Chrysler is fresh off the introduction of 16 new or refreshed models, but Team Pentastar isn't out of breath just yet. According to Inside Line, CEO Sergio Marchionne told reporters and analysts that there will be more changes throughout 2011.

For starters, the Dodge Charger will reportedly add a Super Bee variant. The familiar badge will likely be a mostly cosmetic upgrade, though Chrysler hasn't yet announced any specifics. Meanwhile, the Jeep Wrangler will finally ? finally ? receive a new engine. The ancient 3.8-liter six will be replaced by the new 3.6-liter Pentastar V6, which boasts 283 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque in most applications. The far more powerful 3.6-liter will also come with a reported 10 percent increase in fuel economy, though the Wrangler won't get the eight-speed auto transmission that should arrive from Getrag later in the year.

One of the Chrysler brands will also receive a rebadged version of the Fiat 500 before the end of 2011. The efficient little runt, which could be badged as a Dodge, must hit at least 40 miles per gallon to satisfy a requirement necessary for Fiat to receive another five percent ownership of Chrysler. If and when that happens, Fiat will own a 51 percent majority of the American automaker.

Team Pentastar is also looking to add more diesel models to its lineup. The oil burners will reportedly make up 14 percent of the automaker's model mix by 2014. We know that the Jeep Grand Cherokee is getting Chrysler's 3.0-liter CRD V6 in the coming years, and we're crossing our fingers for an oil-burning Wrangler, as well.

May 2, 2011 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - They don't get much bigger, have more range or more pulling power than the Ram "Long-Hauler" Concept truck.

On display at selected events across the country, the Ram Long-Hauler is based on a Class 5 Ram 5500 Chassis Cab, and is designed to suit the needs of anyone that tows multiple or heavy trailers, drives long distances or small business owners looking for a "work horse" at the job site.

Designers started with a Class 5 Ram 5500 Crew Cab and converted to a Mega Cab passenger compartment, added an 8-foot box and upped the range between refueling stops with a mid-ship fuel tank. Combined with a second frame-mounted tank and a third, optional, bed-mounted auxiliary tank, total fuel capacity is 170 gallons.

With a 197.4 ? inch wheelbase and 37,500 Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR), the concept Long-Hauler from Ram is just the truck for those wanting to step up from a traditional Class 3 (one-ton) or Class 4 truck. Overall length of the Ram Long-Hauler is 24 feet, height is 79.1 inches and estimated curb weight is 9,300 lbs.

The powertrain for the concept truck includes an inline six-cylinder 6.7-liter High Output Cummins Turbo Diesel engine rated at 800 lb.-ft. of torque. The Ram's legendary diesel engine is mated to a six-speed, Aisin AS68RC automatic transmission with four-wheel-drive transfer case coupled to a 4.88 Dana 110 axle with dual rear wheels.

Riding on a full Kelderman Air Suspension front and rear and 19.5-inch Alcoa aluminum wheels, on-road driving dynamics are civilized and even the toughest road surfaces are easily absorbed providing the driver and passengers with a smooth, comfortable ride. In fact Ram Long-Hauler's ride qualities are more inline with those of a 3/4-ton truck. The suspension package also is self-leveling with kneel feature.

On the exterior, brilliant black paint is accented by white gold metallic lower two-tone including body side moldings and wide wheel flares at the front and rear. Up front, a bull bar extends the entire width of the vehicle. For full use of the bed, the spare tire is located under the box. To help make trailer line-up easier on the fifth wheel, a separate back-up camera provides a full view of the bed.

A custom hitch-access tailgate allows easy hook-ups without the need to open or remove the entire tailgate.

Inside, interior noise levels have been heavily dampened with an upgraded NVH package that ensures a quiet cabin environment. The Long-Hauler includes 2+2 leather seating with a specific, high comfort driver seat. Rear passenger comfort is assured with power-adjustable footrests and a rear center console that includes a refrigerator, cup holders and tray tables.

In-cabin power includes 115V and 12V outlets front and rear. With the interior Wi-Fi enabled, passengers can easily work on laptop computers connected to the Internet during long drives.

Additional cabin features also include a laptop storage area and a safe for valuables. Interior items designed to keep the driver monitoring of vehicle performance will include a tire pressure monitoring system, rear axle temperature gauge and exhaust gas temperature and boost gauges. Convenience features also include an inductive charger and DVD player with overhead screen for rear seat passengers to enjoy their favorite programs and entertainment.

The rear seats and console also fold flat for additional storage or as a berth for resting.

Ram Truck has identified a potential market for a Class 5 pickup, including race car teams, car haulers, RV owners, ranchers and rodeo competitors, boaters and commercial expediting operations.

The Ram Long-Hauler, while only a concept, will be seen across the country in the next eight months to help gauge public opinion on the appeal of a vehicle that provides an upgrade from a 1-ton truck without moving up to a full Class 6 truck.

The all new 200 is here and ready for a test drive.  Come down today and try one out.
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Road Test Review: 2011 Ram 1500 Outdoorsman

Ram says the Outdoorsman is designed meet the needs of boating, camping, hunting and fishing enthusiasts. We like to do all those things, so we couldn't wait to get our hands on one.

  Read more»

Making its debut in our R/T line for 2011, the Dodge Caravan R/T (or ?Man Van? as we like to call it) packs a Pentastar 3.6-liter engine delivering a best-in-class 283 horsepower and 260 lb/ft of torque under its hood. Our engineers also added R/T-exclusive black leather seats with red stitching, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, a premium sound system and a performance-tuned suspension that will make you want to strap on a helmet and hit the race track.

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Full Dyno Test Reveals Low Ball Estimate on Torque and Horsepower Numbers

Lift the hood of a 2011 Dodge Charger R/T  and you'll find a powerful 5.7-liter Hemi V8 engine bursting at the seams. It's a joyous site that gets better when armed with the knowledge of the Hemi's prodigious power ? 370 horsepower and 395 pound-feet of torque, to be exact.

But just how accurate are those numbers? The folks over at Inside Line put the Charger R/T to the test on their dyno, and it appears Chrysler may be underplaying its hand. Tests by Inside Line show that the Charger R/T sends 360 hp to the rear wheels at 5,300 RPM, with torque peaking at 393 lb-ft at 4,260 RPM. When you consider that the average drivetrain accounts for a 10 to 15 percent power reduction before its all sent to the wheels, you're looking at a powertrain with a lot more bite than the company brochure cares to admit. 

Leasing was once a popular option with new car shoppers, generally offering lower monthly payments and the allure of a new vehicle every few years. However, the perfect storm of tighter credit and tumbling residual values all but eliminated automotive leasing following the recession that began in 2008. In fact, Chrysler Financial completely exited the leasing business in 2008 and GMAC ? the company now known as Ally ? considered a similar move as leasing dropped to less than two percent of General Motors? overall sales.

However, a recovering U.S. economy has restored leasing to pre-crash levels. Leasing account for 21 percent of all new car sales in March and a whopping 25 percent of sales in February ? the highest level recorded since November 2005.

?It really has stormed back,? said John Sternal, vice president of Leasetrader.com, an online lease tracking firm. ?Just 14-16 months ago, that was unheard of.?

Honda led the way in leasing during the month of March, with the financing option accounting for nearly 33 percent of the automaker?s business. Nissan wasn?t far behind, with leasing accounting for 29.1 percent of total sales.

Of the Detroit automakers, Ford moved the most iron via leasing, with the option accounting for 16.9 percent of its sales. Although General Motors has been aggressively pushing lease options, just 14.2 percent of its sales were from leasing, well off the 28.4 percent take rate it saw in February. Leasing accounted for 15 percent of Chrysler?s business.

Jeep Wrangler to Get Hemi V8?

Rumor has it that Chrysler's famed off-roader may soon come with monster power.

Hot off the tips wire: Jeep may be planning a Hemi 392-powered version of its legendary Wrangler.

The engine could be the same Hemi found in the Dodge Challenger SRT8 392. In that car, it produces 470 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque, along with a suitably snarly, obnoxious exhaust note. No current production Wrangler is offered with a V8.

According to our well-placed and trustworthy tipster, a special Wrangler was built for Michael Manley, Jeep's current president and CEO. It was assembled by American Expedition Vehicles (AEV) in Montana, an aftermarket Jeep firm with strong ties to the industry and long history of Wrangler Hemi conversions. AEV has constructed concept vehicles and tested other ideas for Chrysler in the past. The Wrangler is rumored to have been built for executive evaluation, meaning we may be looking at an early iteration of a future model.

JK HEMI V8 Builder Kit

Chrysler releases first glimpse at TORC Ram

Chrysler has released a computer-generated rendering of the modified Ram truck being prepared for the Truck Off Road Championship.

The company announced yesterday that Ram and Mopar would be jointly sponsoring five drivers in the series. Click here for the original Allpar post.