That may sound like some pre-New Year’s horn tooting by the Ram brand, but look again! That direct quote is the opening paragraph of Detroit Free Press auto critic Mark Phelan’s column naming the 2013 Ram 1500 his choice for Truck of the Year.
In the Dec. 27, 2012, edition, the veteran auto writer gives solid marks for the Ram 1500’s forward-thinking innovation and execution on several fronts.
As the first non-hybrid pickup with fuel-saving auto-stop technology, combined with a first-in-segment V6 eight-speed transmission, the Ram 1500 achieves an impressive EPA rating of 18 m.p.g. city, 25 highway and 21 combined. That EPA combined rating, Phelan points out, “is 1 m.p.g. better than the highway rating for a V6 Toyota Tundra.”
Phelan also has high praise for the Ram 1500’s “smooth, comfortable ride” and “the structure that’s a pickup’s backbone” … a “nearly all new frame of “high strength steel” to save weight.
Inside, Phelan says the competition again takes a back seat as buyers experience “Chrysler’s outstanding uConnect system, which combines simple, user-friendly controls with state-of-the-art voice-recognition to create a control system that outshines high-profile competitors.
Commenting on this latest honor, Fred Diaz, President and CEO Ram Truck Brand and Chrysler de Mexico, said, “We are honored to have an endorsement from the Detroit Free Press and Mark Phelan. This award will be well-received by our dealers and customers, reiterating the fact that Ram has the best truck on the market.”
The 2013 Ram 1500 is bringing the future into the here and now with nine trim levels starting at $23,585 including $995 destination charge.
**Courtesy of the Chrysler Blog
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