RAM 1500 Becomes Industry-First Half-Ton Diesel Pickup
Recently emancipated and breaking new ground, Chrysler’s Ram pickup truck brand just announced that the RAM 1500 pickup truck will be available this year with a diesel V6.
When they arrive in the third quarter of 2013 as a 2014 model, it will be the first time a light-duty pickup truck is sold with a diesel engine.
“Truck owners have been emphatically asking for it, and Ram will be the only manufacturer to offer a diesel powertrain in the half-ton segment with the 2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel,” said Ram CEO Fred Diaz.
SEE ALSO: 2013 RAM 1500 Rated Best-in-Class 18/25 MPG
A 3.0-liter diesel engine will be fitted to an eight-speed automatic transmission and is expected to offer best-in-class fuel efficiency ad torque. Chrysler hasn’t released official output figures for the diesel Ram 1500 yet, but this is the same engine Jeep will soon offer in the Grand Cherokee. In that application, it offers 420 lb-ft of torque, can tow up to 7,400 lbs and is said to manage 30 mpg on the highway.
“The half-ton truck market is incredibly competitive, and although we’re honored the Ram 1500 has received a number of prestigious awards, we cannot rest on what we have accomplished, we must keep pushing,” Diaz said.
Correction: the RAM 1500 will be the industry’s only diesel half-ton, but not the industry’s first.
Discuss this story at RamChargerCentral.com
Luke is an energetic automotive journalist who spends his time covering industry news and crawling the internet for the latest breaking story. When he isn't in the office, Luke can be found obsessively browsing used car listings, drinking scotch at his favorite bar and dreaming of what to drive next, though the list grows a lot faster than his bank account. He's always on <A title="@lukevandezande on Twitter" href="http://twitter.com/lukevandezande">Twitter</A> looking for a good car conversation. Find Luke on <A title="@lukevandezande on Twitter" href="http://twitter.com/lukevandezande">Twitter</A> and <A title="Luke on Google+" href="http://plus.google.com/112531385961538774338?rel=author">Google+</A>.
More by Luke Vandezande
Comments
Join the conversation
This story should be redacted or edited. GM offered 6.2ltr diesels in their half tons in the 80s and the 6.5ltr turbo diesel in the 90s.
Actually you have all forgotten that the International R-110 series pickup line was offered with both Cummins and Buda diesel engines all the way back in 1953 (of course these engines were not popular and did not achieve good power or mileage). Either way the article is very misleading in nature.