[Mario175]

According to USA today ram is going to announce the addition of the new 3.0L VM DIesel to its range starting in July
http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/driveon/2013/02/13/ram-diesel-chrysler-first/1917131/

 

[true_rt]

More info http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2013/02/its-official-ram-1500-to-get-v6-ecodiesel.html

 

[drew54]

Maybe we will have an official Allpar News announcement at midnight.

 

[marlon_jbt]

Good Job, "Dodge City" HR!

 

[saltydog]

Finally!

 

[Ramfan]

Woo Hoo !!

 

[Doug D]

YES! :thumbsup:


Now I gotta figure out to afford one......... :dunno:

 

[link3721]

Does this mean all those Ford "best combination of fuel economy and towing" taglines will be thrown out? I thought it was funny when they switched to that after they couldn't claim best mileage.

 

[TripleT]

Does this mean all those Ford "best combination of fuel economy and towing" taglines will be thrown out? I thought it was funny when they switched to that after they couldn't claim best mileage.

No they will just use a different tow rating measurement standard

 

[bumonbox]

You know, it had me realizing. Chrysler being first to the market is more beneficial to Chrysler than Ford or GM being first to the market would have been for Ford or GM..

I believe that because of the general discussion of brand loyalty and what not. While it will be a modest number, this could easily encourage certain buyers to jump ship and come to the Ram brand. And given the (Dodge) Ram 1500 is such a darn decent truck, they may retain those customers..

My feeling is, the Ram is, at this point - the best truck on the vast majority of any given metrics. Anything they can do to get buyers to take a closer look helps them. And since this market tends to see so many repeat buyers, it's harder to steal customers, if even through marketing. But if you do manage to get more people in the door, even if GM and Ford provide diesels a year or 2 later, Chrysler will have already done the proverbial damage.

 

[JRS200x]

My worry is that this will turn into what the heavy duty diesel war has, and end up being all about how much power and/or towing capacity these engines have. So we bring out our 3.0 with 420lb/ft, ford will be next with their 4.0 with 460lb/ft or something then Chevy etc... and in the end the gas mileage is no longer there to justify the price and really, towing capacity can only go so far in a 1500.

 

[Mike V.]

My worry is that this will turn into what the heavy duty diesel war has, and end up being all about how much power and/or towing capacity these engines have. So we bring out our 3.0 with 420lb/ft, ford will be next with their 4.0 with 460lb/ft or something then Chevy etc... and in the end the gas mileage is no longer there to justify the price and really, towing capacity can only go so far in a 1500.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

Mike

 

[bumonbox]

My worry is that this will turn into what the heavy duty diesel war has, and end up being all about how much power and/or towing capacity these engines have. So we bring out our 3.0 with 420lb/ft, ford will be next with their 4.0 with 460lb/ft or something then Chevy etc... and in the end the gas mileage is no longer there to justify the price and really, towing capacity can only go so far in a 1500.

It's always possible, but of course would defeat the entire objective of a small diesel in a half ton. Solid tow rating AND great fuel economy. My feeling is, for a small diesel to succeed on any large scale, it has to adhere to those metrics, or it will be relegated to a much smaller position. I suppose that's your point, I just would like to think they would be smarter than that. I would sooner imagine small incremental increases on power, but bigger attention paid to any chance to boost fuel economy.. After all, fuel economy has sort of become the spot light in the half tons lately.

 

[Mike V.]

You know, it had me realizing. Chrysler being first to the market is more beneficial to Chrysler than Ford or GM being first to the market would have been for Ford or GM..

I believe that because of the general discussion of brand loyalty and what not. While it will be a modest number, this could easily encourage certain buyers to jump ship and come to the Ram brand. And given the (Dodge) Ram 1500 is such a darn decent truck, they may retain those customers..

My feeling is, the Ram is, at this point - the best truck on the vast majority of any given metrics. Anything they can do to get buyers to take a closer look helps them. And since this market tends to see so many repeat buyers, it's harder to steal customers, if even through marketing. But if you do manage to get more people in the door, even if GM and Ford provide diesels a year or 2 later, Chrysler will have already done the proverbial damage.

Yes, a combination like this does really give Ram the chance to reel in a customer base that it probably would not have had a shot at. The key is getting it right and keeping those buyers! We don't need a botched start like the Dart GT or the Abarth where it is stretched out over a loooooooong period of time.

Mike