Dodge Ram Hybrid Still on Track

Chrysler is still looking to launch a hybrid Dodge Ram pickup but it appears that the company might cancel plans to debut a diesel model in the upcoming years. According to the Detroit News, the hybrid version of the car will be powered by technology developed by Chrysler together with General Motors, BMW and Daimler but technical specifications are yet to be disclosed.

Chrysler recently rolled out details on the 2010 Dodge Ram Heavy Duty, a model that will be offered with a choice of two engines. The Ram Heavy Duty powertrains include a 6.7 liter Cummins Turbo Diesel and a 5.7 liter HEMI. The diesel engine produces 350 hp and a staggering 881 Nm at only 1,500 rpm. A 5.7 liter HEMI V8 engine delivering 383 hp and 542 Nm of torque, will be available as well.

Fiat's arrival at the helm of Chrysler brought a major modification: the creation of the new brands, Dodge Car and Dodge Ram, which will replace the well-known Dodge nameplate.

“The brand-focused strategy has been refined further with the unbundling of the Dodge Brand which now consists of the Dodge Ram Brand and the Dodge Car Brand organizations. This reorganization will allow us to protect and develop the unique nature of the product offerings within the Dodge Brand,” Sergio Marchionne, Chrysler's CEO said in the release announcing the split.

The CEO of the Dodge Car brand will be Ralph Gilles (who will additionally continue to be the chief of Chrysler's Group Product Design), while the Dodge Ram brand will be headed by Fred Diaz Jr., who will also be the head of the sales organization in the US.