New 09 Ram LAUNCHES With Cash On Hood
You know that the truck market is bad when Dodge has to offer $1000 cash back on the brand new 2009 Ram 1500 that JUST launched.
Only one word for this market – ugly. Really ugly. Really really ugly.
While Dodge will officially say they’re offering cash back on the 2009 because customers need this cash to facilitate a trade-in, that’s a smokescreen. An extra $1000 isn’t going to bail anyone out of an upside-down trade. The truth is that Dodge knows their product has to compete with a brand new 2009 F150 and solid offerings from GM and Toyota. While early reviews of the 2009 Dodge Ram talk about the new truck’s amazing ride (because they’re using a coil-spring rear suspension), improved engine with variable valve timing, and improved fuel economy, the fact is this truck is still a Chrysler product.
Chrysler has a reputation for below-average quality (perhaps undeservedly so) and rumors of a pending bankruptcy certainly aren’t helping sales. Not to mention that Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep dealers no longer have a lease program to speak of.
In other words, it’s tough to be Dodge right now. As much as we like the Tundra, we hope that Dodge makes it through the next 18 months. Auto industry analysts say that car sales will recover in 2010 (or so), so Dodge should get back to profitability by then.
One more note about the new 09 Ram – when Nissan launches the new “Titan” next year (which will basically be a copy of a Dodge Ram), what will they change? What improvements/additions will they make? Anyone want to venture a guess?
Reports That 4.5L Diesel Tundra “Delayed Indefinitely” Don’t Add Up
UPDATE – This news has been confirmed – please see our response “Dropping The Diesel A Dumb Decision”
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Pickuptrucks.com has reported that plans for a light-duty 4.5L diesel Tundra have been shelved. We officially doubt the veracity of this news report.
1. Toyota is rumored to be producing a 4.5L diesel version of the Landcruiser for the Canadian market next year (promotional materials have been described). Making this engine ready for the low-volume Canadian market while canceling it in the U.S. makes no sense. At the very least, if the Tundra doesn’t get the 4.5L, you can bet that nothing else in the North America will either.
2. The 4.5L diesel boosts Toyota’s CAFE average. Toyota will find it easier to meet new CAFE requirements if they find a way to improve truck and large SUV fuel economy by 25%. The 4.5L diesel would improve fuel economy by at least that much.
3. Everyone else is doing it. Dodge, Ford, and GM definitely need to build small diesel motors if they want to have any chance of meeting federal CAFE requirements. This is an absolute, set in stone, iron-clad fact. The domestics WILL be offering diesel versions of the Ram, Silverado/Sierra, and F150 by 2010 or 2011. Toyota can’t be the only manufacturer that doesn’t offer this engine – at least not without officially becoming an “also-ran.”
4. The LandCruiser and the Sequoia would both benefit from a diesel motor. The 4.5L wasn’t just going to be put in the Tundra – it was also going to be offered in the Sequoia and the LandCruiser. Both of these vehicles could use a powerful and fuel efficient motor.
5. Finally, and most importantly, this rumor doesn’t make sense. If we assume for a moment that the U.S. truck market is going “small,” big truck sales (i.e. three-quarter and one-ton trucks) will suffer the most. Ford, GM, and Dodge have already determined that their HD and SuperDuty lines are overkill for 90% of their buyers, hence their commitment to offering diesel half-ton trucks. The rationale is that by offering a powerful diesel in a half-ton truck, you give people currently driving a 3/4 or 1-ton truck a truck to “step down” to. A half-ton diesel can offer tremendous performance (12k lbs towing, 2500lbs payload) while also offering decent fuel economy and lower maintenance costs. After all, less than 5 years ago most heavy duty trucks (3/4 and 1 ton) couldn’t pull much more than 12k lbs. Now half-tons are pulling that much.
We think this rumor has been “floated” by Toyota’s PR people to guage public response to a possible official announcement. It sounds like the penny-pinchers at Toyota are advocating a step in the wrong direction – hopefully the loud public outcry will put them in their place.
Ford’s New F150 SFE Package Just Clever Marketing
Ford Motor Company recently announced an “SFE” – or “Superior Fuel Economy” – package for the upcoming 2009 F150. While Ford touts this package as evidence of their commitment to “unsurpassed fuel economy,” we think this package is more of a marketing ploy than a true product for fuel misers. Here are the details:
Ford’s new 2009 F150 “SFE package” is more about marketing than any real changes over a standard F150. Read more…
Texas Tee – Cruisin the Long Box DoubleCab
Tundra Network member TXTee has uploaded some photos of her 08′ Double Cab Long Box 5.7. Here’s what she’s done so far:
- 2 – 12″ Kicker Comp CVTs in completely custom sub box under the backseat.
- 1200 Watt Hifonics Brutus Mono Block
- Darkest legal tint allowable in the great state of Texas
- Carriage Works Billet Grille with the Toyota logo showing
- K&N 63 Series Cold Air Intake Kit
- Dual Flowmaster mufflers with side exits. Slanted 3.5″ stainless steel exhaust tips.
- Body-colored fender flares.
Future upgrade plans include PIAA fog lights, 22″ rims, and big tires.
TXTee – nice truck! We really like the completely custom box in the back, and the fact that you’re dressing up a real work vehicle (not too many long box owners do that). Thanks for joining Tundra Network, the TundraHeadquarters Toyota Tundra forum.
Toyota Tundra X-Runner Mock-Up
For those of you that don’t know, the Tacoma X-Runner is a popular compact performance truck. Known as the “X” runner because of the X-shaped frame bracing underneath that enhances rigidity and handling, new Tacoma X-Runners come with the 236hp 4.0L V6 and a 6-speed manual transmission. If that HP figure doesn’t blow you away, keep in mind that this truck isn’t nearly as big as the Tundra, so the large V6 mated to a 6-speed in a Tacoma provides solid performance. 0-60 in about 6.8 seconds isn’t too bad for any pickup.
Today’s question – what would a Tundra X-Runner look like? We think it might look something like this:
CarDomain.com user 2ill4ya (aka John from Mechanicville, NY) posted these pictures of his 2007 Tundra, and we think it’s a great representation of what the X-Runner package would look like on a Tundra. We’re not sure if that’s what this person was going for or not, but it’s certainly a nice looking truck. Read more…
