2014 Ram 1500 Tradesman/express on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Ram 2500 Power Wagon will be ready to Rebel in 2023

In January, Mopar Insiders acquired spy shots of a couple of prototype 2023 Ram Heavy Duty pickups. One of the development trucks had been fitted with a new set of towing mirrors that were rumored to pack a ton of features. But an olive green Ram 2500 with a camouflaged hood was touted as a brand new model: A Ram 2500 Rebel. MI kept up with spy shots and speculation since, and thanks to an anonymous source who e-mailed an equipment list, received the best evidence yet that there will be an off-road-focused heavy duty Ram on the market soon. Of course, Ram already has the Power Wagon. What's interesting is that the equipment list is for the 2023 Ram 2500 Power Wagon, listing Rebel equipment among the options. The current Power Wagon only offers the 6.4-liter V8 Hemi with 410 horsepower and 429 pound-feet of torque. According to the optional equipment listed, the 2023 Power Wagon would be available with the 6.7-liter inline-six Cummins tubodiesel. The inclusion of the 68RFE six-speed automatic means this would be the lower-output Cummins with 370 hp and 850 lb-ft; the stouter diesel with 420 hp and 1,075 lb-ft is yoked to the Aisin ASC69RC six-speed transmission. With the options all listed together, we're not sure if a buyer would need to choose a Rebel package to get the diesel, or if the Power Wagon could have that, too. Other items include a Rebel-themed instrument cluster, Rebel suspension and active rear leveling, a Sports Performance Hood, and a Rebel badge for ready identification.  Crew Cab with a 6'4" box and four-wheel drive is listed as the only configuration, matching the current Power Wagon; the 1500 Rebel comes in Crew Cab with a 5'7" box and the option of two-wheel drive. The Rebel wouldn't come with the Power Wagon's locking front differential, nor a winch, it seems. However, the standard gross vehicle weight rating is also up to 10,000 pounds. The 2022 Power Wagon is rated at 8,565 pounds, meaning there could be big increases in payload capacity coming for all Power Wagon buyers.  Other included and optional goodies are expected to be available throughout the heavy duty range, like the 12-inch digital gauge cluster and the power telescoping and folding mirrors that bundle supplemental turn signals, auto dimming, blind spot detection, and puddle lights. An introduction could come later this summer when Ram announces the 2023 lineup.

2015 Ram 1500 Rebel is rugged, oddly styled

Feeling rebellious? Ram has you covered for 2015 with its new 1500 Rebel model, which, though nowhere near as focused as the Ford F-150 Raptor with which you may think it competes, is skewed toward the always-nebulous "outdoor lifestyle" set that marketing teams the world over seem to covet so much. For such hiking/camping or otherwise outdoorsy types, the Ram Rebel offers an extra inch of suspension travel over regular-grade 1500 models, along with 33-inch tires, a new bumper that affords a better approach angle, tow hooks and a center skid plate. Those are the kind of upgrades many buyers consider mandatory for basic off-road capability, and it's nice that Ram has baked them into a single model. We're less enthused by the in-your-face styling of the rebel, particularly up front, where the traditional crosshair grille has been replaced by a protruding proboscis that's nothing if not unique. There's also massive RAM lettering on the tailgate, just in case you weren't sure who made the Rebel... The show truck's red exterior is mimicked inside, and the leather seats are embossed in a tire-tread pattern. Subtle, it is not. Buyers will have the choice of a 3.6-liter V6 or 5.7-liter Hemi V8 engine, mated to an automatic transmission and the choice of two- or four-wheel drive, though we don't understand why anyone would choose a Rebel without 4x4. In any case, check out the live pics above and the press release and videos below for more details. New 2015 Ram 1500 Rebel Makes a Statement 2015 Ram 1500 Rebel takes advantage of exclusive air suspension in order to offer increased ride height Standard 33-inch tires provide capability and rugged looks First time 3.92 axle ratio available on 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine Equipped with factory lift, skid plates, tow hooks and other off-road-ready features New front grille design a significant styling departure for Ram Truck brand New interior colors and materials, including Radar Red and Black seats with tire tread-matching pattern January 13, 2015 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - The new 2015 Ram 1500 Rebel brings a one-of-a-kind off-road design to the full-size truck segment. "Offering an off-road-style package on the Ram 1500 has been on our to-do list for some time but the right combination didn't present itself until now," said Bob Hegbloom, President and CEO - Ram Truck Brand, FCA US LLC.

Fiat Chrysler recalls 4.8 million U.S. vehicles for cruise control defect

WASHINGTON - Fiat Chrysler said on Friday it is recalling 4.8 million U.S. vehicles over a defect that could prevent drivers from deactivating cruise control and warned owners not to use the function until they get software upgrades. The Italian-American automaker said no injuries or crashes are related to the large recall campaign but said it had one report of a driver of a 2017 Dodge Journey rental car unable to deactivate the cruise control. Fiat Chrysler, which in 2015 was hit with penalties from U.S. regulators totaling $175 million for safety lapses, did not say how much the recalls would cost. The recall addresses what Fiat Chrysler called an "extremely rare" series of events that could lead to drivers being unable to cancel cruise control. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said on Friday it "strongly encourages vehicle owners to follow a warning" to stop using cruise control on the recalled vehicles until repaired. NHTSA said drivers could overpower the system by forcefully applying the brakes until the vehicle stopped. Fiat Chrysler also said the vehicle could be stopped by shifting into neutral and braking. Fiat Chrysler shares fell more than 2 percent in premarket trading in New York on the recall. Fiat Chrysler noted that at times cruise control systems automatically initiate acceleration to help vehicles maintain driver-selected speeds, including when going up an incline. If an acceleration occurs simultaneously with a short-circuit in a specific electrical network, a driver could be unable to deactivate the function. Fiat Chrysler said vehicles may be placed in park once stopped, at which point cruise-control is canceled. The recall involves a group of gasoline-powered vehicles with automatic transmissions from various model years built from 2014 through the 2019 model year. Most of the vehicles being recalled cover the 2014-2018 model years. Among the vehicles being recalled are the Chrysler 200, Chrysler 300, Chrysler Pacifica, Dodge Charger, Dodge Challenger, Dodge Journey, Dodge Durango, Jeep Cherokee, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Wrangler and Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks and Ram 3500/4500/5500 cab chassis trucks. Fiat Chrysler made the announcement going into the busy Memorial Day weekend, which traditionally kicks off the summer driving season.