half ton diesel - why?

[DBithell]

half ton diesel - WHY? "customers craving this" V6 3L turbo, egr, dpf, manufactured by italy's vm motori, owned by fiat/chyrsler & gm. What would the duty cycle need to be for this to be trouble free? since it's so much smaller than 6. 7 will be ok to get groceries? OK... will be interesting.

 

[AEdelheit]

I find it funny people say they are Fiats like its a bad thing, they make some great engines, though I have no experience with this one I would have no issues buying one.

 

[GHarman]

'Cause not everyone wants a Diesel vehicle that gets 13-17 MPG, runnin' empty!

Not everyone tows a 15,000# trailer!

Traveling 60-80 miles a day in variable weather conditions with the capability to comfortably haul 2000# and pull a light trailer and still get 25-30 MPG would be ideal.

Remember, back in the early 1970's, a HD pickup only had a GVW rating of around 7700#.

I was able to get 7MPG hauling a Grandby Popup camper and pull a horse trailer,

with 3 horses operating a 1972 Ford F-250 with the 360 gas motor/500 CFM Holly carb. and an RV cam. Highway mileage running empty was about 10-13MPG in 4X4 driving to work in snow in the winter. The highest I got was 17 MPG, on the highway. That was almost 40 years ago!

As far as the longevity of the Fiat diesel motor, they better get it right or they will be on the same level as the new Ford Diesels! Junk!

GregH

 

[jgillott]

As I mentioned in another thread, I drive a 1/2 ton every day for work. Rarely tow much more than 3000# with it. And when I do, it is no more than 6000#. Love everything about the functionality of the truck except for the 13. 5 mpg. If the diesel option proves to be reliable and bring that average mpg into the ~18-20 mpg range, I will purchase one as our next work truck. After now 20+ years of owning 3/4 ton and heavier Cummins powered Dodges, I appreciate how well the 1/2 ton rides and drives. Still keeping our bigger trucks, but I definately see the diesel 1500 replacing our current 1/2 ton.

 

[cerberusiam]

VM Motori is not Fiat and the european diesel technology is light years ahead of the US versions. Think VW TDI.

A 1/2 ton truck that could get 28 combined mileage empty with its specs would be a great addition in anybody's drive way.

Do you want to tow your 5'er with it? Nope, but it sure looks to be an excellent commuter\grocery getter choice. And its a Ram.

 

[HBarlow]

Wikipedia says Fiat owns 50% of VM Motori. <!-- /firstHeading --><!-- bodyContent --><!-- tagline -->

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
<!-- /tagline --><!-- subtitle -->
<!-- /subtitle --><!-- jumpto -->VM Motori S. p. A. is a diesel engine manufacturing company in Cento, Italy, in Emilia-Romagna, an Italian region which is also home to Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, Pagani and Ducati.

History

VM Motori was founded by two entrepreneurs, Claudio Vancini and Ugo Martelli (hence the "VM") in 1947.

VM merged with Stabilimenti Meccanici Triestini in Trieste in 1971, then Finmeccanica took a majority stake in the combined company.
In 1989, Finmeccanica restructured, selling its stake in VM Motori to company managers and Midland Montague in a leveraged buyout, leaving the company with its single Cento plant.

Detroit Diesel Corporation (DDC) bought VM Motori in 1995.

In 2000 the DDC was purchased by DaimlerChrysler AG.

In 2003, Penske Corporation purchased a 51% stake in VM Motori; in 2007, Penske bought the remaining 49% from DaimlerChrysler and subsequently sold 50% of it to General Motors. [1]​ As of 2007, both deals were awaiting European regulatory approval and the value of the deal was not known.

In September 2008, GAZ Group announced plans to purchase a 50% stake from Penske Corp. [2]​ but ultimately cancelled them in February 2009. [3]​ January 11, 2011 Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera published news that Fiat S. p. A. is about to purchase 50% stake from Penske. [4]​ In February 11 Fiat Powertrain Technologies confirmed it has bought the 50 percent stake. [5]​

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VM_Motori

 

[hsmith]

I don't remember reading where they were ramming this down anyone's throat. Free trade, buy what you need or want. If I wasn't towing this heavy fifth wheel, I might give it a second look myself.

 

[Regcabguy]

VM Motori is not Fiat and the european diesel technology is light years ahead of the US versions. Think VW TDI.

A 1/2 ton truck that could get 28 combined mileage empty with its specs would be a great addition in anybody's drive way.

Do you want to tow your 5'er with it? Nope, but it sure looks to be an excellent commuter\grocery getter choice. And its a Ram.

I had an Audi G7 3. 0 TDI in front of me recently. No smoke,gobs of pickup and quiet. Reading the test drive though only showed a combined 20 mpg.
Hard to believe a 1/2 ton diesel could achieve much more than that.
I don't know if Fiat owns Iveco,but we had terrible luck with that Italian offering at work.

 

[EGroeneveld]

I need my dually for camper and toy hauler duty but the 1/2 Baby Diesel Ram would be a nice truck for like yesterday when I justed need to haul 1 quad for riding. 300 miles at 13MPG sucks. I remember driving the old Chevy 6. 2 and 6. 5 diesels as a High Schooler and they got great mileage... . its basically for those who need a pickup, want great mileage but do not need to tow much more then 6K...

 

[JJPage]

Just came from the Spokane Auto show this weekend, although Nissan did not have any available information, they were touting a Diesel pickup being released later this year...

 

[DNDracing]

I love this move, and have wondered why diesels haven't taken off here like they have in Europe. I think diesels in passenger cars and trucks should be a huge part of the solution to the insane C. A. F. E requirements.

My father had a 2005 Jeep Liberty with the 4-cylinder VM diesel in it, and got 150,000+ trouble free miles at 24-28 MPG.

I looked at a TDI before my last vehicle purchase, and will certainly consider it for any future purchases, hopefully there are more diesel options available for me to test drive.

 

[HBarlow]

Diesel powered cars and light trucks are less popular in this country than in Europe because of tree huggers, their political party which many TDR members vote for, and the policies established and enforced by them.

American policy penalizes diesel use with higher fuel taxes at the pump and foolish restrictive rules on manufacturers established by the tree hugger's power agency, the EPA better described as the Economy Punishment Agency. The goal of the EPA is to continue demanding less and less emissions until manufacturers give it up and quit building them. Our new ISB6. 7 engines produce about half the power and fuel efficiency they are capable of because of EPA regulations.

 

[HBarlow]

I personally am not interested in a 1/2 ton diesel but acknowledge that many members say they are.

A smaller pickup in the size of the 1/4 ton pickups of the '70s and '80s with small turbodiesel engines would be very popular and functional if not so jammed up by EPA regulations and overpriced they would be killed before any were sold.

Small pickups like the Isuzu/Chev LUV, Toyota, Mazda/Furd, and Mitsubishi of the late '70s/early '80s were great for fuel economy and light hauling.

 

[S.Morris]

I have a family member that works for corporate Nissan Canada. He told me last fall that the Titan was going to come out with a 4cy Cummins engine in 2014. The;y have some on the road now... ..... but at Christmas time, he was less sure of a release date.

 

[JJPage]

Found this, could be discontinued by now.
http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2011/0...ng-four-cylinder-diesel-for-nissan-titan.html

 

[MChrist]

Only time will tell what average fuel consumption of the new V6 diesel will offer. Compare a new Sprinter van with a Ram 1500:

Both weigh about the same at roughly 5200 lbs

Both will utilize V6 3. 0 diesels, but different manufacturers

Sprinter drag coefficient is . 32 vs 1500 Ram . 35-. 36

Sprinter doesn't offer 4WD, hence less mechanical friction/drivetrain loss.

Real world mpg of the new Sprinter is 19 (www.fuelly.com)



I just have a hard time believing the new diesel 1500 will surpass 19 mpg average. On a highway-only trip, I'm sure it will, but not average.



I really hope I'm wrong.

 

[DNDracing]

Agree Harvey on the EPA and all their BS, however, envirnomental type regulations are much more stringent in Europe, and taxes on fuel are more expensive in Europe than here in the States. Atually if you sold the diesel engine they are offering in the 1500 Ram, you would have to pay a tax on it in Euorope, because it has a larger displacment than 2. 0L.



Has to be more to it than just regulations, they are the same or tougher/more expensive in Europe, yet more than half the vehiles sold in Europe are diesels.

 

[EDankievitch]

I for one can't wait, a 1/2 ton Ram Reg Cab Short bed my high school deam truck. Now if this VM engine can give better than 25MPg it's a home run for commuting. [The best part is I can stay Ram loyal as befor they announced it's release my only hopes since the Mahindra dream diedwas a GMC Canion or what ever it's called they've been teasing us with a diesel opt for two years now... . /I]

 

[JR]

Agree Harvey on the EPA and all their BS, however, envirnomental type regulations are much more stringent in Europe, and taxes on fuel are more expensive in Europe than here in the States. Atually if you sold the diesel engine they are offering in the 1500 Ram, you would have to pay a tax on it in Euorope, because it has a larger displacment than 2. 0L.



Has to be more to it than just regulations, they are the same or tougher/more expensive in Europe, yet more than half the vehiles sold in Europe are diesels.

Thats a much more accurate statement than the previous description that was given. If the market had anything to do with fuel prices and taxes, the rest of the world would be peddling bicycles not running around in compact diesel powered vehicles.

It all comes down to demand. If all the manufactures thought they could capitalize off the diesel market, they would be building them. We are a minority, most people have no idea of the potential power and economy offered by the smaller engines. When people think diesel, they think tractor trailers running down the highway leaving a smoke screen behind them

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

VM Motori is not Fiat and the european diesel technology is light years ahead of the US versions. Think VW TDI.



A 1/2 ton truck that could get 28 combined mileage empty with its specs would be a great addition in anybody's drive way.



Do you want to tow your 5'er with it? Nope, but it sure looks to be an excellent commuter\grocery getter choice. And its a Ram.

Time, and the EPA have certainly changed the playing field!



My somewhat power-modded '02 full-sized 2500 gets 27 MPG empty in freeway travel, and usually about 22-23 MPG in combined travel - it tows our KIT 5er up any grades we've so far encountered in 5th gear, and often in OD at well better than 16 MPG in all-around terrain. And NOW, we're salivating over a much lower powered and capable 1500 class truck that will undoubtedly cost half again as much as mine did?



THIS is progress?