The Ultimate Honor!!!

2010 Motor Trend Truck of the Year: Ram Heavy Duty

Star Power: The Hardest-Working Truck in Tow Business
December 10, 2009
By Allyson Harwood


Despite the effects of the Great Recession on personal-use truck sales, there is still demand for pickups ready to do hard work. The heavy-duty truck market has gotten smaller, but the guys who buy those pickups are fiercely loyal to the segment-they need the extreme capability these hard-working haulers provide. Some may wonder why anyone would own a truck that can tow nearly 20,000 pounds, but for a lot of people in construction, those who transport vehicles or goods, and those with ranches, this is just a part of everyday life.

Within the next few months, the heavy-duty category will heat up, as all three manufacturers have all-new offerings coming. The Ram Heavy Duty is the first to market, and it's already ahead of the game. When Ford and GM's all-new heavy-dutys come out, both new diesel engines are going to require urea injection to meet emissions requirements that take effect January 2010. The Ram Heavy Duty's Cummins inline-six turbodiesel, which puts out an impressive 350 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque, met those requirements -- without urea -- over a year ago.

Instead, the Ram 2500 and 3500 use a NOx adsorber with precious metals that convert the NOx into inert gases. Not only does this mean the Ram's emissions and exhaust systems are less complex than those in the upcoming Ford Super Duty and Silverado/Sierra HD (which could improve reliability and help keep maintenance costs down), it also means that, at the dealership, the Ram will very likely have a price advantage over its competitors. And while in this size category diesel is king, there are plenty of heavy-duty truck buyers who prefer gas power. The 5.7-liter Hemi, the Ram's base engine, has the most horsepower (383) and torque (400 pound-feet) of any V-8 in its class -- and only the Ford Super Duty's V-10 has more torque than the Hemi, but it still has less horsepower.

Read more: http://www.motortrend.com/oftheyear/truck/112_1002_2010_motor_trend_truck_of_the_year_winner_ram_heavy_duty/index.html#ixzz0aKe1z44X

The Awards Keep Rolling in....

Automobile Magazine Ranks Ram 1500
“2010 Automobile All-Star”
Dodge Ram 1500 From meathead to egghead.
By Joe Lorio

The pickup market is among the most stagnant and resistant to change of any
segment in the automotive arena. So when a new pickup has the fortitude to
question established practices, it deserves to be recognized. The new halfton
Dodge Ram is that truck.

Cutting against the unquestioned trend of ever-more-ludicrous towing figures,
towering "in-your-face" grilles, and absurdly jacked-up ride heights, Dodge
engineers stepped back from the mindless braggadocio to create a vehicle that
actually works smarter. Throwing out years of accepted wisdom, they scrapped
the antediluvian leaf springs in favor of a well-located coil-sprung rear
axle, dramatically improving the pickup's ride quality. They retreated from
the cartoonish styling and instead shaped their truck in the wind tunnel, and
consequently it uses less fuel. They also at long last addressed the issue of
covered, secure cargo storage - which other makers of full-size trucks had
consigned their buyers to add themselves or do without - and created the
hugely innovative RamBox in-bedside storage compartments. Apparently also
questioning the notion that a noisy truck is somehow acceptable where a noisy
car is not, Dodge created a Ram that is astonishingly quiet to drive
(although we are glad to still hear the Hemi V-8's distinct burble at startup).
In the suddenly competitive domain of interiors, the Ram sets the
standard by living up to the radical idea that the cabin of a $40,000 truck
should be as nice as that of a $40,000 car.

In all these changes, the Ram often had to go not just against its
competitors, but also its own history. It surely was not easy. The Dodge Ram
has gone from meathead to egghead, adding brains to its brawn. As a result,
it surges to the front of the pack as the most livable yet still highly
capable big pickup in the land.

Jeep® Named Top Domestic Brand in Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com® 2010 Residual Value Study

• Jeep_® brand boasts highest resale value among all domestic brands
• Jeep brand resale value improves for 2010 as industry average declines
• Jeep vehicles projected to retain nearly 36 percent of original retail price after five years of ownership – more than 3 percent above industry average
• Jeep one of only two brands in top 10 with improved resale value for 2010

Auburn Hills, Mich. , Dec 4, 2009 -

Buy Jeep_®, and get value. Including resale value.

The iconic Jeep brand ranks as the top domestic brand in Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com® 2010 Residual Value Study.

According to the annual resale value analysis, new 2010 Jeep brand vehicles will maintain 35.7 percent of their original value after five years of ownership – more than 3 percent above the industry average.

“This achievement is a testament to the strength and heritage of the Jeep brand,” said James Bell, Executive Market Analyst – Kelley Blue Book. “The word ‘Jeep’ has long stood for strength, portraying the vision of what a Jeep is, and what it can do. The Wrangler has, and continues to be the backbone of this marque, drawing a strong and loyal following, helping to maintain its value.”

While eight of the brands in the study’s top 10 declined versus their 2009 values – with the industry average declining 1.6 percent – the Jeep brand’s resale value improved 2.8 percent for 2010.

“We are pleased that the Jeep brand has been recognized by Kelley Blue Book for earning the highest resale value among domestic brands, and that Jeep has improved significantly in a difficult year that has seen the industry decline,” said Mike Manley, President and CEO – Jeep Brand, Chrysler Group LLC. “The Jeep brand’s high resale value is a testament to a legendary, iconic brand that provides consumers an array of SUVs that deliver a unique blend of freedom and adventure, capability, best-in-class claims and value.”

Jeep vehicles have always been right-sized, never wasteful and deeply respectful of the environment – traits important to all Jeep owners who share a passion for adventure, fun and freedom in whatever they do. The brand’s legendary Go Anywhere, Do Anything™ heritage is maintained in the widest range of sport-utility vehicles (SUVs) under one brand.

• Jeep Compass is a compact SUV with a modern, urban design that delivers fun, freedom, utility, best-in-class fuel economy of 29 miles per gallon (mpg) and Jeep 4x4 capability at a terrific value
• Jeep Patriot is designed to reach younger buyers wanting the credibility, capability and cachet of the Jeep brand at an affordable price with class-leading fuel economy of 29 mpg. Patriot was recently named an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) “Top Safety Pick,” and earned the Texas Auto Writers Association’s “Compact SUV of Texas” award
• Jeep Liberty offers legendary Trail Rated® Jeep 4x4 capability combined with a new level of on-road refinement and innovative features, including an industry-exclusive Sky Slider full-length open-canvas roof
• Jeep Wrangler, the brand icon, remains true to its heritage as the original, extreme fun-and-freedom machine
• Jeep Wrangler Unlimited is the only four-door convertible SUV on the market with room for five adult passengers
• Jeep Grand Cherokee, the vehicle that revolutionized the SUV market when it was introduced in 1992, continues as the luxury flagship of the brand with its on-road refinement and off-road capability
• Jeep Commander, with seating for seven, delivers a best-in-class off-road driving experience with superior on-road ride and handling

About the Jeep brand
Built on nearly 70 years of legendary heritage, Jeep is the authentic SUV with class-leading capability, craftsmanship and versatility for people who seek extraordinary journeys. The Jeep brand delivers an open invitation to live life to the fullest by offering a full-line of vehicles that continue to provide owners with a sense of security to handle any journey with confidence.

To meet consumer demand around the world, all seven Jeep models are sold outside North America – and all are available in right-hand drive versions and with gasoline and diesel powertrain options. Chrysler Group LLC sells and services vehicles in approximately 120 countries around the world.

About Kelley Blue Book (www.kbb.com)
Since 1926, Kelley Blue Book, The Trusted Resource®, has provided vehicle buyers and sellers with the new and used vehicle information they need to accomplish their goals with confidence. The company’s top-rated Web site, www.kbb.com, provides the most up-to-date pricing and values, including the New Car Blue Book® Value, which reveals what people actually are paying for new cars. The company also reports vehicle pricing and values via products and services, including software products and the famous Blue Book® Official Guide. According to the C.A. Walker Research Solutions, Inc. – 2009 Spring Automotive Web Site Usefulness Study, kbb.com is the most useful automotive information Web site among new and used vehicle shoppers, and half of online vehicle shoppers visit kbb.com. Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com also is a W3 Gold Award winner, sanctioned by the International Academy of Visual Arts. Kbb.com is a leading provider of new car prices, car reviews and news, used car Blue Book Values, auto classifieds and car dealer locations. No other medium reaches more in-market vehicle shoppers than kbb.com.

Four Chrysler vehicles named as IIHS top safety picks

Posted on Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 at 10:40 AM EST.

One of the nation’s leading auto safety group’s has named four Chrysler Group LLC vehicles among its top safety picks for 2010.

The 2010 Dodge Journey, 2010 Chrysler Sebring (when equipped with available Electronic Stability Control [ESC]), 2010 Dodge Avenger (when equipped with available ESC) and 2010 Jeep® Patriot (with available seat-mounted air bags) were named top safety picks by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The Sebring, Avenger and Journey also were awarded IIHS top safety picks for both the 2009 and 2010 model years. The 2010 Patriot joins the trio in receiving the highest possible rating from the nonprofit research organization.
For the 2010 model year, Chrysler Group products comprised almost 15 percent of the total vehicles awarded top safety pick status by the IIHS to automakers. The award recognizes automobiles with ESC that perform well in the safety group’s front-impact, side-impact, rear-impact and new for 2010, roof-strength evaluations.

“With the addition of the Jeep Patriot, the Chrysler Group has received four top safety picks in the 2010 model year—a great accomplishment for our company,” Scott Kunselman, Senior Vice President—Engineering, said. “IIHS’ recognition of our products underscores the Chrysler Group’s engineering capability and leadership in occupant protection.”

The 2010 Patriot, Sebring, Avenger and Journey use a two-fold approach to safety—passive features combined with accident-avoidance features. Available safety and security features on all four vehicles include ESC with traction control, Brake Assist and anti-lock braking system (ABS), driver and front-passenger active head restraints, front seat-mounted side air bags and advanced multi-stage front air bags.

“Chrysler showed the most improvement of any automaker for 2010,” IIHS President Adrian Lund said. “These Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge models are part of an elite group that afford the best overall crash protection and have electronic stability control, which can help keep drivers out of crashes altogether.”

The Chrysler Group’s four top safety picks all feature the company’s new active head restraint system for front-seat occupants. This new system aids the head restraints ability to minimize neck injuries caused by rear-impact accidents. In the event of a rear impact, the head restraints deploy to remove the space between the occupants head and the restraint to help minimize whiplash-type injuries.

The Results of the IIHS help save lives!

“A vehicle that earns the Top Safety Pick designation provides the best overall protection in the three most common kinds of crashes,” said Adrian Lund, President – Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. “Top-level crash-test performance plus electronic stability control to help keep drivers out of crashes are the tough criteria needed to earn this award.”

The Results of their efforts saves lives...

On September 9, 2009, the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety destroyed a perfectly good 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air. This wanton dispatching of a perfectly good 50-year-old Chevrolet dismayed lovers of vintage cars, but it did add a “Thank God” to the old saying, “They just don’t build them like they used to.”
Presumably as a part of celebrations marking its Golden Anniversary year, the IIHS set up a mano a mano matchup between a mid sized 2009 and the hoary Bel Air. One round, no timeouts. In one of those cold, unwelcoming crash-test buildings, the two cars and their dummy pilots smacked each other at a speed of 40 mph in the front-offset format. That meant that the Bel Air’s left headlight struck the 2009 in about the middle of its hood. The result was not encouraging to those who believe that ancient iron trumps 21st Century plastic.
If the Bel Air’s dummy driver didn’t “die” in the crash, it would be a simulated miracle. The driver of the Malibu, however, enjoyed the protection of an airbag and seat belts, and got through the encounter bruised but breathing.
Because I am old enough to have driven a 1959 Bel Air when it was new, the IIHS demonstration got me to thinking about just how far we’ve come in the safety area since the year before John F. Kennedy became President of the United States. In those 50 years, we have come to take a lot of now-common safety features for granted. Here are just a few of them.
Tires: Tired no longer regularly blow out or otherwise lose their air supply at the slightest provocation. We often overlook the considerable contributions the tire companies have made to safe vehicle operation.
Seat belts: These things have come from cumbersome urban legends (“My great-uncle’s barber knew a man who was trapped in a burning vehicle by his seat belt.”) to easy-to-use devices that only the criminally dense among us refuse to use.
Airbags: Taken together with seat belts, the airbag has kept no telling how many drivers in their seat after a crash instead of letting them rocket through the windshield. We now also have side and head-level airbags.
Crushable steering columns: Once upon a time it was possible to impale yourself on the steering column and suffer the discomfort that comes with shoving the horn button through your sternum. Not any more.
Antilock braking systems: These lifesavers are as ubiquitous as wheel covers nowadays and demonstrate on a daily basis what a good idea it is to have electronic wizardry keep all four of your car’s wheels turning at the same speed.
Crumple zones: You can see these at work if you watch Indy racing. Instead of using the driver to absorb impact, you use collapsing front ends and engine compartments. This theory can be traced to an old stunt man trick: jumping from the third floor onto a stack of cardboard boxes which collapse in order and diminish the kinetic energy our hero generated during his free fall.
Alcohol awareness impact: Not a feature, but a practice that deserves mention. The involvement of alcohol in vehicular accidents and deaths almost defies overstatement. The IIHS estimates that 40 percent of road fatalities involve alcohol. Bad enough, but down substantially from the 1970s when the figure was 70 percent. The National Institute of Health says that reductions in driving after drinking saved more than 150,000 lives between 1982 and 2001, which would be more than the combined total saved by increases in seat belt use, airbags, and motorcycle and bicycle helmets.
There are of course a bushel of other new safety features—electronic stability control, rear-vision cameras and directional headlights to name just three—and there are dozens more either here or on the way. But suppose we ask what have all these improvements done for us?
The answer is one hell of a lot. Using only a few of the relevant statistics, here’s the story in brief.
In 1959, 36,223 motorists missed their next meal. As a nation we drove 700.5 million miles, and that worked out to 5.2 fatalities per million miles traveled. Last year, with our population having grown from 179.3 million in 1969 to an estimated 300 million today, the year 2008 saw 37,261 highway deaths. U.S. motorists drove 2.9 billion miles last year and averaged 1.27 fatalities per million miles traveled.
In rough numbers, there were 120 million more of us, we drove four times as many miles, and we killed one-fifth as many people. That is beyond outstanding.
But at what cost? In 1959, the average cost of a new car was $2,200 and the average worker made $5,010. In 2008, the average worker earned $40,532 but had to pay $27,958 for a new car. In other words, the buyer paid nearly 40 percent of a year’s take for an automobile in 1959 but had to pay 69 percent in 2008. That’s a stunning rise, and you can bet that a large part of that increase in car prices is due to the inclusion of safety equipment. Imagine how much money the bean counters could thrift (their word) out of a car if they removed all the safety devices added in the past 50 years.
The real question is: Is safety worth it? I think you have to say it is. Otherwise, using the historic yardsticks for fatalities per million miles traveled, you’d have to add about 150,000 motorists a year to the Grim Reaper’s tote board. I say spend the money.

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