it's richly appointed inside and out. It's a chocolate eclair with the three-pointed star on the hood. Given my druthers, I'd take the SL65 AMG, which delivers 621 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque. That output is borderline absurd for this laid-back convertible. I don't care. You don't need dessert. Sometimes you just crave it. The SL line is about the feel you get on the road. The roof is open. The air, sun and engine sounds all embrace you. It's the same dynamic you could have experienced in a Mercedes a century ago, yet the SL gives you the most modern of luxuries. An Airscarf feature that warms my neck and shoulders through a vent embedded in the seat? Yes, please. Sure, it's an old-guy car. Mr. Burns and Lord Grantham are probably too young and hip for an SL65. I don't care. This is my guilty pleasure. Release the hounds. – Greg Migliore Senior Editor Ford Flex I drove my first Flex in 2009 when my mother let me borrow hers for the summer while I was away at college. The incredibly spacious interior made moving twice that summer a breeze, and the 200-mile trips up north were quite comfortable.