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Here's how Detroit is selling more luxury vehicles than Germany and Japan

Now there's an attention-grabbing headline, eh? Although the answer to the riddle - pickup trucks and SUVs - might be somehow deflating, the numbers involved deserve a going over. According to TrueCar's figures (click on the table to enlarge), six of the year's ten best-selling vehicles in the US that sell for a transaction price above $50,000 are body-on-frame, and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class is the only foreigner to crack the top five. Every enthusiast knows that pickup trucks are 'Murica's most popular vehicle by a colossal margin, and there have been plenty of reports about the popularity of luxuriously appointed trucks and SUVs, but compare these figures from TrueCar: 70 percent of Chevrolet Tahoe sales have a transaction price above $50K, and The Bowtie is expected to make $3.9 billion in revenue on 66,945 predicted high-dollar sales; 95.1 percent of E-Class sales break $50K, so the German company will make $4.0 billion on 67,006 predicted sales in that pricing sphere. It's about the only time you'll see the Tahoe ranked right next to Mercedes' bread-and-butter sedan. Ram is ahead of those two with $4.2B coming from $50K-plus sales. The Ford F-Series does almost as much revenue as the next three combined, with an expected $10.8 billion coming from sales of trucks over $50K - more than a quarter of the model's total sales, when a base F-150 can be had for about $26,000. Yes, the Germans make a lot more money on fewer sales, but considering the comparison, the bottom line isn't too troubled by such facts. Weighing like-for-like, the full-size Ford walks it in every category; elsewhere, the Chevrolet Silverado outsells the Ram, but the Ram outsells the Chevy by 6.7 percent above $50K. And for all the flak GMC takes over swapping out grilles, the Sierra also outsells the Chevy in the well-appointed segment, 16.1 percent of sales versus 11 percent – the Professional Grade brand is a huge profit center for The General. You'll find more info in the TrueCar press release below. TrueCar finds pickup trucks far outsell premium brands among top 10 vehicles over $50,000 Ford F-Series pickup sales over $50,000 surpass combined BMW 3, 5, 7 Series luxury car sales SANTA MONICA, Calif. (December 10, 2014) - TrueCar, Inc., the negotiation-free car buying and selling platform, finds mainstream pickup trucks and sport-utility vehicles dominate U.S.

2020 Ram 1500 Laramie Southwest Edition is a true-blue Texas truck

American pickup builders love celebrating the Southwest, and Ram is taking its latest stab at the "Texans love trucks" trope with the 2020 Ram 1500 Laramie Southwest Edition.  This is essentially an appearance and popular equipment package. Outside, the truck gets a body-colored grille surround, bumpers and mirror caps. A restrained smattering of chrome accents rounds out the look, adding a touch of class without getting too glare-heavy.  Inside, it's essentially a Laramie. Standard equipment includes a 12-inch touchscreen with the latest Uconnect infotainment suite, a panoramic sunroof, remote tailgate release, rain-sensing wipers and an electric trailer brake controller.  “For nearly 20 years, Ram has recognized that Texas and AmericaÂ’s Southwest are the center of the truck universe,” said Mike Koval, Ad Interim Head of Ram Brand, FCA - North America. “Ram was the first manufacturer to offer a Texas-exclusive model, and the Lone Star edition remains our most popular truck in Texas. Our new Ram Laramie Southwest Edition adds the segmentÂ’s best combination of performance, capability, luxury and technology.” Ram says the Southwest Edition can be had with any of the Laramie's existing powertrain configurations, in both Quad- and Crew Cab bodies, and with both the 5'7" and 6'4" bed lengths. The starting price is $47,075 including destination.  The 2020 Ram 1500 Laramie Southwest Edition is a "Texas Edition" by another name, and will be sold exclusively in the Lone Star State and its immediate neighbors. Look for the first models to arrive in dealers in the coming months, as FCA will put it into production in the second quarter.  Featured Gallery 2020 Ram 1500 Laramie Southwest Edition RAM Truck

Fiat-Chrysler shows its SEMA lineup

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles already previewed its 2014 SEMA show lineup with some slick renders. Now, the automaker has finally showed us the actual cars, and among the group there are definitely some that stand out more than others.
Dodge is really showing off its muscle at this year's show with four concepts that all pump up the power of the brand's models. Perhaps most interesting among them is the Challenger T/A Concept (pictured above) in striking Sublime Green and matte black. It's meant to resemble the classic Trans Am racer from the '70s. Under the hood is a 6.4-liter V8, and to fit the vintage style there's a pistol-grip gearshift inside.
The Charger R/T also gets some attention with the Mopar concept that shows off what FCA's aftermarket performance arm can do. Mods include an updated body kit, cold-air intake for the 5.7-liter V8 and a coil-over suspension kit. Beyond that, the Dart R/T Concept looks a lot meaner with a black hood with duct work that leads straight to the air intake. The rest of the compact sedan is dolled up in O-So-Orange paint and is fitted with upgrades to improve handling like a coil-over suspension and big brake kit from the Mopar catalog.