2024 Ram 2500 Laramie on 2040-cars

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Stellantis and Foxconn's new joint venture will focus on connectivity

MILAN — Carmaker Stellantis and TaiwanÂ’s Foxconn announced plans to develop a jointly operated automotive supplier focusing on technology to make vehicles more connected, including artificial intelligence-based applications and 5G communications. Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares said the services that will be developed through the tie-up “will mark the next great evolution of our industry,” alongside fully electrified and hybrid powertrains. The deal brings together Stellantis, the worldÂ’s 4th-largest automaker formed this year by the merger of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and PSA Peugeot, and Foxconn, a major supplier of iPhones. The companies said the venture would focus on such services as infotainment, the integration of telecommunications and computer systems, artificial intelligence-based applications, 5G communications, e-commerce channels and smart cockpit integration. The companies announced a non-binding memorandum of understanding to form a 50-50 joint venture called Mobile Drive, which will be based in the Netherlands and function as an automotive supplier also to other carmakers. The new venture will combine advanced consumer electronics, Human-Machine Interfaces (HMI) to create new services “that will exceed customer expectations,” the companies said in a release. “Customers today and, in the future, demand and expect ever-increasing software-driven and creative solutions to connect the drivers and passengers with the vehicle inside and out,Â’Â’ Foxconn Chairman Young Liu. Alfa Romeo Chrysler Dodge Ferrari Fiat Jeep RAM Citroen Opel Peugeot 5g Connectivity Stellantis Foxconn

Sunday Drive: Trucks and SUVs of all shapes and sizes

The American automotive marketplace is dominated by trucks and SUVs, and so was the last week of coverage on Autoblog. By far, the most popular story of the week was our First Drive of the 2018 Lincoln Navigator. It may look like an old-school lumberer, but in reality Lincoln's flagship is a thoroughly modern, turbocharged-V6-powered, three-row, luxury people mover. The Jeep Wrangler is the world's most recognizable vehicle. So it's no surprise that the next version looks a whole heck of a lot like the last one, and the one before. It's all in the details, which is why we were so excited when Jeep decided to unleash a trio of images showing both two- and four-door Wranglers for us to dissect ahead of the SUV's official debut at the L.A. Auto Show later this year. Past that, spy photos of the next Chevy Silverado and Ram 1500 were predictably popular. See both of those below, and the cap it all off, check out the entire week's worth of SEMA coverage – including the bonkers Hennessey VelociRaptor 6x6 – in our mega image gallery at the bottom of this post. Enjoy! As always, tune in to Autoblog next week for a front-row seat to all the happenings worth following in the automotive industry. 2018 Lincoln Navigator First Drive | From black sheep to flagship 2018 Jeep Wrangler revealed: First photos released before L.A. Auto Show debut 2019 Chevy Silverado looks slim and clean beneath the camo 2019 Ram 1500 gets vertical touchscreen infotainment system 2017 SEMA Show Mega Photo Gallery Chevrolet Jeep Lincoln RAM Truck SUV recap sunday drive

Ram brings two new special edition trucks to Chicago

The Chicago Auto Show has historically been a truck-heavy expo, and this year FCA is rolling out two new versions of its stalwart pickup: the limited edition Ram 1500 Copper Sport and the Ram Heavy Duty Night edition. While there are no changes under the skin, the pair of appearance packages add a host of unique touches inside and out to help truck buyers set their rides apart from the crowd. The Ram 1500 Copper Sport starts at $46,950 and will be limited to just 3,000 units. That's a drop in the bucket compared to number Ram pickups that the automaker sells every year, but at least it's a limited edition that's actually limited. All models will be Crew Cab V8s. Aside from the copper-colored paint on the body, grille, and bumpers, the Copper Sport adds contrasting black-decaled Sport performance hood, black Ram's head grille badge, black tailgate badge and black body-side badges. The Copper Sport also comes with unique wheels in either 20- or 22-inch diameters (depending on whether you get a 4x2 or 4x4). View 10 Photos Inside, the truck gets copper-colored accents on the seat, headrests, and minor trim pieces. The headliner and A-pillars are all black to match the copper and black mesh seats. The Copper Sport also comes with a nine-speaker Alpine audio system that includes a subwoofer. The Ram Heavy Duty Night edition package is available on both 2500 and 3500 models, expanding on from the half-ton Ram 1500 Night edition. Like the Copper Sport, the Night edition is a special appearance package that doesn't change anything underneath. Where the former adds copper touches inside and out, the Night edition is essentially a factory blackout kit. On the exterior, the chrome on the wheels, grille, headlight bezels, and badges are replaced with either a gloss or matte-black finish. Inside, the Night edition comes with black vinyl and cloth seats. View 7 Photos Like the Copper edition, the only body style available is the Crew Cab. The package also isn't available on dualie 3500s, though customers can choose from two Hemi V8s or a Cummins diesel inline-six. The Night edition starts at $46,840 for a two-wheel drive Ram 2500. Look for the pair to hit showrooms in the next few months. Related Video: Featured Gallery Ram Copper Sport and Heavy Duty Night Models View 12 Photos News Source: FCA Design/Style Chicago Auto Show RAM Truck