In The News

Ram 1500 Diesel Claims 20% of Production

The diesel-powered version of the Ram 1500 light-duty pickup is responsible for 20% of the truck’s output, less than a year after the engine was introduced, the manufacturer said.

“Being first to market with a diesel engine for the half-ton segment has shown to be a great decision,” said Bob Hegbloom, head of the Ram Truck brand.

The truck’s initial allotment of 8,000 units filled within three days, faster than Ram had anticipated, the company said. Ram has worked with Italian powertrain supplier VM Motori to increase engine production to meet demand. The total increase will be completed by the end of November at the Warren Truck Assembly Plant in Michigan and Saltillo Truck Assembly Plant in Mexico.

The 3.0-liter V-6 diesel produces 240 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque. It is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission and returns 28 mpg in highway driving, Ram said.

To keep up with demand, Ram parent Chrysler Group also is updating the Warren manufacturing plant to boost output and improve the production process.

More than 350 workstations have been redesigned at the Warren factory, addressing more than 100 issues and relocating nearly 300 parts to improve ergonomics, the company said. Modifications were made across the plant, from automation changes in the body shop to improvements to the color booths in the paint shop.

Leaders from the United Auto Workers were involved in the process, Chrysler said.

The changes will enable the plant to produce 100 additional vehicles a day — or 28,565 more trucks a year.

Most assembly workers were trained on new processes and offered nearly 7,000 suggestions on how to improve line efficiency.

“As we approached this opportunity to rethink our processes, we wanted to make sure we kept our focus on the customer and doing things that would continue to improve the quality of the vehicle we deliver,” plant manager Curt Towne said. “I think this team accomplished that task,”

The changes began at the end of 2013 and continued through the factory’s summer shutdown in August.

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