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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.

2019 Ram 1500 aces IIHS crash tests

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has finally performed crash tests on the completely redesigned 2019 Ram 1500 pickup truck, and it's mostly great news for the Ram. The Crew Cab earned the highest "Good" rating in all six crash tests. Impressively, that includes both the driver and passenger small overlap tests, which has been a rare feat. It's also the first truck to get a rating in that passenger-side test, thus is also the only truck with a "Good" rating for the crash type. The 2019 Ram also marks a major improvement over the previous-generation Ram, which only scored the second-lowest rating of "Marginal" in the driver small overlap test. The passenger side wasn't tested. The old Ram also only had a "Marginal" roof strength rating. In addition to having great crash test results, the Ram 1500 also earned the best possible rating for its optional forward collision prevention technology. It was capable of bringing the truck to a complete stop, avoiding a collision at speeds up to 25 mph. The Ram's only weak point was its headlights, which were rated "Marginal" at best. Because of the headlight performance, the IIHS didn't give it a Top Safety Pick award. This is a weak point for most trucks, as the only ones with headlight ratings above "Marginal" are the Honda Ridgeline and the 2018 GMC Sierra. The Ridgeline is also the only pickup tested by the organization to receive the Top Safety Pick award. With that being said, both the 2019 Ram 1500 as well as the 2018 Ford F-150 should qualify for the Top Safety Pick award if headlight performance improves. Note that the collision prevention and headlight ratings also apply to the Ram 1500 Quad Cab, but that the crash ratings do not. It's likely the IIHS will test that in the future. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

FCA shifts Ram Heavy Duty trucks from Mexico to U.S., creating 2,500 jobs

DETROIT — Fiat Chrysler Automobiles said on Thursday it will shift production of Ram Heavy Duty pickup trucks from Mexico to Michigan in 2020, a move that lowers the risk to the automaker's profit should President Donald Trump pull the United States out of the North American Free Trade Agreement. Fiat Chrysler said it would create 2,500 jobs at a factory in Warren, Michigan, near Detroit, where the Ram 1500 is currently built, and FCA will invest $1 billion in the facility. The Mexican plant will be "repurposed to produce future commercial vehicles" for sale global markets. Mexico has free trade agreements with numerous countries. Fiat Chrysler Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne a year ago raised the possibility that the automaker would move production of its heavy-duty pickups to the United States, saying U.S. tax and trade policy would influence the decision.If the United States exits NAFTA, it could mean that automakers would pay a 25 percent duty on pickup trucks assembled in Mexico and shipped to the United States. About 90 percent of the Ram pickups made at Fiat Chrysler's Saltillo plant in Mexico are sold in the United States or Canada, company officials said. Negotiators for the United States, Mexico and Canada are scheduled to meet later this month for another round of talks on revising NAFTA. Canadian government officials earlier this week said they are convinced that Trump intends to announce his intention to quit the agreement. Trump has threatened to force the rollback of NAFTA, which enables the free flow of goods made in the United States, Canada and Mexico across the borders of those countries. He also has criticized automakers for moving jobs and investment in new manufacturing facilities to Mexico and prodded them to add more auto production in the United States. View 31 Photos On Wednesday, Toyota and Mazda announced they would build a new $1.6 billion auto assembly plant in Alabama, drawing praise from Trump. Vice President Mike Pence praised Fiat Chrysler's announcement. "Manufacturing is back. Great announcement. Proof that this admin's AMERICA FIRST policies are WORKING!" Pence said in a Twitter posting. Chrysler raised its output in Mexico by 39 percent in 2017 to 639,000 vehicles, according to Mexican government data. That made Fiat Chrysler the third-largest producer of vehicles in Mexico in 2017, after Nissan and General Motors.