2011 Ram 2500 Laramie Cummins Diesel on 2040-cars

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500+ hp Stellantis 'Hurricane' I6 previews a world without Hemis

After years of rumored development, Stellantis has revealed its new six-cylinder engine family. The 3.0-liter, twin-turbocharged "Hurricane" I6 will offer V8 power, forced induction torque and six-cylinder efficiency in a package designed to fit into any of the company's North American rear-wheel-drive platforms.  What is "V8 power," exactly? Well, in standard output guise, the new I6 cranks out more than 400 horsepower (the specific figure will vary by application) and 450 pound-feet of torque, while the high-output variant is good for more than 500 horses and 475 lb-ft. The final figures will be dependent on the application. We'll save you a little legwork: In current Ram, Jeep and Dodge products, the 5.7-liter Hemi tops out at about 395 hp and 410 lb-ft, give or take, and the 6.4-liter around 485 hp and 475 lb-ft.    This is a clean-sheet design that is only related to the company's turbocharged four-cylinder by some common measurements. The I6 is exclusively direct-injection (no hybrid/port-injection here) and the two I6 variants share 96 common parts, including the block and oil pan design. The differences are found in their internals, intake plumbing, valvetrain components and the turbochargers themselves. Stellantis is not yet ready to share specs or supplier info for the turbos but says announcements will come from its partners soon.  The standard-output I6 has a compression ratio of 10.4:1 and revs to 5,800 rpm. It will run on regular fuel, albeit with reduced performance; 91 octane is recommended for maximum output. The high-output variant has a compression ratio of 9.4:1 and will rev to 6,100 rpm. That one will require premium. The new I6's advantages go beyond basic power output. Every Hemi family engine currently in production is based on an iron block design, so they're heavy. The aluminum-block I6 shaves weight off the total engine package, even if some of that gets added back thanks to the turbos and their associated plumbing. The standard-output I6 weighs 430 pounds, Stellantis engineers told us; the high-output adds just another 11. Fully dressed 5.7-liter V8s are in the 550-560-pound ballpark, and 6.4-liters close in on 600 pounds.  You may be wondering, "Why a clean-sheet gasoline engine now, when the industry is moving toward battery-electrics?" A valid inquiry, and one Stellantis was prepared to address. While the company will be pivoting to electrification over the next decade, it won't be instantaneous.

Ram midsize pickup will be body-on-frame, built alongside Jeep Scrambler

Ram's still far-off midsize pickup is shaping up to be a rugged body-on-frame pickup if this report from Automotive News is correct. We would assume that because its supplier sources claim the smaller Ram will be built at the same Toledo plant as the current JL Wrangler and upcoming Wrangler pickup, aka Scrambler. It's already been a long road of back and forth about whether or not Ram would build the small pickup. Mike Manley, now the CEO of FCA following Sergio Marchionne's passing, confirmed the brand's intentions of bringing a midsize truck to market when explaining the company's five-year plan a few months back. At the time, rumors pointed to a unibody construction with production taking place in Mexico. The possibility of Ram bringing a version of the 1200 pickup here has been tossed around, but we doubt Ram would come to market with a rebadged Mitsubishi against the developing stiff competition. That segment is quickly becoming crowded with the impending arrival of the Ford Ranger and the already successful Colorado/ Canyon twins and venerable Toyota Tacoma. Ram could try using the Dakota name to jumpstart sales, but it looks like it'll be last to the party in this midsize truck renaissance. Its Jeep cousin is expected to be revealed later this year and on the market in 2019, and we've already seen a lot of it in spy shots, and even on the Rubicon Trail. The report predicts we'll see a midsize Ram as a 2021 model, going on sale sometime in 2020. However, back in June this year, FCA's presentation pegged the smaller Ram's arrival for 2022. It's a long ways out either way, so we'll keep you up to date as the small Ram saga continues. Related Video:

2020 Ram EcoDiesel gets a price, will be a $4,995 option

Ram just officially announced pricing for the 2020 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel pickup truck. The cheapest diesel you’ll be able to buy starts at $38,585, including the $1,695 destination charge. That price gets you the Tradesman Quad Cab with rear-wheel drive. As a standalone option, the engine is listed at $4,995, which makes it the priciest engine on the Ram 1500Â’s list of powertrains. The next most expensive engine is the 5.7-liter V8 eTorque powertrain, which lists for $2,645 on RamÂ’s 2019 configurator. YouÂ’ll be able to get the EcoDiesel engine on any trim, including the Ram Rebel — this marks the first time that the Rebel is offered with a diesel option. The base price of only $38,585 on the Tradesman trim makes it the cheapest diesel option of the bunch, with both FordÂ’s and ChevyÂ’s diesel engines coming in at higher trims and higher prices. FordÂ’s F-150 Power Stroke starts at $46,255, and the Silverado Duramax comes in at $42,385. Step up to comparable trim levels in the Ram, and things get more competitive. However, if you want the cheapest diesel out there, the Ram is your best bet. What youÂ’re getting is a 260-horsepower 480-pound-foot 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 engine. The max towing capacity is also the highest among the three at 12,560 pounds. You can pair rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive with the engine.  WeÂ’re still waiting on EPA fuel economy figures, but itÂ’ll be difficult to beat the Chevy Duramax in this area. That truck is capable of 33 mpg on the highway, while the F-150 can hit 30 mpg in its most fuel-efficient trim. Chevy says it gave a little bit up in towing to hit that spectacular figure, so weÂ’ll be curious to see what the towing king of the segment will be able to muster. Ram says the numbers will be available when the truck goes on sale early in the fourth quarter this year. Until then, the 2019 Ram 1500 Classic is available with the previous-generation EcoDiesel engine, and it can be had for $40,835.