Our love affair for utes has created a ready market for full-size pick-ups from the US. Little wonder the most affordable of them, the Ram 1500 Express, is a slam dunk.
Stand by for more US-style pick-ups on our roads: our appetite for “full size” utes has exceeded all expectations, prompting the local factory to triple output to fill back orders. The Melbourne production line that remanufactures Ram pick-ups to right-hand-drive is about to switch to three shifts – running 24 hours a day, five days a week – following an investment by the distributors of more than $10 million...
With EU emissions regulations tightening up in the next few years, some automakers have begun to embrace partial or full electrification as a way of avoid hefty fines. Although Fiat Chrysler (FCA) has announced plans to launch make Maserati a largely electric brand, add plug-in hybrids to its Jeep range, and make the next-generation Fiat 500 fully electric, none of these moves will help much in the short term...
Sources have told The Financial Times Renault is hoping to start merger talks with Nissan within 12 months, and then work on purchasing Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA). According to wire reports (via Automotive News), when Saikawa was asked about whether he knew about Renault's reported plans, he replied, "not at all"...
The PSA Group reportedly approached Fiat Chrysler (FCA) about a merger as early as this year's Detroit motor show in January, only to be rebuffed by the American-Italian company. Sources have told The Wall Street Journal the offer was rejected by FCA, and talks about a possible combination have not recommenced...
The 2019 Ram 1500 Rebel is more than just an improved off-road: It's a better pickup overall, with greater refinement and performance.
Ateco Australia has announced 2019 pricing and specs for the Ram 1500, which has gained a bolder new snout and some minor specification improvements for the new year. Although it's still the same 1500 we got before, not the all-new DT 1500 revealed at the 2018 Detroit motor show, the car has been given a new grille with more prominent badging at the front, and taller badging along the tailgate...
Fiat Chrysler CEO Mike Manley has confirmed the carmaker is "very open" to working with other manufacturers in essentially any form, as he looks for "any deal that would make Fiat stronger". Speaking with Automotive News at the Geneva motor show, he confirmed he's "very open" to working with other car makers in any way, shape or form, and is amenable to "any deal that would make Fiat stronger"...
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has recalled 573,876 Ram 2500/3500 trucks and 193,813 Ram 1500 pickups in North America, with major safety issues driving both campaigns. The former (and larger) recall pertains to a potential issue with the steering linkage, with FCA saying an "investigation discovered a specific steering-linkage configuration on certain vehicles may separate over time", creating a risk of steering loss...
Ram has unveiled a new multi-function tailgate for the 2019 1500, as the North American pickup market heats up in new, fascinating ways. The new multifunction tailgate is a direct response to the GMC Sierra's crazy new six-way tailgate and the Ford F150's integrated step and handle. It's made of aluminium, damped, and can be remotely opened...
Ram has revealed the bigger, badder 2500 Heavy Duty and 3500 Heavy Duty versions of its pickup at the Detroit motor show, creating the first production truck to top 1000lb.ft (1356Nm) of torque in the process. Although three engines will be offered in total, the headline unit is a 6.7-litre inline-six turbo-diesel pumping out 400hp (298kW) and 1356Nm...
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) will pay out roughly US$800 million ($1.1 billion) in fines, fixes and compensation to settle claims some of its diesel engines cheated their way past emissions regulations. The company had been accused of using an emissions-testing defeat device, like the one used employed by the Volkswagen Group in its Dieselgate engines, which could detect when a car was undergoing bench-testing and alter its operation to emit a legal quantity of pollutants...
American Special Vehicles has issued a recall for the Ram 1500 over concerns a loose cable could cause the parking brake to become "difficult to operate". The conversion firm reports the outer cable sheath for the park brake may have slipped through the end fitting. If the condition occurs, the park brake could also fail, meaning the vehicle is unable to be secured...
'Eats utes for breakfast', they say. But does it have the appetite to tow one?
If you’re looking to tow something big and heavy, like a big caravan, horse float or boat long distances, you’ll appreciate the effortless nature of this Ram 1500, and be happy to pay for the extra fuel it uses compared to a smaller diesel.
American Special Vehicles has recalled Ram 2500 and 3500 models sold between January 1, 2016 and October 1, 2018 over concerns about the heater hose pipe. The company reports a heater hose pipe mightn't be properly attached securely, creating a friction point with the brake pipe assembly...
UPDATE, 5 November, 2018: American Special Vehicles has issued a correction, now also accepted by the ACCC and live on the recalls.gov.au website. Where previously the concern was announced as a software issue, it has now been confirmed as mechanical. The updated notice reads: "Some RAM 2500 and 3500 Trucks may have a defective tie rod bracket and mounting hardware...
American Special Vehicles has issued a recall for the 2015-2017 Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500, over concerns about a defective tailgate latch. According to the company, the latch might disconnect while the vehicle is driving. If there's anything unrestrained in the tray, there's a risk it'll slide onto the road and create a hazard for other road users...
The RAM 1500 is the latest addition to the ASV stable in Australia, and priced to start from under 80k drive-away, it promises to appeal to cashed-up ute buyers.
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) has been forced to issue a global recall for more than 1.1 million Ram trucks in the US, along with a further 260,000 in Canada, nearly 20,000 in Mexico, and a further 25,000 in markets outside North America. According to the manufacturer, affected models are fitted with faulty power-locking mechanisms that could break over time...
