2013 Ram 1500

The 2013 Ram 1500 will support the same look just a little bit different looking with LED tail lights, halogen head lights, a taller grille, and a new front bumper. One of the best technology advancements that were done on the Ram 1500 was the coil-spring rear suspension instead of a leaf spring setup. The Ram 1500 will also have a new base V6 engine and will also offer an eight-speed transmission which will both help enhance fuel economy. Ram will also offer a rear-wheel or four-wheel drive which has the option of a regular cab, quad cab, or a crew cab. With a new cab configuration, they offer a short, medium, and long bed lengths with the mid-length bed measuring at six-foot, four-inches. Other exterior updated options also include rain-sensing windshield wipers and power folding mirrors. The Ram interior will be made of new materials that are supposed to have a better fit and finish. It also includes an 8.4 inch touch screen that is optional and they also offer a central locking functionality that looks the doors, tailgate, and the Rambox bed compartments. A large focus of the powertrain revisions was fuel economy and power. The 2012 Ram 1500 offered a 3.7 V6 that made 215 hp and the new engine makes an increase of 90 hp and an additional 34 lb-ft of torque with the new totals of 305 hp and 269 lb-ft of torque. The new Ram will also offer the same 5.7 Hemi V8 that will have an increase of five hp. The 4.7 V8 will also be available with 310 hp. A six-speed automatic will be standard but the Hemi will have an eight-speed that will be optional early next year. There will also be fuel saving technology such as a active grille shutter and a stop-start system. The active grille shutter will open and close automatically depending on the engine's cooling needs and the speed of the vehicle. The stop-start system shuts the engine down when the truck is at a stop and Ram claims it will improve the fuel economy by up to 1 mpg in the city. The Ram also offers a new four corner air suspension that has five ride height settings. It has a Normal, Aero, Off-Road 1, Off-Road 2, and Park. The Aero setting lowers the truck 1.1 inches from Normal, automatically at speed. Off-Road 1 raise the truck up 1.2 inches and the Off-Road 2 brings it to a full 2.0 inch above the baseline of Normal position. Park mode lowers the ride height 2.0 inches below Normal, to make it easier to get in and out of and to provide easier access of the bed. All five ride height settings can be changed manually using the dash mounted buttons or the key fob from outside the truck. The air suspension will provide steady ride height even when the truck is loaded with cargo or a trailer. Standard equipment that will help save fuel includes a new electric power steering, a variable speed engine cooling fan, and a lighter weight chassis and body components. The frame is supposed to be stronger and also weigh 30 pounds less due to high strength steel. The aluminum hood will cut 26 pounds off, new cross-members in the floor of the bed that saves seven pounds, and with a trimmed front bumper they loss four pounds. The lighter aluminum upper and lower control arms also shave weight. The new eight-speed transmission comes with a thermal management system that heat up the transmission fluid after the engine starts to reduce damage done to transmissions due to cold tranny fluid. The new Ram 1500 will be a truck that will give Chevy and Ford tough competition.

2014 Chevy Silverado

The current body style of the Chevy Silverado is ugly and is getting old to look at; fortunately they will be change the look in 2014. It is said that GM has been investing into a fifth generation small block V8 that will include an aluminum block and direct injection which creates a higher compression ratio. These new motors are also expected to continuing their cylinder deactivation that will result in better fuel economy. It is also expected to replace the 4.3 V6 that is currently standard in the base 1500 Silverado with a 3.6 V6 that is direct-injected that will produce a 100 horsepower and an extra 15 lb-ft of torque more than the 4.3 V6 which is a larger displacement motor. GM is also going to replace the four-speed automatic transmission with a six-speed transmission for increased fuel economy. Also for increased fuel economy, it is said that the new trucks will contain more plastic and aluminum which will take away as much as 500 pounds of weight. Changing the engine block from iron to aluminum will make a large weight reduction. The increased use of plastic makes the truck less of a truck because trucks are not supposed to have plastic instead of metal, including both bumpers. GM will keep the stout frame and body. The suspension of the new GM truck should be the same because past GM trucks have had great suspensions that haven’t had any problems. The current Silverado interior is extremely cheap. The majority of the interior is plastic and it has to be one of the cheapest plastics they can get. They also need a major cloth change too because they have started making it very cheap to cut costs. It is said that the 2014 Silverado will have an interior that will compete with the new Ford F-150 and the Ram 1500. The 2014 Silverado is also supposed to have a larger rear-seat space which has been a large shortfall for the Silverado compared to the competition. The new Silverado should also include the signature bow tie with a chrome bar on the grill and the Sierra should include the signature open grill look. The new GM trucks are also going to include leaf springs supporting it. I think that all GM fans and loyal customers are glad to hear that they are finally getting rid of the ugly and same body style they have had for five years now. GM people will also be glad to hear that the interior on the new trucks won't be so cheap and hopefully have good interior like the years before 2007. We will find out just how the new GM truck will do and how people like it in a year because they are scheduled to come out next year, halfway through 2013. We can only hope that all changes that GM is doing will only make the Silverado a better truck than the previous model.