2014 Ram 1500 Tradesman/express on 2040-cars

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Autoblog Podcast #339

Farewell, Zach Bowman; Pikes Peak 2013; Datsun; 2014 Ram lineup
Episode #339 of the Autoblog Podcast is here, and it's the last rodeo for Zach Bowman before he departs for other pastures. The crew this week consists of Dan Roth, Zach Bowman and Jeff Ross, who talk about the astounding records set at this year's Pike's Peak hill climb, the return of the Datsun brand name and the recently-announced 2014 Ram truck lineup. Of course, we start with the garage and end with your questions and comments. For those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. You can follow along after the jump with our Q&A. Thanks for listening!
Autoblog Podcast #339:

2020 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel First Drive | To be continued …

DULUTH, Minn. — Ram gave us a new generation of its 1500 pickup for 2019, and weÂ’ve already had a lot of fun with it. WeÂ’ve driven the V6 and the Hemi V8 versions. WeÂ’ve tried it with and without the eTorque mild hybrid system. WeÂ’ve sampled the humble Tradesman, the rambunctious Rebel, the well-rounded Big Horn and Laramie, and the high-lux Limited. But now we get to sample one of the most anticipated updates, this one made for the 2020 Ram 1500 lineup: the third-generation EcoDiesel engine. With plenty of miles already spent with the new 1500 over the past year, we know the fresh generation of the Ram full-size pickup is already an overachiever. Its interior is class-leading, the ride is surprisingly comfortable, and the 1500Â’s handling is surprisingly agile for its size. So weÂ’ll focus on the heart of the matter: the new engine, starting out in a Rebel for a cruise around Duluth. Slated to go on sale later this year as a 2020 model, this is the third generation of the light-duty turbo-diesel engine, and it has undergone a significant  overhaul. The result is that this 3.0-liter V6 provides 260 horsepower at 3,600 rpm and an impressive (not to mention class-leading) 480 pound-feet of peak torque at 1,600 rpm. In addition, the EcoDiesel allows for up to 12,560 pounds of towing, and a 2,040-pound payload. If weÂ’re keeping score — as we know truck fans are — the Duramax diesel in the 2020 Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra makes 277 hp (points to GM) and 460 lb-ft, with towing and payload yet to be announced. The Ford F-150 Power Stroke provides 250 hp and 440 lb-ft, with 11,400 pounds towing and 2,020 pounds of payload. Ram hasnÂ’t announced fuel economy yet, so the DuramaxÂ’s 23 mpg city and 33 mpg highway are the figures to beat, while the FordÂ’s gets up to 22 city and 30 highway in 2WD guise. Ram spokespeople wouldnÂ’t budge on providing fuel economy hints, but RamÂ’s U.S. marketing director Mike Koval promised the EcoDiesel would be “very competitive” here. To be continued Â… RamÂ’s new EcoDiesel aims to perform better in all the major areas consumers care about – power, fuel economy, and NVH. To help with all three, the new motor includes low-friction turbo bearings, lower-pressure exhaust gas recirculation, lighter pistons, and a 15-pound-lighter engine block. At idle, the EcoDiesel is muted, with a bassy patter typical of a diesel — no surprises there. Sitting still, the truck is very quiet.

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.