2024 Ram 2500 Laramie on 2040-cars

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Detroit Three's lucrative pickup war intensifies as Ram makes big gains

DETROIT — The battle for profits from sales of large pickup trucks is intensifying among the Detroit Three automakers as sales of small cars in the United States shrivel. For decades Ford has had the single best-selling truck brand in its F-Series trucks. General Motors' Chevrolet brand was a solid No. 2, and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles' Ram was a distant third. Now, that hierarchy may be in flux. Sales figures for December and the fourth quarter released on Thursday show Ram tied with GM's Chevy for the No. 2 spot, as sales of the redesigned Ram pickup surged, fueled in part by demand for an optional 12-inch (30.48 cm) dashboard screen. Chevy not long ago held second place to Ford by a wide margin. GM executives said on Thursday they are bullish on their new GMC and Chevy trucks for 2019.Related: How the Detroit Three's pickups compare on paper 2019 Ram 1500 Laramie review 2019 Chevy Silverado 2.7L four-cylinder review 2019 Ford F-150 2.7L EcoBoost review "There's no doubt this segment (pickup trucks) is one of the epicenters of the auto wars," said Sandor Piszar, director of marketing for Chevrolet at GM. "It's been that way forever, and we wouldn't have it any other way." On Wall Street, investors give electric car leader Tesla a higher valuation than any of the Detroit automakers. But in the nation's heartland, big pickups remain far more popular and profitable than any electric car — and most other consumer vehicles of any kind. Large pickups generate at least $17,000 a vehicle in pretax profit for GM, the company has indicated in disclosures to investors. By contrast, many Detroit Three sedans are so unprofitable, their manufacturers have decided not to build them anymore. 'Hotly contested' Sustaining sales and pricing in the large-pickup segment will be critical in a year when most forecasters expect overall U.S. car and light truck sales to fall. Ford's U.S. sales chief, Mark LaNeve, on Thursday called the F Series "the backbone of our franchise" during a conference call, and added the "segment will continue to be strong, but hotly contested" in 2019. Automakers are banking on pickup truck sales to stay strong even if U.S. interest rates continue to rise. Rising interest rates translate into higher monthly car payments and are expected to deter some buyers in 2019. GM has said 27 percent of Chevrolet and GMC trucks — which can haul trailers by day and substitute for a luxury sedan by night — sell for more than $55,000.

Discerning Ram owners can now match their truck to their RV

Are you frustrated that the two-tone paint on your new pickup truck doesn't match the RV that it's hauling? We have good news for you. Today, at the Dallas Auto Show, Ram unveiled a new color for the 2017 Laramie Longhorn: the imaginatively named RV Match Brown. In Ram's words, the "Luxurious two-tone premium model displays distinctive design cues" and is "designed to match or complement RV trailer graphics." The new color replaces White Gold in the two-tone lineup and is only available on the Laramie Longhorn trim. In addition to running the bottom length of the truck, the RC Match Brown paint covers the side steps and the spokes on the 20-inch aluminum wheels. All 1500 Laramie Longhorns come with 20-inch wheels, while the 2500 and single-wheel 3500 models come with 18s as standard and offer optional 20s. The color wasn't designed to replicate one specific color, just that general shade of brown that seems to be ubiquitous in the RV industry. The RV Match Brown is available with nine exterior colors. The Laramie Longhorn is the second highest trim level of the Ram 1500, slotting just below the Ram Limited. Features include items like laser-etched leather with complimenting walnut burl inserts. It's no Rolls Royce, but it's hard to find a more decked-out truck on the market. Related Video:

2014 Ram Promaster recalled over stuck pedal fears

Ram's new, Fiat-derived cargo van, the ProMaster, is set to be recalled over concerns that the accelerator pedals could stick. The issue affects 9,655 ProMasters, with 7,935 vans in the US, 1,437 vehicles in Canada and 283 in Mexico.
There have been no reported injuries or crashes from the issue - according to The Detroit News, there haven't even been any customer complaints. The issue was reportedly discovered while Chrysler was testing the vehicle at its proving ground, which is what prompted the internal investigation. Still, it's unlikely that ProMaster vans will suffer from unintended acceleration issues, as each van is equipped with a brake-throttle override.
As of this writing, there's been no bulletin or activity from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.