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2015 Ram 1500 Rebel is rugged, oddly styled

Feeling rebellious? Ram has you covered for 2015 with its new 1500 Rebel model, which, though nowhere near as focused as the Ford F-150 Raptor with which you may think it competes, is skewed toward the always-nebulous "outdoor lifestyle" set that marketing teams the world over seem to covet so much. For such hiking/camping or otherwise outdoorsy types, the Ram Rebel offers an extra inch of suspension travel over regular-grade 1500 models, along with 33-inch tires, a new bumper that affords a better approach angle, tow hooks and a center skid plate. Those are the kind of upgrades many buyers consider mandatory for basic off-road capability, and it's nice that Ram has baked them into a single model. We're less enthused by the in-your-face styling of the rebel, particularly up front, where the traditional crosshair grille has been replaced by a protruding proboscis that's nothing if not unique. There's also massive RAM lettering on the tailgate, just in case you weren't sure who made the Rebel... The show truck's red exterior is mimicked inside, and the leather seats are embossed in a tire-tread pattern. Subtle, it is not. Buyers will have the choice of a 3.6-liter V6 or 5.7-liter Hemi V8 engine, mated to an automatic transmission and the choice of two- or four-wheel drive, though we don't understand why anyone would choose a Rebel without 4x4. In any case, check out the live pics above and the press release and videos below for more details. New 2015 Ram 1500 Rebel Makes a Statement 2015 Ram 1500 Rebel takes advantage of exclusive air suspension in order to offer increased ride height Standard 33-inch tires provide capability and rugged looks First time 3.92 axle ratio available on 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine Equipped with factory lift, skid plates, tow hooks and other off-road-ready features New front grille design a significant styling departure for Ram Truck brand New interior colors and materials, including Radar Red and Black seats with tire tread-matching pattern January 13, 2015 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - The new 2015 Ram 1500 Rebel brings a one-of-a-kind off-road design to the full-size truck segment. "Offering an off-road-style package on the Ram 1500 has been on our to-do list for some time but the right combination didn't present itself until now," said Bob Hegbloom, President and CEO - Ram Truck Brand, FCA US LLC.

Killing the Dart and 200 might lower FCA's fuel economy burden

Killing the Dodge Dart and Chrysler 200 could allow FCA US to take advantage of an intriguing quirk in the next decade's fuel economy regulations. By increasing its ratio of trucks versus cars, the automaker might not need to worry so much about hitting the more stringent efficiency rules. At first thought, it might seem harder for an automaker with a ton of trucks to meet the government's mandated 54.5 mile per gallon corporate average fuel economy for 2025. However, every company doesn't need to hit that lofty figure, according to The Detroit Free Press. The exact target varies by the product mix between trucks and cars. "While passenger car and light truck categories have separate CAFE targets, it's still true that more trucks versus cars in a company lineup means a lower combined CAFE target," Brandon Schoettle, Project Manager Sustainable Worldwide Transportation at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, told Autoblog. "While passenger car and light truck categories have separate CAFE targets, it's still true that more trucks versus cars in a company lineup means a lower combined CAFE target." FCA US' current product blend has 80 percent pickups and CUVs, which means the company stands to benefit from a lower fuel economy target. It might not seem entirely fair environmentally, but this is a great move from a business perspective. The new CAFE rules aren't set in stone, according to The Detroit Free Press, but potentially taking advantage of the regulation is just one more reason to cut the Dart and 200. Modern crossovers also aren't gas guzzlers like older SUVs, which could make it easier to hit the fuel economy target. "Utilities offer practicality and versatility that cars do not, and now, built on car architectures, they do not penalize consumers on fuel economy as they once did," AutoTrader Senior Analyst Michelle Krebs told Autoblog. Schoettle warns that FCA is still making a gamble by killing the small sedans. "Depending on the previous sales volumes and how much these vehicles might have exceeded their specific CAFE targets, it's possible that these cars helped earn CAFE credits for FCA that they could bank for future use," he said. "Future sales breakdowns [car vs.

How to update and secure a vulnerable Chrysler Uconnect system

If you own one of the 1.4 million vehicles affected by the recent Chrysler software recall, you may want to watch this video. In it, we explain how to get the latest infotainment software loaded onto the 8.4-inch Uconnect system. The recall was a response to the findings of researchers who were able to hack into and remotely control a 2014 Jeep Cherokee through its cellular connection. Although Fiat Chrysler has worked with Sprint to plug most of the holes on the carrier side, there are still some vulnerabilities that only this latest software version can patch. Owners have three options to get the update: download it now, wait for a USB stick in the mail, or take the vehicle to an FCA dealer. Chrysler will be sending USB sticks loaded with the software update to customers. Anyone with an internet connection and a USB stick of their own with at least 4 GB capacity can speed things up by downloading the patch from the Uconnect website. We cover that process from start to finish in the video, with the final portion still applicable to those using the FCA-supplied USB stick. If after watching this you still don't want to tackle the patch yourself, you can take your vehicle to the dealer to have it done. Also note that this process is the same for all Uconnect updates, not just the one patching the exploits. Our demonstrator vehicle is a 2015 Ram 1500 pickup. The procedure should be very similar on other products with the 8.4-inch Uconnect system, with only the location of the USB port varying. Once you have the USB stick with the software on it – either after having downloaded it yourself or receiving it in the mail from Chrysler – the installation process is relatively simple. It takes about 15 minutes to perform the update; we edited out the wait in the video. To check whether or not your car's 8.4-inch Uconnect system is running the latest software, go to System Information on the touch screen's Settings page and look at Software Version. The update related to the recall is version 15.17.5. Related Video: Recalls Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM Safety Technology Infotainment Videos Original Video hacking