Ram drops 3.7-liter V6, adds Pentastar for 2013

Ram will drop its 3.7-liter SOHC V6 engine for the 2013 Ram 1500 pickup. The 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 will take its place. The new engine will come standard with the company's eight-speed automatic transmission. The old 4.7- and 5.7-liter V8s will remain with a six-speed unit as standard. The addition of the efficient V6 will better position the brand to fight the impressive Ford F-150 with EcoBoost power.

New for 2013 is the way to control that eight-speed transmission—it will have a rotary dial, which replaces both floor and column shifters. It will only be used with the eight-speed. Ram says the dial is easy to read and easy to use, even with gloves on. The dial also allows for “blind shifts” from reverse to drive while towing, plowing or digging out of mud.

The Ram 1500 will feature a stop/start system for the first time, which Ram says can improve fuel economy by 3.3 percent. That doesn't seem like much, but when you add it to the other percentages from fuel-saving technologies such as the transmission's thermal-management system, it begins to add up. Mileage is rated at 18 mpg in the city and 25 on the highway.

The 2013 Ram will also offer an air suspension for the first time, with five settings for height. Normal mode keeps the truck at 8.7 inches from the ground. Aero mode lowers it for better fuel economy. Off-road one and two raise the height, and park mode lowers it again for easy entry and exit. The system also works to level an uneven payload.

The chassis of the Ram has been massaged. Stiffness and rigidity have been increased, while noise and vibration have been decreased by 30 percent. The front rails are 20 percent stronger, and the front frame has lost 30 pounds overall. Weight saving is another way the new Ram gets better mileage.

New and upgraded interior features include a better multiview display, passive entry, keyless go, steering-wheel controls and a few other bits. The next generation Uconnect infotainment system launches with Wi-Fi hot spot capability. The multiview display is highly customizable, ranging from specific status information to digital speed readout.

When it arrives in dealerships in October, the Ram 1500 will cost $23,585, including $995 for destination and handling charges.

By Jake Lingeman