2011 Ram Laramie 4wd Cummins Prolift on 2040-cars

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Ram CEO rules out Hellcat pickup for now [w/poll]

If you've been waiting for Chrysler to shoehorn its new Hellcat engine into the Ram 1500 pickup, you may be waiting a while. Our compatriots at Car and Driver spoke to Ram CEO Bob Hegbloom about the prospect of a Hellcat pickup, and his answer was less than promising: "At this time, I would say no."
That doesn't mean it'll never happen, but does suggest that such a project is not currently in the cards. Which is a bit of a shame, considering how the last Mopar muscle truck turned out. The Dodge Ram SRT-10 was powered by essentially the same V10 engine as the Viper, channeled (in the short-cab version anyway) to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual. The supercharged, 707-horsepower Hellcat engine now available in the Challenger coupe and Charger sedan is even more powerful, and would make one heck of a performance truck - the kind that, long-travel suspension aside, might make some enthusiasts forget all about the Ford F-150 SVT Raptor.
In the meantime, we're still holding out hope that the Trackhawk name registered by Chrysler recently will point the way towards a Hellcat-powered Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT. Where would you most like to see the Hellcat engine pop up next?

Detroit 3 to implement delayed unified towing standards for 2015

Car buyers have a responsibility to be well-informed consumers. That's not always a very simple task, but some guidelines are self-evident. If you live in a very snowy climate, you generally know a Ford Mustang or Chevrolet Camaro might not be as viable a vehicle choice as an all-wheel drive Explorer or Traverse, for example. If you want a fuel-efficient car, it's generally a good idea to know the difference between a diesel and a hybrid. But what if it's kind of tough to be an informed consumer? What if the information you need is more difficult to come by, or worse, based on different standards for each vehicle? Well, in that case, you might be a truck shopper. For years, customers of light-duty pickups have had to suffer through different ratings of towing capacities for each brand. For 2015 model year trucks, though, that will no longer be a problem. According to Automotive News, General Motors, Ford and Chrysler Group have announced that starting with next year's models, a common standard will be used to measure towing capacity. The Detroit Three will join Toyota, which adopted the Society of Automotive Engineers' so-called SAE J2807 standards way back in 2011. The standard was originally supposed to be in place for MY2013, but concerns that it would lower the overall stated capacity for trucks led Detroit automakers to pass. Ford originally passed, claiming it'd wait until its new F-150 was launched to adopt the new standards, leading GM and Ram to follow suit. Nissan, meanwhile, has said it will adopt the new standards as its vehicles are updated, meaning the company's next-generation Titan should adhere to the same tow ratings as its competitors. While the adoption of SAE J2807 will be helpful for light-duty customers, those interested in bigger trucks will still be left with differing standards. There is no sign of the new tow standards being adopted for the heavy-duty market.

Auto journo learns hard way that new vehicles burn differently than old ones

Terry Box, a writer for the Dallas Morning News, was tootling down the Dallas North Tollway in a Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn pickup after work and enjoying the ride. Box thought the $53,335, option-filled press loaner had been "flawless - very serious competition for anything built by Ford or Chevy." And then, for reasons that still aren't clear, something in the engine compartment caught fire and the Ram cremated itself on the shoulder of an off-ramp.
Box tells the story and it isn't an indictment of the truck, but a cautionary tale about how new vehicles don't burn like the old ones did - and why not to go back for your gym bag. It could also be a kind reminder about what kind of safety gear everyone should keep in their cars. Click the link to read the whole piece.