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Watch the video that inspired Ram's Farmer Super Bowl commercial

Chrysler may have the Super Bowl's most popular commercial for a third year in a row. Eminem and Eastwood helped it earn that distinction the last two years, and while Oprah did the voiceover for this year's Jeep ad, it's Chrysler's other spot that's in the running for Most Valuable Ad after the big game this year.
So where did the Ram brand's commercial about farmers come from? As it turns out, the ad appears to be inspired, shall we say, by a video produced by Farms.com that was uploaded to YouTube in June, 2011. Greg Mitchell of The Nation pointed out the similarities between the two in an article published this morning. The video uses the same speech given by famed radio broadcaster Paul Harvey played over a slideshow of farming images. It's the same concept as Ram's ad, though the truck brand did go out and commission its own images shot by very well-known photographers for its version.
Did Ram steal the idea? That does not appear to be the case. A message left on the Farms.com YouTube video says "Farms.com is pleased to be working with Ram Trucks and support the 'Farmer' Super Bowl commercial." When you play the video, a link even pops up to watch Ram's version.

Ram reveals 2014 truck lineup, EcoDiesel V6 a $2,850 option on 1500 models

The fullsize pickup truck market is as competitive now as it's ever been, and with Ford's F-Series line leading the way in sales, GM's Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra twins boasting brand-new designs, you knew Ram wasn't about to rest on its laurels for the 2014 model year.
And so we present to you the 2014 Ram lineup, with the biggest change being the addition of an optional 3.0-liter EcoDiesel engine for the 1500 model (the same powerplant that's gotten rave reviews in the latest Jeep Grand Cherokee) and the proliferation of the eight-speed TorqueFlite transmission across the entire model range. That engine boasts 420 pound-feet of torque to go along with its 240 horsepower, which means it ought to be able to tow just about anything the 5.7-liter Hemi can, while returning significantly better fuel mileage. Sadly, Ram has not yet released official estimated mpg figures, though it is claiming best-in-class results (though there aren't any other light-duty diesel pickups to compare against).
Standard on Ram 1500 is the Pentastar V6 engine that was introduced for the 2013 model year, pushing 305 horsepower and 269 lb-ft of torque, and the Hemi V8 is optionally available with 395 horsepower and 410 lb-ft of torque. All engines are mated to the eight-speed automatic. The previously available 4.7-liter V8 has been dropped for 2014.

Sunday Drive: And now for something completely different

This past week played host to a wide assortment of automotive news, highlighted by our first drive of the 2018 Volvo XC40. The Swedish crossover is targeted at young, successful Millennials, but it offers cool styling, fun dynamics, and all of today's must-have technology, so we think it ought to appeal to a much wider swath of the automotive marketplace. From there we answer the question, "What are hard on the outside and soft on the inside?" as we take a look at the next Mercedes-Benz G-Class SUV. We expect the German automaker's flagship luxury SUV to remain boxy on the outside, but the interior is going to be soft, supple, and luxurious. And then there's the Honda Clarity Plug-in Hybrid, which starts at starts at $34,290 and boasts 212 total system horsepower, 232 pound-feet of torque, 47 miles of electric driving range, and a total range of 340 miles. EPA rates it at 110 MPGe in EV mode, and 44 city/40 highway/42 combined overall. We compare it to other plug-ins like the Chevy Volt and Toyota Prius Prime. And finally we have some more spy photos of the 2019 Ram 1500. It doesn't have a traditional crosshair grille, but it's got plenty of chrome and an attractive upright stance that's sure to tempt future truck buyers looking for some sophistication to go with their work gloves. As always, stay tuned to Autoblog this week to see all the automotive news that's fit to print. 2018 Volvo XC40 First Drive Review | The Masspirational crossover Mercedes-Benz G-Class gets the luxe, high-tech treatment 2018 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid Review | It's what's on the inside that counts 2019 Ram 1500 shows chrome grille and more production parts Green Honda Mercedes-Benz RAM Volvo Technology Truck Crossover SUV Luxury Performance Sedan volvo xc40 sunday drive