Posts from ‘Ram’
2021 Ram 1500 TRX
Note: The following story was excerpted from the October 2021 issue of Collectible Automobile magazine.
Over two generations, Ford’s F-150 Raptor has demonstrated there’s a market for high-performance trucks with serious off-road capability. As Ford prepared the third-generation Raptor, Ram introduced the 1500 TRX as a 2021 model, which it said was inspired by the idea of a powerful truck capable of off-road speeds over 100 mph. The company called TRX the “Apex Predator of the Truck World,” communicating Ram’s belief the Raptor has been big-footed by their meaner “Tyrannosaurus rex.” One-upmanship aside, this beast swooped into the craziness known as 2020 and we think it’s one of the year’s four-wheeled highlights.
Dealer markup sticker on a 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Series III
It’s no secret: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the related supply-chain issues, new-vehicle transaction prices have shot upward over the last couple years. Stories of jaw-dropping dealer markups—especially for popular vehicles—are now commonplace… so much so that some sort of markup on a new vehicle is more or less the rule, rather than the exception. On a recent Sunday road trip through Western Illinois, I came across a small-town Dodge-Chrysler-Jeep-Ram dealership with a few brand-new vehicles on its lot, so I decided to do a little boots-on-the-ground research. What I found was this: This particular dealer is asking full sticker, full sticker plus $5000, or full sticker plus $10,000 for the new vehicles it has in inventory. And, there isn’t very much in inventory.
Rivian EDV delivery van
A little over a year ago, my neighbors and I lamented the construction of an Amazon delivery facility not more than three blocks from our homes. To our relief, the now-operational warehouse and delivery center has not diminished our quality of life in any meaningful manner. It’s a big sucker, though, boasting nearly 200 loading docks and serving as home to maybe 200 delivery vans. About those vans…
The Stellantis Hurricane engine will be available in standard (left) and H.O. (High Output) variations.
Stellantis, the parent company of Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram in the U.S., revealed a new family of 6-cylinder engines dubbed Hurricane. The twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline engines are designed to match the power output of naturally aspirated V8 powerplants while being more fuel efficient and producing less pollution.
Unusual Paint Hues at the 2022 Chicago Auto Show
Auto shows around the globe were dealt a huge blow by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the Chicago Auto Show (Consumer Guide’s “hometown” auto show) fared better than most of them. The 2020 edition of the show happened in February 2020—less than a month before the coronavirus hit the United States in earnest and lockdowns began, making it the last “normal” big-league auto show. For 2021, the Chicago Automobile Trade Association (the organization that produces the Chicago Auto Show) was able to work with state and local authorities to pull off a special indoor/outdoor edition of the show in mid-July. For 2022, the show returns to its traditional February time slot. In fact, it’s going on as we type this—the show runs through February 21 at Chicago’s McCormick Place convention center.
Consumer Guide Car Stuff Podcast
Whether you drive a car, need a car, or just occasionally bum a ride with friends, you’ve come to the right place. Join the editors of Consumer Guide Automotive as they break down everything that’s going on in the auto world. New-car reviews, shopping tips, driving green, electric cars, classic cars, and plenty of great guests. This is the Consumer Guide Car Stuff Podcast.
Test Drive: 2021 Ram 1500 TRX
2021 Ram TRX in Diamond Black Crystal Pearl-Coat (a $100 option)
2021 Ram 1500 TRX Crew Cab
Class: Large Pickup Truck
Miles driven: 465
Fuel used: 42.6 gallons
The Brands of Stellantis
On January 18, on the Euronext Paris stock exchange, shares of Stellantis traded hands for very first time. A merger of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) and the Peugeot Group (PSA), Stellantis is now the world’s third-largest automaker, with projected 2021 sales approaching 8 million light vehicles–ranking the new company behind only Toyota and Volkswagen, and ahead of General Motors and Hyundai Motor Company.
Consumer Guide Car Stuff Podcast
Whether you drive a car, need a car, or just occasionally bum a ride with friends, you’ve come to the right place. Join the editors of Consumer Guide Automotive as they break down everything that’s going on in the auto world. New-car reviews, shopping tips, driving green, electric cars, classic cars, and plenty of great guests. This is the Consumer Guide Car Stuff Podcast.
Future Car: 2025 Ram Dakota
Ram hasn’t yet released any teaser images of the new Ram Dakota, but it’s certain to be a more conventional looking pickup than the 2006 Dodge Rampage Concept shown here.
Having sold more than 700,000 vehicles in the 2019 calendar year, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ Ram truck brand has suddenly become the eighth best-selling nameplate in the U.S. Though the Ram line includes a pair of commercial vans, most of that sales volume comes from full-size pickup trucks. In fact, the big truck news for 2019 was Ram overtaking Chevrolet in large pickup truck sales for the first time ever.
