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Consumer Reports says Ram 1500 tops fuel economy fight [w/video]

Consumer Reports takes its independent vehicle testing procedures seriously. In an era when we have to question the EPA's official ratings thanks to recent re-evaluations from Ford and Hyundai, an independent voice is important. So, when CR says something is the best, it's worth paying attention to. The Ram 1500 EcoDiesel has "about the same fuel-economy numbers that we typically see in a midsized SUV." – Jake Fisher In this case, CR took a look at the fuel economy of the 2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel and found that it came out on top of the fullsize pickup truck pack. The Ram did so with 20 miles per gallon overall and 27 mpg on the highway. CR gave the truck a total road test score of 82. The EPA says that the EcoDiesel 1500 gets 28 mpg on the highway, 20 mpg city and 23 mpg combined. Comparing official EPA numbers, the Ram is also the best among trucks in its class. It's nice when people agree on something. As we know from first-hand, long-distance experience, you can push the 1500 EcoDiesel to 38 mpg. CR found in its own testing that the truck had, "about the same fuel-economy numbers that we typically see in a midsized SUV," said Jake Fisher, CR's director of automotive testing, in a statement. Speaking of midsized SUVs, CR also announced this week that the new Toyota Highlander Hybrid got the top spot in CR's ratings in that category. CR liked pretty much everything about the SUV, saying that the "transitions between electric power and the gas engine are seamless" and that, "the new Highlander also handles better, with a steadier ride and reduced body lean in corners." You can find more at the CR website, in the October print issue of Consumer Reports or in the video and press release below. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. RAM ECODIESEL 1500 TOPS CONSUMER REPORTS FULL-SIZE PICKUP TRUCK RATINGS Redesigned Toyota Highlander Hybrid Climbs to Top of Midsized SUV List Yonkers, N.Y.- The Ram 1500 EcoDiesel climbed to the top of Consumer Reports' full-size pickup truck ratings with an impressive performance in the organization's fuel economy tests. The EcoDiesel (82 point overall road test score) turned in a best-in-class fuel economy of 20 mpg overall and 27 mpg on the highway, to help it score better than the previously tested Ram 1500 V8 (81) regular gas version and Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LT (80).

Marchionne's FCA-GM merger might come after Ferrari spinoff

Sergio Marchionne is continuing to rumble about working out a merger with General Motors, but don't expect anything big to happen before at least early next year. That's because Marchionne would likely wait for the Ferrari spin-off to be complete before beginning his next big deal, according to Automotive News. While the Ferrari IPO on the New York Stock Exchange is expected in the coming weeks, that only concerns 10 percent of the shares. The remaining 80 percent of stock is being distributed among shareholders in 2016. Piero Ferrari holds the final 10 percent with no intention to sell. This strategy allows FCA to claim 80 percent of the Prancing Horse's profits in the automaker's 2015 financial results. According to Automotive News, the tactic has other advantages, as well. FCA would be flush with cash by waiting for the spin-off to be complete, and it would keep Ferrari separate if a GM merger actually happens. Marchionne thinks Ferrari could be valued at over $11 billion in the IPO, and it could make FCA $3.3 billion richer when complete. Marchionne believes a combined FCA/GM could sell 17 million vehicles a year globally and rake in $30 billion in earnings. In the CEO's opinion, the two automakers are wasting money by developing components to do the same things on their vehicles. Although, so far the General's top execs are rebuffing all of his advances.

This 1958 Chrysler Imperial Ultra 7 Pointer 1 is Japan's Batmobile

It might be sacrilegious to admit among some auto enthusiasts, but there's more to driving than performance and speed. Sometimes it can be a matter of love, as it is for Yasushi Shiroi, who has spent the last 21 years building a faithful replica of a car from a '60s Japanese sci-fi show.
Shiroi's car is the star of the latest video from The Aficionauto and it's truly a labor of love. This machine, which is sort of like a Japanese Batmobile, is based on a 1958 Chrysler Imperial and is designed to recreate a car called the Pointer 1 from the series Ultra 7. The latter was apparently hugely popular when it ran in Japan in 1967 and 1968, and told the story a seven-member team that fought off aliens attacking Earth. While the car in the series never actually ran, Shiroi wanted one that would.
The Pointer 1 has been in constant development since Shiroi has owned it. All of the body modifications have been done in steel, but mechanically, it remains something of a mess. This replica might be slow - and to many people, ugly - but it has brought its owner about as much happiness as a car can, and that's something worth celebrating. Scroll down to check it out.