Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ Ram truck brand has an all-new Ram 1500 truck in the works for 2019, and the question on many minds has been whether the redesigned light-duty pickup would follow the lead of Ford’s F-150 by building the body out of aluminum as a means of lightweighting. Last we heard, General Motors is planning to introduce more aluminum to the next-generation Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra, although probably not in the bed.
It seems at this point that the answer is no: the 2019 Ram 1500’s body will mostly stick with steel. According to FCAuthority, spy photographers recently spotted a test mule for the new Mopar truck, and tried sticking a magnet to various parts of the exterior; the magnet clung to every part they tested, save for the hood and tailgate.
Given that, it’s fairly safe to assume that the Ford F-150 will continue to come in below the Ram 1500 in terms of curb weight, even after the new Ram reaches showrooms late next year. That said, it is speculated that the next-generation light-duty pickup from FCA could add a turbocharged V6 to its engine lineup, possibly to keep pace with the F-150’s 2.7L and 3.5L EcoBoost V6s, along with a possible mild hybrid powertrain option. Ford itself has already confirmed a forthcoming hybridized version of the F-150 by 2020.
No Comments yet