[Allpar News System]

Edgardo Campos Mota pointed out that the Ram Cargo Van is now called Ram C/V Tradesman on the official Ramtrucks.com web site. According to Edgardo, the Ram C/V Tradesman will be joined by the Ram C/V ProMaster (née Fiat Ducato) and Ram C/V ProMaster City (presumably, née Fiat Doblo). The Tradesman is a well-modified Dodge Caravan, with a special interior, suspension tuning, and other changes to make it better suited to the commercial van market. It has slowly been catching on, against fierce competition from the far more popular Ford Transit vans. The latter are imported from Europe with a bare minimum of assembly in the US to avoid heavy taxes on imported trucks.

Ram has announced the ProMaster name (going to promaster.com reveals a photographic equipment company with the same name and InterCap) and the Ducato tie-in, saying that the van would be modified by Ram for..

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[FreeLantz]

The "Tradesman" cargo vans have been showing up for a while now.

What Ram Commercial model is debuting tomorrow in Chicago? On the Chrysler Communications Facebook page there is a post about a press conference to be held.

 

[james.mooney.]

http://www.allpar.com/news/index.php/2012/11/ram-new-division-and-new-van

"Tradesman" is the trim name for all Ram Commercial vehicles.

 

[FreeLantz]

The "Tradesman" cargo vans have been showing up for a while now.

What Ram Commercial model is debuting tomorrow in Chicago? On the Chrysler Communications Facebook page there is a post about a press conference to be held.

Nevermind, I found it. It's the ProMaster vans (Fiat vans with Ram noses). Will be interesting to see what they look like.

 

[bumonbox]

Nevermind, I found it. It's the ProMaster vans (Fiat vans with Ram noses). Will be interesting to see what they look like.

Agreed. We'll be buzzing here at least. If the grille is the only change, you see a negative reaction from myself, Norm and others for sure. If they really changed the nose, we'll see what commentary we get. See how much they managed to polish it.

 

[Jeepnut]

Really? I noted this change on September 20 2012.
http://www.allpar.com/forums/topic/145909-ram-promaster/page-3
Post number 42
The one time I have some info that might lead to a news story and its crickets but let someone else mention it and its breaking news almost 5 months later. Where's the angry face emoticon.
Oh and the Ram C/V is sold against the Ford Transit Connect not the Transit. The Transit doesn't go on sale here for a few months.

 

[oh2o]

Agreed. We'll be buzzing here at least. If the grille is the only change, you see a negative reaction from myself, Norm and others for sure. If they really changed the nose, we'll see what commentary we get. See how much they managed to polish it.

Very minor change, mostly in the grille area, crosshatch.

 

[Stratuscaster]

Really? I noted this change on September 20 2012.
http://www.allpar.com/forums/topic/145909-ram-promaster/page-3
Post number 42
The one time I have some info that might lead to a news story and its crickets but let someone else mention it and its breaking news almost 5 months later. Where's the angry face emoticon.
Oh and the Ram C/V is sold against the Ford Transit Connect not the Transit. The Transit doesn't go on sale here for a few months.

Don't be mad - it's just that it's now "officially official."

 

[bumonbox]

Very minor change, mostly in the grille area, crosshatch.

Now that I see the pics... Well, that's just royally disappointing. It's just when you keep saying things like modified exterior to fit american tastes, then just slap a new grille on it, it's almost insulting. Now mind you, I get that it would cost money to make necessary changes, but it seriously bugs me they kept using that refrain, and it's discouraging in terms of my confidence in them. A new grille does not qualify as revising an exterior to meet American tastes. It's just quite absurd.

With that out of the way, it is nice to see them back in the game. Using the 62te is a huge surprise to me. I certainly was not expecting that. I suppose though, for an FWD vehicle they don't have a ton to chose from. At least for US transmissions. I just hope it's up to the task, given this vehicles potential payload. It's going to have some serious weight. I wonder if they have substantially beefed up the transmission.

 

[TWX]

I don't like the look of the Ducato-rebumpered Ram Van either. I think that they should blank out the current headlight placement and put the headlights down next to the grille. They don't even have to go as radical as the Ram's truck's front end, but they can certainly go closer to the minivan...

 

[bumonbox]

Not surprised, but I also see there is no passenger version yet. It was suggested this is on the list. but maybe not right away. They obviously wanted to get something into the market, and it seems they succeeded. Perhaps the coming years will bring further additions.

 

[Dave Z]

Yup. I think it was all about time to market, and cost reduction. It's already been delayed.

That new front fascia we all want... depending on how many they sell, it might be a very expensive item indeed.

The Chrysler powertrain is a major + as is the capacity boost, which is by no means small! and the durability upgrades.

If it sells well, I bet we see more cosmetic changes. Otherwise, think of it as just a way to get more fleet sales for Charger and Ram.

 

[unverferth]

TWX, on 07 Feb 2013 - 10:06, said:
I don't like the look of the Ducato-rebumpered Ram Van either. I think that they should blank out the current headlight placement and put the headlights down next to the grille. They don't even have to go as radical as the Ram's truck's front end, but they can certainly go closer to the minivan...

Those headlights make the front end look like it has devil's horns.
(Uh..oh....am I allowed to say that ??)

Does anyone know if and when there will be a passenger version ?

 

[marlon_jbt]

Headlight assemblies are more "Ram" ish... squared off inside.

 

[Bill Sample]

I would like to nominate Jack Ratchet to be the new stylist for Dodge Truck...whoops - I mean Ram. I realize there are many economic and regulatory details involved especially under the skin, but Jack's renderings are so much easier on my eyes!

 

[Seagondollar]

On the diesel Promaster: http://www.allpar.com/news/index.php/2013/02/ram-promaster-world-van-unveiled, what do they mean by "a six-speed automatically-shifted manual transmission"?

Is that a dual clutch manual, or what?

 

[ajbwalk]

On the diesel Promaster: http://www.allpar.com/news/index.php/2013/02/ram-promaster-world-van-unveiled, what do they mean by "a six-speed automatically-shifted manual transmission"?

Is that a dual clutch manual, or what?

"The M40 automated manual gearbox, standard with the diesel, is a manual at its core but an electro-hydraulic actuation system completes gearshifts and clutch functions. Manual shift-lever inputs can be used instead. Road-bend detection prevents gearshifts in winding curves and shift logic adjusts according to grade steepness. This transmission provides not only more efficiency (due to the mechanical linkage, instead of a hydraulic linkage), but also a wider range, with a lower first gear and higher top gear, aiding both acceleration and cruising efficiency. It is a single-clutch unit with a hydraulic release."

From the 2014 ProMaster page on Allpar

 

[patfromigh]

The 62TE has different gear ratios listed for the Promaster than what the minivan specs are. Did they make other transmission changes?

 

[burtstwins]

Headlight assemblies are more "Ram" ish... squared off inside.

Do you mean they ( the headlights) are different than the pictures at Motor Trend?

http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/minivans-vans/1302_2014_ram_promaster_first_look/

Or these are not the same as on the original Ducato?

 

[suzq044]

I have to say it looks very angry from the head-on shot.