2014 Ram 2500 Slt on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Mopar makes the Ram Rebel even more macho for 2016

Mopar is making the 2016 Ram 1500 Rebel a little more badass and charging a lot more money. This is the Mopar '16 Rebel. Customers that snag one of the 500 special-edition Rebels get some nifty visual upgrades from the Mopar catalog. The truck's plastic flares are bigger, and the "performance" aluminum hood comes with a big, matte-black decal. It's a macho truck. These special-edition Ram Rebels only come in two colors – Flame Red and Brilliant Black – and we're not really sure if the Mopar's traditional blue highlights work well on the red version. The dark hue ought to look the business, though. Either shade goes well with the standard 17-inch black wheels and black skid plate on the front bumper – the normal Rebel's skid plate is silver. Those are just the standard Mopar accessories on this special edition. The aftermarket division will happily sell Rebel drivers more performance-oriented mods, including a cold-air intake or cat-back exhaust for the Rebel's standard 5.7-liter Hemi V8. Even if you choose to pass on those upgrades, you're still paying at least $52,460 for the Mopar '16 Rebel. The basis for this truck, the 1500 Rebel 4x4, starts at $46,395, or $6,065 less than the Mopar special edition. While the body changes are cool, there's not enough here to warrant that kind of premium. The Mopar 16' Rebel will arrive in dealers later this summer. Related Video:

Ram and Jeep Wrangler drive Fiat Chrysler profits up 61 percent

MILAN — Italian American automaker Fiat Chrysler says fourth-quarter net profits rose by 61 percent, powered by North American sales of the all-new Ram 1500 and Jeep Wrangler. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles on Thursday reported quarterly net profits of 1.29 billion euros ($1.46 billion), compared with 804 million euros in 2017. Revenues rose 6 percent to 30.6 billion euros. North America profits grew by 19 percent to 6.2 billion euros, accounting for the lion's share of the automaker's global profits. The carmaker continued to have trouble in Asia, which swung to a loss due to market weakness in China and more competition in Fiat Chrysler's core SUV market. Europe also lost ground, with profits dipping 44 percent on lower shipments and weaker pricing, while Latin America more than doubled. Based on the company's earnings last year, 44,000 unionized U.S. auto workers will get $6,000 profit-sharing checks. That's $500 more than in 2017, but smaller than U.S. rivals Ford and General Motors. On Wednesday, GM announced that workers would get $10,750, while Ford workers will get $7,600.Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Italian coachbuilder transforms the Ram 1500 into an ostentatious limousine

Motorists who were smitten by the Mercedes-Maybach Ultimate Luxury concept and disappointed by the brand's decision not to build it now have a consolation prize. Created by an Italian coachbuilder named Aznom, the Palladium is a sedan-like four-seater limousine built on a platform borrowed from the Ram 1500 pickup. The Palladium exists at the intersection of sedans and SUVs, both in terms of design and in terms of construction, and it's marketed as a hyper-limousine. Surprisingly, company founder Marcello Meregalli explained he began looking into building a truck-based sedan after seeing the Cadillac-badged presidential limousine unveiled in 2008. "That particular Cadillac gave the final push" to the idea, he reminisced in a statement. Beauty is very much in the eye of the beholder, so all we'll say about the Palladium's sheet metal is that it isn't subtle. Its front end is dominated by a grille with vertical LED inserts, thick pieces of chrome trim, and headlights that look 1500-esque if you squint. Viewed from the side, it's evident there was little stylists could do to mask the 1500's extra-long wheelbase, and the four doors are straight off the truck. And, the entire rear fascia rolls out like a giant drawer to give customers access to the trunk. It's a feature that's odd and innovative at the same time. The basset-like proportions likely make the Palladium a nightmare to parallel park, especially in its home country of Italy, but they also allowed stylists to carve out an unusually spacious interior designed primarily for rear-seat comfort. Passengers riding in the back travel on a bench that Aznom describes as a throne, and they benefit from creature comforts like a separate air conditioning system, a Harman-Kardon sound system, two Microsoft tables, plus an on-board fridge. Of course, there's space to store crystal glasses; how could there not be? Power for the Palladium comes from a twin-turbocharged version of Ram's 5.7-liter Hemi V8 engine. It's tuned to develop 710 horsepower and 701 pound-feet of torque, and it's bolted to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Aznom quotes a 4.5-second sprint from zero to 62 mph, which is on par with the Hellcat-powered 1500 TRX's time and impressive for a beast that tips the scale at 5,842 pounds. Part-time four-wheel drive comes standard. Ten cars will be manufactured, and each one will be unique because clients will be invited to participate in the design process.