2014 Ram 2500 Slt on 2040-cars

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Midsize Ram truck coming to U.S.

The midsize truck segment is officially back in full force. Today, at FCA's new five-year plan, company CEO Sergio Marchionne and Ram head Mike Manley announced that America will be getting Ram's new global midsize truck. The new model is designed for a global audience. It will not be based on the Mitsubishi Triton, we're told. FCA already sells that model in certain markets as the Ram 1200. Trucks for the North American market will likely be built in Mexico on the old Ram Heavy Duty production line. The upcoming Ram HD — set to debut at the 2019 Detroit Auto Show — will be built in the US. The timing of the new midsize Ram isn't pinpointed, but the above slide from FCA's presentation suggests we'll see it by 2022. A with all upcoming Ram models, look for some form of electrification, likely in the form of the 48-volt mild hybrid system that's set to debut later this year in the 2018 Ram 1500. Don't expect the truck to tailor too heavily to US tastes like the Toyota Tacoma or Chevy Colorado. Like the upcoming Ford Ranger, this is a global truck first and foremost. Marchionne said that Ram's focus in the US will remain mostly on full-size trucks. Still it will be sold in the U.S., just not in any expected large volumes. Related Video:

FCA and Cummins named in diesel emissions class-action lawsuit

Chrysler is now the first United States-based carmaker to be sued for allegedly skewing emissions results. In a move that sounds eerily similar to the troubles of European manufacturers, Chrysler is claimed to have hid diesel engine characteristics causing emissions as much as 14 times higher than permitted by regulations. According to Bloomberg, the lawsuit alleges that Chrysler, together with its diesel engine partner Cummins, has concealed the nitrogen oxide output of certain Ram vehicles produced between 2007 and 2012. The NOx pollutants were meant to be broken down in a process called regeneration in the truck's NAC system, or NOx Absorption Catalyst, which predated the 2013-introduced SCR, or Selective Catalytic Reduction system. By design, the NAC captures and stores NOx emissions, converting them to nitrogen and oxygen through a catalytic process. The lawsuit claims the Cummins engine's system has a limited capacity to store the emissions, and as a result the pollutants escape, increasing emissions, worsening fuel consumption and wearing down the catalytic converter. The later, cleaner SCR system uses a urea-water injection, and it gradually replaced the NAC on Cummins 6.7-liter engines, as it was first implemented in 2011 and made standard in 2013. As Bloomberg notes, the model years of Ram trucks involved in the lawsuit predate the earliest Volkswagen "Dieselgate" models by two years. The lawsuit, filed on behalf of 500,000 truck owners, accuses Chrysler and Cummins of fraud, false advertising and racketeering. As an underlying motive, the filing mentions a 2001 change in EPA emissions standards. Announced to become effective in 2010, the EPA requirements drove Chrysler and Cummins to try and reach those already by 2007. However, the NAC system is said to have fallen short of these goals, and the filing claims that Chrysler and Cummins chose to "rig" the engines instead. The affected vehicles predate the 2014 merger of Chrysler and Fiat. FCA US has released a statement regarding the lawsuit, saying it will contest the lawsuit "vigorously". News Source: BloombergImage Credit: Getty Editorial Government/Legal Green Chrysler Dodge RAM Emissions Diesel Vehicles FCA cummins diesel

2020 Ram 2500 in minimal camouflage reveals lights, grille

The folks at FCA have kept the next-generation Ram Heavy Duty trucks well-covered up to now. Now, we finally get to see an example of the truck with minimal vinyl wrap camouflage, giving us our best look yet at the 2020 Ram 2500. It has a number of design cues taken from Ram 1500, but it has a number of distinct differences. At the front, we have a pretty clear look at the 2500's fascia. The grille shares the same non-crosshair design of the 1500. It's flanked by wide headlights, and there's a chrome line that runs along the tops of the headlights and wraps around the top of the grille. Unlike the 1500, the 2500's grille is much taller, sticking way up above the headlights. It also retains the slightly trapezoidal shape. The headlights also have turn signals that protrude from below. The rest of the truck is still relatively well-covered. One key detail we can make out is the taillights, which appear to be the same as those used on the 2019 Ram 1500 Tradesman. As such, the bed will likely share cues with the 1500, such as the molded belt line low on the bedsides. Past spy photos have also revealed that the 2500 will also share the 1500's sharp interior. We're expecting to hear more about the heavy duty Ram in the next few months. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Featured Gallery 2020 Ram 2500 View 24 Photos Image Credit: SpiedBilde Spy Photos RAM Truck