Blacked Out Dodge Ram 1500 on 2040-cars

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2021 Ram 1500 Infotainment Driveway Test | Bigger IS better

The 2021 Ram 1500 comes standard with a simple 5-inch touchscreen, while the 8.4-inch version found on most versions as standard equipment is the same user-friendly unit found elsewhere in the Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep/Ram line up. Unlike all those other brands in the North American Stellantis empire (ugh), however, the Ram offers a unique take on the Uconnect: a 12-inch vertically oriented touchscreen. While other cars offer similarly tall screens, such as the Subaru Outback, Ford Explorer and every Volvo, none do such an exceptional job of taking advantage of the orientation and size. The same can be said in comparison to the Ford F-150's new jumbo touchscreen.  My full review of the system is in video form and can be watched above. I've also included a few pictures below to dig deeper and touch on some areas I missed in the video. Here's what the screen looks like when you just want a colossal map. Sadly, the map graphics are pretty low-fi and Garminy.  As I mention in the video, one of my favorite things about this system is the ability to choose what is displayed on top and what's displayed on the bottom. That the Ram's screen is basically the size of two normal screen definitely helps in this regard. I especially like that you can see Apple CarPlay at the same time as radio controls.  I also like how prominently placed and easily reached the radio preset buttons are in this full-screen media layout (utilizing the full-color logos of satellite radio stations is a nice touch, too).  One thing I didn't touch on in the video is the redundant control knob that's appreciated for scanning playlists or contacts. There are USB-A and USB-C ports up front. Note, however, that there are really only two outlets — each is just split between the different formats and you can only use one at a time. There's another unit like this in the back seat, as well as another USB-A port under the center armrest. This is a clever bit of design. The wireless charger is on the left and utilizes a holster-like element to press your phone against it, thus saving space versus the usual flat pad. That holster then extends to the right to hold in place phones without wirelessly charging them.  This and so many other thoughtful details are big reasons why the Ram 1500 interior has been so universally lauded. It's not just fancy leather, better-than-average plastics or even that gigantic "hey look at me!" screen. There's also tons of substance.   

Trump tells Detroit 3 CEOs he wants more US jobs, calls environmentalists 'out of control'

As expected, President Donald J. Trump met with top executives from FCA, Ford, and General Motors this morning as part of a larger push to generate jobs in America. "I want new plants to be built here for cars sold here!", Trump said in a tweet ahead of the meeting. Not everything said in the meeting was made public, but the President later tweeted that he had a "Great meeting with automobile industry leaders." FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne, Ford chief Mark Fields, and GM's Mary Barra all echoed the positive vibes after the meeting. In a statement, Barra called the discussion "very constructive and wide-ranging," adding that it focused on "policies that support a strong and competitive economy and auto industry," and "that supports the environment and safety." That's noteworthy, because Trump is reported to have said "I am to a large extent an environmentalist. I believe in it, but it's out of control." Fields, speaking to reporters after the meeting, said, "We're excited about working together with the president and his administration on tax policies, on regulation and on trade to really create a renaissance in American manufacturing." The Ford CEO was specifically talking about Trump's withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership. "We've repeatedly said that the mother of all trade barriers is currency manipulation, and TPP failed in meaningfully dealing with that, and we appreciate the president's courage to walk away from a bad trade deal," he said. Marchionne focused on American manufacturing in his statement after the meeting. "I appreciate the President's focus on making the US a great place to do business. We look forward to working with President Trump and members of Congress to strengthen American manufacturing." Perhaps equally as interesting as what was said and who was invited are what wasn't said and who wasn't invited. Trump has been very vocal about his distaste for US automakers' plants in Mexico, but no mention was made of the North American Free Trade Agreement by Trump or any of the Detroit CEOs after the meeting. We also have to wonder if Trump plans to meet with representatives from German, Japanese, and Korean automakers that have made massive investments into American plants and produce a large number of cars in this country. Related Video: News Source: Reuters, General Motors, Fiat Chrysler Automotive, Donald J.

Ram extends Black Package to Heavy Duty trucks

If you liked the Black Express package Ram offers on its 1500 light-duty pickup but need the added capability of a Heavy Duty model, we've got good news for you.
This week at the Atlanta International Auto Show, the Ram truck brand is rolling out the Black package for the Ram HD 2500 and 3500 SRW. It features a sinister-looking exterior with 20-inch alloys, fog lamps, grille, front and rear bumpers and badges all blacked out. All the body-side badging has also been removed, unless you go for Cummins power, in which case you still get a chrome diesel badge on the side.
In correspondence with Autoblog, Ram spokesman Nick Cappa explained that the popularity of the Black edition light-duty truck was the impetus for the Heavy Duty edition you see here. "Ram has a reputation for going further on design and custom-looks from the factory," explained Cappa, pointing towards the Express, Sport and Longhorn editions. "This type of forward design-thinking led us to extend the aggressive appearance to the HD trucks, which in the past has been a bit more subtle."