Ram

LARRY P. VELLEQUETTE

Ram photo shoot goes horribly, horribly wrong

12:00 pm U.S. ET | May 7, 2013
I love puns, so when photos arrived of the big blue Pacific crashing against a floundering Ram heavy-duty pickup during a beach-photo-shoot-gone-wrong, my mind just raced.... Read More »

 

Chrysler sales up 5%; pickups, mid-sized sedans jump

12:48 pm U.S. ET | April 2, 2013
Record sales of pickups and mid-sized sedans boosted Chrysler Group sales by 5 percent in March, extending a string of consecutive monthly sales increases to 36.... Read More »

 

Chrysler's Ram considers more sports team edition trucks

11:20 am U.S. ET | March 28, 2013
Chrysler is considering expanding its successful Ram truck promotional tie-in with Detroit's professional hockey team to other sports and cities, said Fred Diaz, head of the Ram truck brand.... Read More »

 

Chrysler plans diesel version of 2014 Ram half-ton pickup

10:09 am U.S. ET | Feb. 14, 2013
Chrysler Group's Ram brand plans to sell a half-ton pickup later this year with a diesel engine -- its first such offering since 1978.... Read More »

 

Lexus again tops J.D. Power dependability study; Detroit 3 narrow gap

10:00 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2013
Lexus remains the most dependable vehicle brand after three years of ownership but the Detroit 3 continue to close the gap with foreign rivals, J.D. Power and Associates says. Across the industry, owners of three-year-old 2010 cars and light trucks reported 126 problems per 100 vehicles, an all-time low and a 5 percent improvement from 132 problems per 100 on 2009 models a year ago.... Read More »

 

LARRY P. VELLEQUETTE

New van crop is ugly — but in a money-making way

1:10 pm U.S. ET | Feb. 8, 2013
Not to burst the ego of the automotive stylists who worked on them, but the new commercial vans that are about to flood the market are ugly. Beautifully, hideously ugly. The vans from Nissan North America, Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler Group are to automotive design what a young Mike Tyson was to opposing boxers: unorthodox and confusing, but devastatingly effective.... Read More »

 

2013 CHICAGO AUTO SHOW

Chrysler back in commercial van market with Ram ProMaster

12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 7, 2013
Chrysler Group is driving back into the commercial van segment after a three-year absence with the introduction of the 2014 Ram ProMaster. The ProMaster is based on the Fiat Ducato van, which has been on sale in Europe for more than 30 years. It will be built in Saltillo, Mexico, for sale in North and South America, and is expected to arrive in dealerships this fall.... Read More »

 

Redesigned Nissan Titan pickup truck due next year

4:31 pm U.S. ET | Feb. 6, 2013
Nissan's U.S. arm is preparing to expand its lineup of full-sized pickup trucks as it replaces the aged Titan, which has not been significantly refreshed since it was introduced in 2003. Engineers and designers are leaving "nothing off the table" in delivering a competitive truck to U.S. consumers, said Pierre Loing, Nissan North America's chief for product planning and marketing strategy.... Read More »

 

2013 DETROIT AUTO SHOW

Prime time for big pickups

12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21, 2013
Low incentives, new products and construction sites filled with aging pickups have set the stage for an especially competitive -- and lucrative -- battle in the one segment the Detroit 3 still dominate: big pickups.... Read More »

 

For some, trucks are about panache, not power

12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 21, 2013
As the economy improves, marketers of full-sized pickups are devising strategies to snag first-time buyers and lifestyle buyers who are returning to the vehicles.... Read More »

 

2013 DETROIT AUTO SHOW

Cadillac ATS, Ram 1500 win North American car, truck awards

7:10 am U.S. ET | Jan. 14, 2013
The Cadillac ATS and Ram 1500 were named 2013 North American Car and Truck of the Year today by a panel of automotive journalists.... Read More »

 

Ram boosts towing capacity on heavy-duty pickup

12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 9, 2013
Ram has fired the latest salvo in the ongoing pickup war between the domestic automakers, releasing what the brand claims is now best-in-class towing capacity for its 2013 heavy-duty pickups. The 2013 Ram 3500 was rated to tow a 30,000-pound trailer, up from a maximum towing capacity of 22,750 pounds for the same vehicle and powertrain setup in 2012.... Read More »

 

FINAL ASSEMBLY

Ram's mpg boast gets a snappy comeback from Ford

12:01 am U.S. ET | Dec. 3, 2012
As the Big Kahuna in the large-pickup class, Ford has taken a swipe at the rival Ram 1500 and its boast of best-in-class 25 mpg highway fuel economy.... Read More »

 

Ram launches commercial truck unit, plans to add Fiat-based large van

3:16 pm U.S. ET | Nov. 28, 2012
Ram has formed a commercial truck division and confirmed plans today to introduce a large van based on the Fiat Ducato in the third quarter of 2013. The 2014 Ram ProMaster will be redesigned and tailored for North American commercial truck and van users, Chrysler Group said. It will compete with other full-sized vans such as Mercedes-Benz' Sprinter line and Ford Motor Co.'s Transit.... Read More »

 

Chrysler to boost output of 2013 Rams, V-6 engines

10:06 am U.S. ET | Nov. 15, 2012
Chrysler Group will add a third shift in March at its Warren Truck plant in suburban Detroit and revamp part of its Mack Engine complex in Detroit to make more Pentastar V-6 engines. The moves represent about $238 million in further investment in the Detroit area and will add 1,250 jobs, a Chrysler spokeswoman confirmed.... Read More »

 

Ram's Diaz: 'Butts in the seats' will sell pickups

12:01 am U.S. ET | Oct. 22, 2012
Marketers at the Ram brand will set up test tracks at auto shows, state fairs and regional events to give shoppers a firsthand taste of the re-engineered 2013 Ram 1500 pickup. One-on-one efforts are needed to lure loyal owners out of rivals' pickups, said Fred Diaz, head of the Ram brand.... Read More »

 

Chrysler opens dealer orders for natural gas Ram truck sales

6:34 pm U.S. ET | Oct. 14, 2012
Chrysler Group is making its natural gas-powered Ram pickup available for sale to retail buyers, according to the head of the company's dealership network. Chrysler began allowing all dealers to order the Ram 2500 Heavy Duty CNG pickup in September, said Peter Grady, vice president of network development and fleet.... Read More »

 

Chrysler recalls over 44,000 trucks in U.S.

9:59 am U.S. ET | Oct. 8, 2012
Chrysler Group is recalling more than 44,000 pickup trucks in the United States because a rear-axle pinion nut could loosen and cause loss of vehicle control.... Read More »

 

Small, mid-sized cars power Chrysler to 12% gain

3:37 pm U.S. ET | Oct. 2, 2012
Strong sales of small and mid-sized cars propelled Chrysler Group to its best September since 2007 and its 30th consecutive month of year-over-year sales gains. The automaker sold 142,041 units last month, up 12 percent from September 2011.... Read More »

 

Chrysler seeks business buyers with heavy-duty Rams

12:01 am U.S. ET | Sept. 27, 2012
Ram will try to sell more vehicles to commercial customers next year with a new commercial division offering a re-engineered lineup of heavy-duty pickups and chassis-cab trucks, as well as two Fiat-based commercial vans.... Read More »

 

Chrysler's 'Iron Man' streak rolls on

4:54 pm U.S. ET | Sept. 4, 2012
Strong sales of sedans and pickups pushed Chrysler Group sales up 14 percent in August, extending its streak of monthly year-over-year sales gains. Chrysler reported sales in August of 148,472 units, compared with 130,120 units for the same month a year ago. The company's car sales jumped 21 percent sales while pickup sales rose 12 percent, leading to the automaker's best August since 2007.... Read More »

 

CARS & CONCEPTS

Tweaks push Ram mpg to 18/25

12:01 am U.S. ET | Aug. 27, 2012
When it goes on sale this fall, the 2013 Ram 1500 pickup will get better fuel economy than Ford's and General Motors' most efficient full-sized pickups. The re-engineered Ram pickup achieves 18 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway.... Read More »

 

Ram mpg rises 25% with V-6, less drag

12:01 am U.S. ET | Aug. 24, 2012
Powered by Chrysler's 3.6-liter V-6 engine and a new eight-speed automatic transmission, and thanks to more than a dozen improvements to reduce drag, the 2013 Ram 1500 has a fuel economy rating of 18 city/25 highway. That's up from 14 city/20 highway for the current model.... Read More »

 

Redone Ram counts on mpg, technology to grab pickup share

12:01 am U.S. ET | July 30, 2012
The head of Ram predicts his re-engineered 1500 pickup will swipe loyal customers from other brands because of better fuel economy and new technology when it debuts this fall. But Fred Diaz, the native Texan who has ridden herd over the Chrysler Group's truck brand since it split from Dodge in 2009, understands the size of the challenge.... Read More »

 

VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY -- THE CHANGING CAR

Trucks do the bling thing, and stickers soar

12:01 am U.S. ET | June 11, 2012
Chrysler Group and Ford Motor Co. are testing the limits of truck buyers' appetites for pickups loaded with leather, chrome and heated seats -- with price tags that can top $50,000.... Read More »