Ram thinks EcoDiesel will lure small-pickup buyers into fullsize 1500
 

Filed under: LA Auto Show, Truck, Chevrolet, GM, Diesel, Ram

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One of the more curious developments at the Los Angeles Auto Show this week was the return of the Chevrolet Colorado pickup truck. General Motors ended production of the Colorado and its cousin, the GMC Canyon, early last year. At the time, the decision seemed to be the final curtain for small and midsize domestic pickups, as it followed Ford's decision to kill the Ranger and Chrysler's decision to end production of the Dodge Dakota.
Does Chevy's revival of the Colorado mean a new dawn for the segment overall? Yes and no. The Colorado's reinvention essentially provides a peek at how automakers tackle the same problem in two different ways. GM's approach is to create a new midsize pickup. Chrysler's approach, on the other hand, would seem to focus more on the prospective buyer than the product itself.

Reid Bigland, head of Ram Truck for Chrysler, argues the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel, scheduled to arrive in showrooms in March 2014, is essentially competing for the same buyers as the Colorado.

At first glance, there's not a lot in common. The fullsize Ram 1500's 3.0-liter V6 engine produces 240 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque and can tow 9,200 pounds. The midsize Colorado has a standard 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine that produces 193 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque, and can tow 6,700 pounds. The common denominator, Bigland tells Autoblog, is that prospective buyers of both emphasize fuel economy.Continue reading Ram thinks EcoDiesel will lure small-pickup buyers into fullsize 1500

Ram thinks EcoDiesel will lure small-pickup buyers into fullsize 1500 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 21 Nov 2013 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.



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