Diesel engine added to light-duty Ram pickup for 2014 model year
by Dan Ilika
3.0-litre EcoDiesel V6 engine delivers 240 horsepower and 420 lb.-ft. of torque, Chrysler says
AUBURN HILLS, Mich.—In the ultra-competitive light truck segment, terms like “best-in-class” and “class exclusive” can be the difference between first and worst in the sales department.
Chrysler is hoping a combination of both those terms will help propel sales of its 2014 Ram 1500 to the top of the pile, with the automaker announcing a class exclusive diesel engine in its light-duty pickup that offers best-in-class fuel efficiency.
According to Chrysler, the 2014 Ram 1500, set to hit showrooms later this year, comes with an available 3.0-litre EcoDiesel V6 engine that delivers 240 horsepower and 420 lb.-ft. of torque.
The all-new powerplant comes mated with the TorqueFlite eight-speed automatic transmission and “is noticeably more efficient than all V6 gasoline engines in the half-ton category,” Chrysler claims.
The turbocharged V6 EcoDiesel is developed and manufactured by longtime Chrysler supplier VM Motor.
The Ram 1500 will be available with a 3.0-litre EcoDiesel V6 engine when it hits showroom floors later this year. PHOTO Chrysler
The engine is also offered in the Jeep Grand Cherokee.
For those opting to stick with more traditional gas-powered engines in their light-duty rides, the new Ram 1500 will still be available with the 3.6-litre Pentastar V6 and 5.7-litre HEMI V8 powerplants, delivering 305 horsepower and 269 lb.-ft. of torque and 395 horsepower and 410 lb.-ft. of torque, respectively.
Both also come mated with the TorqueFlite eight-speed transmission.
According to Chrysler, pricing for the 2014 Ram 1500 starts at about $25,000.
The V6 EcoDiesel-equipped model is expected to come in at a starting price of around $30,000.
The truck will be built at Chrysler’s Warren Truck Assembly Plant in Warren, Mich., with single-cab models built at the Saltillo Truck Assembly Plant in Saltillo, Mexico.
