Dodge Rolls Out Heavy Duty Crew Cabs

“This is the continuation of the reinvention of our Dodge Ram lineup,” said Mike Accavitti, Director – Dodge, Chrysler and Jeep Brands. “Over the past five years, Dodge has gained market share in the heavy-duty pickup segment, and to stay on that track, Dodge keeps innovating. Our new 2010 Dodge Ram 2500 and 3500 pickups will continue to build on our momentum.”

If you’re in Chicago this week and have a chance to stop in at the Chicago Auto Show, then check out Dodge’s new fleet of crew sized heavy duty pickup trucks. For the first time ever, Dodge is offering a line of ultimate duty pickup trucks for crews, six passenger vehicles which can haul people while carrying a lot of stuff in its bed.

“Our new 2010 Dodge Ram 2500 and 3500 pickups continue to build on Dodge Ram’s leadership in the Heavy-Duty pickup segment,” said Scott Kunselman, Vice President – Jeep®/Truck Product Team, Chrysler LLC. “Our Ram Heavy-Duty pickups reinforce Dodge Ram’s bold and powerful reputation, and provide improved capability in critical areas of the segment.”

The new 2010 Dodge Ram 2500 and 3500 are designed to deliver a total package:

• Increased Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) on 2500 4×4 crew cab diesel models to 9,600 lbs. from 9,000 lbs.
• Increased Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR) on 3500 dually models with diesel, auto transmission and 4.10 rear axle to 25,400 lbs. from 24,000 lbs.
• Increased Gross Combined Weight Ratings (GCWR) on 3500 4×2 models to 24,000 lbs. from 23,000 lbs.
• Increased front Gross Axle Weight Ratings (GAWR) on several models:
  • To 5,500 lbs. from 5,200 lbs. on diesel 4×4 pickups
  • To 5,000 lbs. from 4,700 lbs. on diesel 4×2 pickups

Suspension upgrades and larger front axle U-joints, combined with increased front GAWR, result in increased front-weight carrying capability – a must for larger snowplows.

“We brought some of the best design cues from our Dodge Ram 1500 to the new 2010 Dodge Ram Heavy Duty, yet we set the 2500 and 3500 pickups apart from our light-duty trucks,” said Ralph Gilles, Vice President – Design. “The ‘big-rig’ styling is even more pronounced, with the classic Dodge look that conveys bold, powerful and capable.”

Following are more than 25 safety and security features available on new 2010 Dodge Ram 2500 and 3500 Heavy-Duty pickups:

• Anti-lock Brake System (ABS): Senses and prevents wheel lockup, offering improved steering control under extreme braking and/or slippery conditions
• Advanced multi-stage air bags: Uses either an Occupant Classification System or a Low-risk Deployment Air Bag for the front passenger
• BeltAlert: Periodically activates a chime and illuminates an icon in the instrument cluster to remind the driver and front passenger to buckle up if a vehicle is driven without the driver being properly belted
• Brake/Park interlock: Prevents an automatic transmission or transaxle from being shifted out of Park unless the brake pedal is applied
• Child-protection rear door locks: Disables the rear doors’ inside-release handle via a small lever on the door-shut face
• Constant-Force Retractors (CFR): Distribute force or load exerted on a seat belt, and then gradually releases the seat-belt webbing in a controlled manner
• Crumple zones: Designed to compress during an accident in order to absorb energy from an impact, decreasing transfer of that energy to occupants
• Electronic brake force distribution: Adjusts braking pressure front to rear, based on weight distribution of passengers and cargo, to minimize brake dive during hard braking
• Energy-absorbing steering column: The manual-adjust steering column utilizes two hydro-formed coaxial tubes that move relative to each other in order to allow the column to move forward for enhanced energy absorption during a crash. The power-adjust steering column employs a calibrated bending element that deforms during column stroke for optimal energy management
• Enhanced Accident Response System (EARS): Makes it easier for emergency personnel to see and reach occupants in the event of an accident by turning on the interior lighting and unlocking doors after air bag deployment. Also shuts off the flow of fuel to the engine
• Height-adjustable seat belts: Allows occupants to raise and lower the shoulder belt. Encourages seat-belt usage by offering a more comfortable fit
• HomeLink universal home security system transceiver: Stores three separate transmitter radio-frequency codes to operate garage-door openers, security gates, security lighting or other radio-controlled devices
• Interior head-impact protection: Interior pillars above the beltline and instrument panel, including areas around windshield and rear window headers, roof and side-rail structures, and shoulder-belt turning loops specifically designed to limit head-impact force
• Knee bolsters: The lower instrument panel and the glove box door are designed to properly position the occupant, enabling air bags to work effectively
• Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren (LATCH) Child Seat Anchor System: Designed to ease installation of compatible aftermarket child seats
• Low-risk deployment air bag: Front-passenger air bag that uses unique shape, venting, folding patterns, advanced inflators or a combination of these four technologies to position and inflate the restraint properly for a belted passenger, while also meeting federal safety requirements for out-of-position, small occupants and rear-facing infant seats. Occupants are advised to always sit properly in their seats with the seat belt fastened. Children 12 years old and younger should always be seated in the back seat correctly using an infant or child restraint system, or have the seat belt positioned correctly for their age and weight
• Parksense® Rear Park Assist System: Assists at low speeds in Reverse to detect stationary objects. Consists of visible (interior lights seen with rearview mirror) and audible warnings for the driver
• Power-adjustable pedals: Allows brake, accelerator and clutch (if equipped) pedals to move toward or away from the driver in order to achieve a safe and comfortable seating position for improved vehicle control
• Remote Keyless Entry: Locks and unlocks doors, and turns on interior lamps. If the vehicle is equipped with a vehicle-theft security alarm, the remote also arms and disarms that system
• Seat-belt pretensioners: During a collision, the impact sensors initiate front seat-belt pretensioners to immediately remove slack, thereby reducing the forward movement of the occupants’ heads and torsos
• Sentry Key® engine immobilizer: Utilizes an engine key that has an embedded transponder with a pre-programmed security code to discourage vehicle theft. When the key is inserted into the ignition, the controller sends a random number to the transponder and the engine is allowed to start. If an incorrect key is used, the engine will shut off after a few seconds
• Standard side-curtain air bags: Extends protection to all outboard front- and rear-seat passengers. Each side air bag has its own impact sensor in order to autonomously trigger the air bag on the side where an impact occurs
• Supplemental side air bags: Provide enhanced protection to the driver and front outboard passenger in certain impacts. Each side air bag has its own impact sensor which autonomously triggers the air bag on the side where the impact occurs. Supplemental side air bags are housed within the outboard side of each front seat
• Three-point seat belts: Front outboard seating positions and all rear seating positions in the Dodge Ram 2500 and 3500 Heavy-Duty pickups have lap and shoulder belts
• Tire Pressure Monitoring (TPM): Informs driver when tire pressure is too low. SLT and Laramie systems display actual tire pressure at each wheel. Pressure-sensor modules within the valve stems of all four road wheels send continuous radio-frequency signals to a receiver and the system (2500 only)
• uconnect phone: Uses Bluetooth technology to provide voice-controlled wireless communication between the occupants’ compatible mobile phone and the vehicle’s onboard receiver. The hands-free option promotes safety, freedom, value and flexibility

Source: Chrysler LLC

Is Chrysler Selling Its Viper Soul?

Last summer, Chrysler LLC announced that they were shopping the Viper, its super duper sports car model that has been a terrific halo car for its Dodge division. When introduced in the early 1990s, the Viper quickly established itself as a niche vehicle of choice, contending with the Corvette for American super car supremacy.

Chrysler’s fortunes since the Viper’s introduction have ebbed and flowed, most recently coming to a near perilous end. Thanks to billions of dollars of federal loan money, Chrysler LLC has been given a reprieve. But, as January sales figures show, that reprieve could be short lived as the automaker saw its sales plunge by 55% compared to the year before.

Automotive News is reporting that Chrysler has had three offers for the Viper and is performing due diligence with the prospective buyers. In a conference call to automotive press on Monday, Jim Press — Chrysler LLC co-president — made the announcement that a Viper sale was progressing. This news comes as Chrysler is desperately putting the final touches on its recovery plans, information that must be submitted to the federal government by February 17th.

Chrysler must prove that they’ll be a viable operation going forward otherwise the government may call in the loan.

Viper has never been a mass production vehicle. Instead, it is handcrafted and assembled at a small plant in Detroit which has 100 workers. Just last year, the 25,000th Viper ever built was sold, underscoring what a low production model the car is. In most years about 40,000 Corvettes are sold, thus there is no contest in that area.

With a retail figure starting around $91,000, the Viper is by far the most expensive and profitable model for Chrysler LLC.  Until it showed up, the Dodge division was considered bland and uninspiring, selling cars that were badge-engineered versions of Chrysler and Plymouth.

The Viper breathed new life into the division which then followed up with a number of exciting new models including the Dodge Ram pickup truck, Charger sedan and the retro Challenger. Still, with Viper out of the fleet, will the company be effectively selling its soul?

Chrysler’s prospects going forward are grim at best as a deep recession continues to hammer automakers around the world. Very few companies are escaping with even some of Chrysler’s larger competitors having a tough go of it. However, Chrysler’s financial position is especially terrible, necessitating drastic action.

I only hope that the Dodge Challenger can maintain some of the sheen for the Dodge brand once the Viper finally leaves the fleet.