2014 Ram 3500 Laramie on 2040-cars

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2020 Ram Heavy Duty Limited Black Edition answers the call of the void

Ram buyers overcome by the lure of the Sith or the call of the void when configuring their pickups have had a variety of ways to go dark on their trucks, from 1500 to the heavy duty line. Now the 2020 Ram 2500 and 3500 HD's top Limited trim is getting access to all the darkness possible with the Black Edition, creating a truck that says "lights out" in about six different ways. The package blacks out the heavy duty rigs entirely, starting with the black grille with black RAM lettering, black bumpers front and back, black tow hooks, black door handles, black side-view trailer tow mirrors, black bezels around the LED headlights and taillights, dark-tinted taillights, and matte badges. Any colored lenses, such as the clearance lights above the cab, are clear. Because on the Ram Heavy Duty Black Edition, black means black. The Black Edition can be optioned on the Ram 2500 or 3500 in 4x2 or 4x4, in single- or dual-rear-wheel trims. When outfitted with single wheels in back, the Black Edition sits on 20-inch black wheels. When dual wheels hang off the back axle, buyers will find 17-inch black wheels with machined eyelets. Engine choices are the regular trio of 6.4-liter Hemi V8 with 410 horsepower and 429 pound-feet of torque, the normal 6.7-liter Cummins straight-six diesel making 370 hp and 850 lb-ft, or a high-output version of the 6.7-liter restricted to the 3500 that puts out 400 hp and 1,000 lb-ft. The three-quarter- and one-ton darkness rolls into dealerships in a few months starting at $64,440 for the Ram 2500 2,745 after a $1,695 destination charge. That's a $1,095 premium over the standard Limited Trim. Assuming the same premium for the Ram 3500 Black Edition means a starting price of $65,790. Related Video:    

Chevy Silverado edges Ram 1500 in Consumer Reports two-truck shootout

Forget Corvette versus Viper. When it comes to important head-to-head comparisons, fullsize trucks are where domestic automakers really care. And until the redesigned Ford F-150 makes its debut, the Chevrolet Silverado is going to have plenty to brag about thanks to a new Consumer Reports shootout against the Ram 1500.
It was a tight race among these V8-powered titans, but the all-new 2014 Silverado (and its GMC Sierra twin) barely edged out Ram's updated pickup with a score of 81 points - enough to make it the institute's top-rated fullsize truck on the market. Its narrow victory over the Ram, which finished just three points back, was due to its superior fuel economy, better towing and payload capacity and conveniences like a lower step-in height, easy-to-use tailgate and rear bumper steps that make loading and unloading less of a chore.
Importantly, CR notes that buyers with less heavy-duty truck needs might actually prefer the Ram over the Chevrolet, since its high points include a smoother ride thanks to its coil spring rear suspension, dominant infotainment system with Uconnect, and a big thumbs up for the available Hemi engine and eight-speed automatic transmission.

The biggest gas-guzzlers of 2024: 'The Meanest List' is the opposite of greenest cars

In some circles — especially some automotive circles — bigger is better. This explains the Hummer, for example. In its so-called “Meanest List” of a dozen models, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) makes no apologies for berating “the worst-performing mass market automobiles” sold in 2024 in the U.S. The most diminutive car on the list is a Chevy Corvette Z06. At the top of this particular heap is the Mercedes-Benz AMG G63, a gas-powered SUV that the environmental agency says was “the worst-performing vehicle of the more than 1,200 models assessed by Greener Cars and has an annual fuel cost over $4,000.” Not to mention its MSRP of around $184,000. Rank Make & Model Powertrain Green Score MSRP Estimated Annual Fuel Cost* 1 Mercedes-Benz AMG G63 Gas 20 $184,000 $4,242 2 Ram 1500 TRX 4x4 Gas 22 $98,335 $3,819 3 Ford F150 Raptor R Gas 24 $79,975 $3,777 4 Cadillac Escalade V Gas 26 $152,295 $3,388 5 Dodge Durango SRT Gas 26 $74,995 $3,332 6 Jeep Wrangler 4dr 4X4 Gas 27 $35,895 $3,260 7 Jeep Grand Wagoneer 4x4 Gas 28 $91,945 $3,058 8 Mercedes-Benz G550 Gas 28 $143,000 $3,186 9 GMC Hummer EV SUV EV 29 $98,845 $1,746 10 GMC Sierra Gas 29 $37,700 $3,069 11 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Gas 30 $114,395 $3,169 12 Mercedes-Benz Maybach S680 Gas 30 $234,300 $3,031 *ACEEE analysis using EIA data of the annual cost of driving 15,000 miles In terms of numbers, the dirty dozen of the meanest includes seven SUVs and three trucks. Lonely at the middle of the list is the sole electric, the GMC Hummer EV, which weighs in at 9,000 pounds. The council notes that “though EVs have lower emissions than similarly sized gasoline models, the Hummer demonstrates that size and efficiency, not just fuel source, are important factors in a carÂ’s environmental impact.” ItÂ’s also worth reminding prospective buyers that the average fuel cost of a vehicle on the “Greenest List” eats up only a fifth of the fuel cost of a vehicle on the Meanest List, “showing that greener options can also be more affordable.” The ACEEE also put out a "Greener List" of efficient gasoline and hybrid cars that don't require plugging in.  By the Numbers Green Cadillac Chevrolet Dodge Ford GMC Hummer Jeep Maybach Mercedes-Benz RAM Emissions Fuel Efficiency Green Automakers Truck SUV Electric Hybrid