2013 Ram 1500: North American Truck/ Utility of the Year

The new Ram 1500 has been named 2013 North American Truck/Utility of the Year by a panel of automotive experts. The award is unique and considered by many to be one of the world's most prestigious based on its diverse mix of 49 automotive journalists from the U.S. and Canada who serve as the voting jurors.

The winners were announced at a news conference today at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

"For the Ram Truck Brand, this ranks as one of the proudest days in our history," said Fred Diaz , President and CEO – Ram Truck Brand and Chrysler de Mexico, Chrysler Group LLC. "Every truck-maker aspires to win the North American Truck/Utility of the Year. I tip my hat to the folks who worked behind the scenes to make the 2013 Ram 1500 a technological triumph.

"In no other truck will you find Ram's incredible combination of best-in-class fuel efficiency – 25 miles per gallon -- Pentastar and HEMI engines matched to TorqueFlite 8-speed transmissions, air suspension. Uconnect Access and 12 fuel-saving technologies that have raised the bar in the fullsize pickup segment."

This is the 20th year of the awards. The Ram has won North American Truck of the Year honors just once: in the award's inaugural year 1994.

For 2013, the new Ram 1500 offers buyers best-in-class 25 MPG fuel efficiency, new technology and new features without sacrificing capability. Ram 1500–the most recognizable pickup on the road–marks a milestone for Ram as this truck delivers a truckload of pioneering and fuel-saving systems. Equipped with a choice of engines, including the legendary 5.7-liter HEMI® V-8 engine or the award-winning Pentastar V-6, the Ram 1500 offers the best powertrains in the industry and are known for their reliability.

The 2013 Ram 1500 features first-in-segment technologies: eight-speed automatic transmission, stop-start system, thermal management system, pulse-width modulation and active aerodynamics, including grille shutters and active air suspension. The 2013 Ram 1500 is available in nine trim levels and starts at $23,585 including $995 destination charge.

Ram engineers changed every area of the truck – from a newly designed frame to new engines and transmissions to a new interior with the next-generation Uconnect® access system. With best-in-class ride and handling and best-in-class aerodynamics, the 2013 Ram 1500 delivers unmatched content, performance and capability to truck buyers.

SRT Unveils New 2013 Viper GTS Launch Edition Model in Monterey

• SRT Viper GTS Launch Edition is inspired by previous-generation Viper Coupe reveals in 1996 and 2006
• Historically significant exterior paint scheme features classic GTS Blue with exclusive, dual full-length Bright White stripes and ‘Stryker’ hood badge with exclusive blue background
• Exclusive interior content includes serialized dash plaque that aligns the build-sequence number to the vehicle identification number and special ‘Stryker’ badge on steering wheel
• Production will be limited during first run of 2013 SRT Viper GTS models at Conner Avenue Assembly Plant in Detroit
• SRT brand’s flagship performance machine returns later this year with two new models – SRT Viper and SRT Viper GTS – both powered by all-aluminum, mid-front, 8.4-liter V-10 engine delivering 640 horsepower and 600 lb.-ft. of torque

The Chrysler Group’s Street and Racing Technology (SRT) brand will mark their first official appearance at the renowned automotive events in Monterey, Calif., this weekend with the unveiling of the new, limited-edition 2013 SRT Viper GTS Launch Edition model.

A sneak peak of the SRT flagship supercar will take place from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m Friday, Aug. 17, at the Quail Lodge as part of “The Quail: A Motorsports Gathering” event. Then on Saturday, Aug. 18, and Sunday, Aug. 19, the SRT Viper GTS Launch Edition will be displayed on the Concept Lawn at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. 

The 2013 SRT Viper GTS Launch Edition evokes memories of past Viper Coupe reveals in 1996 and 2006 with symbolic GTS Blue paint and dual Bright White stripes – exclusive to Launch Edition models – running the length of its all-new exterior that incorporates iconic Viper styling cues with a contemporary execution. The 2013 SRT Viper GTS Launch Edition carries on the tradition of special Viper model builds to the fifth generation of the American-built supercar with true performance enthusiasts and collectors in mind.

“Designed with Viper loyalists in mind, the 2013 SRT Viper GTS Launch Edition model brings back the classic paint schemes that have adorned all previous Viper coupe launches to help us celebrate the return of our brand’s flagship performance machine to the supercar market,” said Ralph Gilles, President and CEO – Street and Racing Technology Brand and Motorsports and Senior Vice President – Product Design, Chrysler Group LLC. “Our American-built supercar showcases the very best we have to offer by incorporating superior craftsmanship, the finest materials, a host of new technologies and ergonomic improvements while respecting its focus on outright performance.”

In addition to its historically significant paint scheme, the wheels on SRT Viper Launch Edition models are a modern deep-section design, featuring a five-spoke polished forged-aluminum design. “Stryker” badges found on the hood and steering wheel add to the exclusivity, with a blue background replacing grey found on all other 2013 SRT Vipers models. 

The new Stryker logo was named by owners who attended the 2010 Viper Owners Invitational event in Salt Lake City. Stryker marks the first new emblem for Viper since 2003 and the third incarnation of a Viper logo, following “Sneaky Pete” and “Fang.”

Inside of the 2013 SRT Viper GTS Launch Edition, a serialized dash plaque further improves collectability by aligning the build sequence number to the vehicle identification number. Black Laguna leather with contrast stitching is found throughout, covering the seats, door trim, instrument panel, steering wheel, grab handle, shift knob and center console. Alcantara covers the headliner and white bezels are finished in Satin Silver. 

Return of the ‘Snake’The 2013 SRT Viper and SRT Viper GTS models are set to return in fourth quarter of 2012 with more power and performance, superior craftsmanship, new technologies and creature comforts. 

The all-aluminum, mid-front, 8.4-liter V-10 powerplant delivers 640 horsepower and 600 lb.-ft. of torque – the most torque of any naturally aspirated sports car engine in the world. Standard safety features include electronic multistage stability control, traction control and new 4-channel antilock brake system (ABS) 

An all-new carbon-fiber and aluminum skin is sculpted for high-speed stability and a slippery .364 drag coefficient. Chassis enhancements bring 50 percent improvement in torsional stiffness, while triple-digit weight reduction results in a Viper best power-to-weight ratio.

The 2013 SRT Viper models feature timeless exterior designs incorporating iconic Viper styling cues with a contemporary execution. All-new, innovative interior designs set new standards with premium materials, new technologies and superior craftsmanship.

SRT Brand Presence in Monterey In addition to showcasing the new 2013 SRT Viper GTS Launch Edition during the weekend, the SRT brand will have an expanded new vehicle display at the Quail Lodge on Friday, Aug. 17, along with additional displays and interactive fan activities at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion at Laguna Seca Raceway from Aug. 17–19 and the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance from Aug. 16-19.

Chrysler Group LLC Reports June 2012 U.S. Sales

Increased 20 Percent; Best June Sales in Five Years

• Best June sales since 2007
• 27th-consecutive month of year-over-year sales gains
• Second-quarter sales up 24 percent versus same period last year
• Chrysler, Jeep®, Dodge, Ram Truck, and FIAT brands each post sales increases in June compared with same month a year ago
• FIAT brand sets sales record for fifth-consecutive month
• First-half FIAT brand sales surpass total sales in 2011
• All-new 2013 Dodge Dart compact car begins arriving in dealership showrooms
• Chrysler brand sales up 63 percent; best June sales since 2008
• Chrysler 200 mid-size sedan sets sales record for month of June
• Chrysler 300 flagship sedan posts lofty 179 percent increase; best June sales in five years
• Chrysler Town & Country minivan logs double-digit sales gain
• Jeep brand sales up 23 percent; best June sales since 2007
• Jeep Wrangler sales up 28 percent; sets all-time sales record
• Jeep Grand Cherokee has best June sales since 2005
• Ram pickup truck sales up 12 percent; best June sales since 2007
• Dodge brand sales up 2 percent; best June sales since 2007
• Dodge Avenger mid-size sedan sales up 68 percent; sets sales record for month of June
• Dodge Challenger muscle car sets sales record for month of June
• Dodge Journey full-size crossover logs 49 percent increase; sets sales record for month of June
• Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com names all-new 2013 Dodge Dart and 2012 Fiat 500 to its ‘10 Coolest New Cars Under $18,000’ list
• Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 and Chrysler 300 SRT8 make Robb Report’s ‘Best of the Best: 2012’ list
• Edmunds.com and Parents magazine select 2012 Dodge Durango among the ‘Best Family Cars of 2012’

July 3, 2012 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - Chrysler Group LLC today reported U.S. sales of 144,811 units, a 20 percent increase compared with sales in June 2011 (120,394 units), and the group’s best June sales since 2007.

The Chrysler, Jeep®, Dodge, Ram Truck, and FIAT brands each posted sales increases in June compared with the same month a year ago. Chrysler Group recorded its 27th-consecutive month of year-over-year sales gains in June. Chrysler Group’s second-quarter sales were up 24 percent versus the same period last year.

The FIAT brand set a sales record for the fifth-consecutive month and the brand’s 122 percent year-over-year sales gain was the largest percentage increase of any Chrysler Group brand in June. More Fiat 500 vehicles were sold during the first six months of this year than during all of 2011. 

The all-new 2013 Dodge Dart compact car has started to arrive in dealership showrooms across the country. The first sales of the highly-anticipated Dart are included in the June sales table. More than 1,000 Dodge dealers, eager to drive their first Dodge Dart back to their dealerships, converged on 12 “Dart Drive Away” events held around the country, some traveling distances greater than 500 miles to attend.

“June was another solid month for the Chrysler Group with U.S. sales up 20 percent and second-quarter sales increasing 24 percent compared with the same period in 2011,” said Reid Bigland, President and CEO – Dodge Brand and Head of U.S. Sales. “June also marked our 27th-consecutive month of year-over-year sales growth. Continuous improvement remains a key focus at Chrysler as we have steadily increased sales, improved quality, added production and created jobs.”

As the Fiat 500 was setting its June sales record, five other Chrysler Group models also posted record sales. For the third time in the last 12 months, the iconic Jeep Wrangler set an all-time monthly sales record. The Dodge brand had three record setters in June. The sporty Dodge Avenger mid-size sedan, the Dodge Challenger muscle car, and the Dodge Journey full-size crossover each set a sales record for the month of June. Rounding out the month’s pacesetters, the Chrysler 200 mid-size sedan set a sales record for the month of June.

Also contributing to Chrysler Group’s 20 percent increase was the Chrysler 300 flagship sedan with a convincing 179 percent gain. The Chrysler Town & Country minivan and Jeep Grand Cherokee each logged sales increases of more than 30 percent while the Ram pickup truck, with its 12 percent increase, recorded its 26th-consecutive month of year-over-year sales gains and best June since 2007.

Chrysler Group finished the month with a 67-days supply of inventory (358,260 units). U.S. industry sales figures for June are projected at an estimated 14.4 million units Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate (SAAR).

June 2012 U.S. Sales Highlights by Brand
FIAT Brand
The FIAT brand continued its record-setting pace in June with another monthly sales record. The brand has now strung together five-consecutive months of record-setting monthly sales. FIAT brand sales were up 122 percent in June compared with the same month a year ago, the largest year-over-year sales gain of any Chrysler Group brand. FIAT brand sales (20,706 units) in the first half of this year have already surpassed sales during all of 2011. Sales of the Fiat 500 began in the U.S. in March last year.

The Fiat 500 took home two awards in June. The Fiat 500 Cabrio by Gucci won “Best Small Convertible of the Year” at the “Topless in Miami” convertible event held last month by the Southern Automotive Media Association (SAMA). More than 60 journalists attended this annual event. Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com editors named the Fiat 500 as one of their “10 Coolest New Cars Under $18,000.” 

Chrysler Brand
Chrysler brand sales were up 63 percent in June, the brand’s best June sales in four years and 12th-consecutive month of year-over-year sales gains. All three Chrysler models contributed to the brand’s sound sales performance led by the Chrysler 300’s 179 percent increase, the flagship sedan’s best June sales since 2007. The Chrysler 300’s triple-digit sales gain was the largest percentage increase of any Chrysler Group model in June. Sales of the Chrysler 200 mid-size sedan, the brand’s volume leader for the month, and the Chrysler Town & Country minivan each turned in double-digit sales increases in June. The 200 set a sales record for the month of June. The Chrysler 300 SRT8 last month made Robb Report’s “Best of the Best: 2012” list in the sedan category.

Jeep® Brand
Jeep brand sales were up 23 percent, the brand’s best June sales since 2007, and its 26th-consecutive month of year-over-year sales gains. The Jeep Wrangler continued its torrid sales pace setting a monthly sales record in June, the third time during the last 12 months that this iconic SUV has established an all-time sales record. Sales of the Jeep Grand Cherokee, the most awarded SUV ever, were up 39 percent, its best June sales since 2005. Jeep Liberty sales increased a healthy 50 percent, the mid-size SUV’s best June sales since 2007 and best sales month this year.

The international luxury lifestyle magazine Robb Report recently selected the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 as one of the top performers in its annual “Car of the Year” competition, ranking the high-performance SUV at number nine amongst new vehicles from around the world. The Grand Cherokee SRT8 also was chosen by the magazine for the “Best of the Best: 2012” list in the SUV category. Robb Report readers were among the judges who joined the magazine’s editors and writers in driving, evaluating and ranking the “Car of the Year” and “Best of the Best” vehicles based on interior design, layout, amenities and luxury features.

Ram Truck Brand
The Ram pickup truck, Chrysler Group’s volume leader, continued on its sales roll with a 12 percent increase in June compared with the same month a year ago. It was the pickup truck’s 26th-consecutive month of year-over-year sales gains and its best June since 2007. The Ram 1500 pickup led the way with an 18 percent increase. Of the Ram 1500 sales, the regular cab pickups posted the largest percentage sales increase in June, while the quad cab trucks led in volume. The highly-versatile Ram Cargo Van, designed for small businesses and commercial fleets, posted a 272 percent increase in June compared with sales in the previous month of May. The Ram Truck brand posted its best June sales since 2007. 

Dodge Brand
Dodge brand sales increased 2 percent in June, the brand’s best June sales since 2007 and its 13th-consecutive month of year-over-year sales growth. Dodge dealers in June began selling the first of the all-new 2013 Dodge Dart compact cars to arrive at their dealerships. Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com placed the Dart at the top of its list of the “10 Coolest New Cars Under $18,000.” The Dart, the first Chrysler Group vehicle built on FIAT architecture, blends Alfa Romeo DNA with Dodge’s passion for performance and style, resulting in a groundbreaking vehicle that delivers features and benefits never before found in a compact car, all starting at $15,995 while offering up to 41 mpg highway.

Three Dodge vehicles – the Avenger, Challenger, and Journey – set sales records for the month of June. Sales of the Avenger mid-size sedan were up 68 percent, the largest year-over-year percentage sales increase of any Dodge model in June. The Dodge Journey full-size crossover turned in a robust sales performance as well. Journey sales were up 49 percent compared to the same month a year ago.

Edmunds.com and Parents magazine have selected the 2012 Dodge Durango among the “Best Family Cars of 2012.” This marks the 10th industry award for the Durango, including “Top Safety Pick” by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and “Full-size SUV of Texas” by the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA). 

BONUS AUDIO: Hot Rod Magazine Live - Ryan Nagode/Dodge Dart

The Dart is a thoroughly modern vehicle that's beautifully designed and crafted, packed with safety and technology, and is agile and fuel-efficient. It is the first jointly developed product from the alliance of Fiat and Chrysler, with a chassis derived from the Alfa Romeo Giulietta and Fiat powertrain technology in a vehicle designed and engineered by Dodge. The result is a groundbreaking new car and Hot Rod Magazine Live takes the opportunity to sit down with Ryan Nagode, Chief of Ram / Dodge / SRT / Fiat NA Interior Studios and get the inside scoop on the all new Dodge Dart. CLICK HERE

2013 SRT Viper GTS-R Goes Through Paces at First Track Test

SRT Motorsports recently completed the first on-track test of the new 2013 SRT Viper GTS-R with team driver Marc Goossens at Carolina Motorsports Park in Kershaw, S.C. Beth Paretta (Director of Marketing and Operations, SRT Brand and Motorsports), Gary Johnson (Road Racing Manager, SRT Motorsports) and Goossens give their thoughts about the new car and how the test went. The SRT Viper GTS-R is expected to compete in the American Le Mans Series GT class later this year. 



Beth Paretta (Director of Marketing and Operations, SRT Brand and Motorsports)“The first on-track test of the new SRT Viper GTS-R went extremely well. Even after all the hard work by the team, it’s still incredible how fast everything has come together in the development process. We were even able to expand the scope of the test beyond what would be normal for a first on-track session. We’re elated with how the SRT Viper GTS-R responded and look forward to returning to the track soon as we prepare to compete in the American Le Mans Series GT class later this year.”

Marc Goossens (Driver, SRT Motorsports Viper GTS-R)WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO BE ON THE TRACK AND MAKE LAPS WITH THE NEW VIPER GTS-R? “Obviously it was a great feeling. Since we’ve been in contact with SRT Motorsports and the team from Riley Technologies, this was a moment that we’ve all been looking forward to, especially during the unveiling of the car at auto show in New York. Once we showed what was coming in the near future, we couldn’t actually wait to show even more of it and, for sure, we couldn’t wait to get in the car, behind the wheel and see what it was like. We had a lot of expectations there since we were all so motivated to go ahead and drive it; it did what we expected. It responded in a very positive way; it was a pretty good first test that we had there.”

WHAT WAS THE MAIN OBJECTIVE DURING THE TEST SESSION? “Well I think to start with, obviously, you know, the guys have been working hard back at the shop to build this car, to put it all together. There wasn’t any drama or anything but it’s just the way it is with a brand-new car. Before your first time out, you have to make sure that everything works fine. It just happened that way. We went out basically saying like hey, we need to do a system check, make sure that everything runs okay, that everything fits on the car, there’s no leaks, nothing happening there. We didn’t really have the ambition from day one there to put on a lot of miles. That’s probably going to come with test days two and three, but for now I think it was just a system check, a real shakedown, or rollout, how you want to call it and that worked just fine. And I think to go out there and at the end of the first day to be able to already start changing some springs and doing some setup changes to see how the car responded to that, I think was quite an achievement for a first day out for this car. And that’s what we did. We had some setup changes. The car was actually responding to it which gave us a little bit of an indication of which way we need to work for the near future, make this car even more reliable and more competitive. There are a couple little things that needed fine-tuning but it’s always a pleasure to see that the guys have done a really good job in putting this car together. We can actually speed up the program now and get into some serious testing.” 

WHAT WERE SOME OF THINGS THAT YOU REALLY LIKE ABOUT THE NEW VIPER GTS-R? “It’s definitely the handling. We all expect to have good power from the engine; you can feel it on the straightaway. The car has great potential in any type of racing situation. But what amazed me was that we had everything together when it comes down to electronics in the car. 

"I’m talking about shifting procedure; it all worked from day one. We got the traction control working in a proper way. Those are things that I experienced in the past as a development driver that are not always the easiest things to get going from day one. I was pleasantly pleased to see that we had those kinds of things under control, straightaway. We haven’t been extracting everything out of the car right now but we can definitely see that there’s potential there and that’s over the whole line. We just need to explore everything now and go into deeper detail and see how we can get this car as competitive as we can as soon as we can.” 

Gary Johnson (Road Racing Manager, SRT Motorsports)“From our standpoint it was a pretty historic day. It was pretty exciting for everybody to see a new Viper GTS-R roll out and go on the track for the first time. I think everybody is excited. Everybody was pretty tired, of course, but everybody was pretty excited. It was an exciting day to see. I think the test was an incredible success. To basically build that car, start it up the first time like the day before and have it run around the whole day and do everything it was supposed to do was a huge achievement.”

WHAT WERE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU GUYS WERE IMPRESSED WITH AT THE TEST? “I wouldn’t necessarily say there was one area that was great about the car. I think the whole effort was what was impressive. Basically, we created a car from the ground up only using a few production-based components so for all of those systems, the engine, the drivetrain, the body, the brakes, the suspension, for everything to kind of come together and interact like it was supposed to was the amazing part for me. Typically when you start up a new car for the first time or you make a car from the ground up, there are all kinds of teething pains. You can have little issue after little issue that keeps you from running. In this case, Marc (Goossens) almost pushed the start button and drove away (laughs). The impressive part was, for lack of a better term, just the whole mojo of the program was great, that it fired up and everything worked right off the bat. That’s really the accomplishment for this test. It’s not like we were going there to work on handling or to go out and work on setups or anything. The purpose of the test was really to shake the bugs out of the car, work on all the individual systems and make sure every part of the car was working properly.”

WHAT HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE SO FAR WITH THIS PROGRAM? “For me, it’s the timing. That’s always the biggest challenge. If you would have seen that car three days earlier there’s no way you’d have believed that thing was going to roll off a trailer in three days to drive around the track (laughs). It’s incredible to see what a strong race team can make happen in three days’ time.”

“We’ve worked extremely well with Bill Riley and Riley Technologies in designing the car. They would put the driver in to make sure the relationships between the brake pedals, steering column and seat position were all lining up. Then when Marc came in, sat in it and he had some issues they immediately cut some pieces off, welded them, repainted them and got everything in line right away. That was just a few days before it was on the road. It was pretty cool to see just how serious the whole team is about getting this car right, right off the bat. “The car we used in the test is car number two. Car number one we finished for the (New York) auto show and we learned a lot just building car number one. So, car number two had the benefit of getting a lot of designing evolutions already before we’ve even started the on-track test program. It’s kind of funny how quickly things become obsolete or quickly become improved. The speed that we’re making changes and running this program is really exciting.” 

WHAT IS THE NEXT STEP WITH THIS PROGRAM? “We have several on-track tests planned before we will show up at our first race event. This first test was more like systems development to make sure the car shifts right, make sure the car cools right, make sure the suspension goes through all its motions and does what it’s supposed to, and make sure the brakes feel balanced. It was almost like design verification. Our next stage is really developing the car in two areas. One is a performance development and the second area would be the durability of the car. That’s more of a validation. Over the next couple of months, we’ll be at several different racetracks, several different environments to really improve the car’s abilities as well as find any weaknesses or issues that could arise that could eventually cost us a poor race result or a poor race finish.”