Equipment World Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/165927
trucks | continued Ram EcoDiesel offering may offer 26 mpg fuel efficiency R am expects to announce "best-inclass" fuel economy with its 3.0-liter EcoDiesel option when the details of its 2014 Ram 1500 are finalized. While there are no exact numbers at this point, many expect combined fuel efficiency somewhere around 26 mpg. The EcoDiesel is the same engine Chrysler offers in its Jeep Grand Cherokee, which allows 30 mpg on the highway, but in an interview with the Associated Press, Ram brand director Bob Hegbloom said the pickup won't get the same 30 mpg rating. In terms of power, the EcoDiesel is paired with an eight-speed transmission and produces 240 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque. The engine is sourced from Italy's VM Motori, which has supplied Ram with engines since 1992. General Motors and Fiat each own a 50 percent share of the engine maker. As expected, the EcoDiesel option comes at a premium. A diesel-powered Ram 1500 will cost an additional $2,850 over the 5.7-liter Hemi V-8, Ram says. Hegbloom told the AP that the the diesel 1500 will pay for itself in gas savings in less than three years. Meanwhile, the standard package will start at $25,295, destination cost included. However, if diesel isn't your thing, Ram will offer two other engine options in the 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 and a 5.7-liter Hemi V-8. Ram says the V-6 produces 42 percent more horsepower (305 horsepower), 13 percent more torque (269 pound-feet) and 20 percent better fuel economy than its previous V-6. Meanwhile, the Hemi V-8 produces 395 horsepower and 410 pound-feet of torque. The new Ram 1500 will also feature a new front park assist system which uses four sensors in the rear bumper to detect objects up to 47.2 inches away. The system uses four sensors located on the front bumper. The bezel-less, integrated sensors sequentially send out ultrasonic waves when the vehicle is driven in forward at low speeds. The sending sensor and adjacent sensors pick up the echo of a signal when it bounces off an object. Triangulation is used to determine relative distance, based on elapsed time between the outgoing signal and its return. The 2014 Ram 1500 will hit lots in the fourth quarter of this year. 62 September 2013 | EquipmentWorld.com EW0913_Trucks.indd 62 8/27/13 3:39 PM