New Ram Van Confirmed

[Atomic]

chrysler-fiat announced what has been heavily rumored, now confirmed (09/09/2011): 2013 Ram Van...

story/pic:

http://www.kilometermagazine.com/artman2/publish/automotive/Fiat_Doblo_Van_Headed_Stateside_as_Unnamed_Ram_Van.html

[Atomic]

the biggest news perhaps is the timing of what i think will do quite well for chrysler corporation's ram division. oddly, the ford transit has not sold as well as expected, but i actually think the increased exposure of the fiat-based vehicle will draw far more attention to this classification of trucks. ultimately, there will not only be heightened attention throughout the industry and media to spark sales, there will be competition = better deals all around.

[Catman]

Wow ugly

[Atomic]

Wow ugly

will be strange for us in north america to see many of the initial fiat based chrysler's until chrysler-jeep and dodge ram begin producing vehicles that are not merely fits with a chrysler insignia. the fiat van shown does not look at that different from nissan's forthcoming cargo van. the ford transit actually looks mighty nice, imo.

[S204STi]

fail

[Eye of the Tiger]

Awesome. Will it have AWD? It looks bigger than the Transit. I hope it comes on diesel.

[Soup DeVille]

chrysler-fiat announced what has been heavily rumored, now confirmed (09/09/2011): 2013 Ram Van...

story/pic:

http://www.kilometermagazine.com/artman2/publish/automotive/Fiat_Doblo_Van_Headed_Stateside_as_Unnamed_Ram_Van.html

This is not a van worthy of the US.

This is brought to you by the same train of thought that brought that stupid FWD Turkish Tin Can here under the nameplate of the Ford Transit.

[2o6]

This is not a van worthy of the US.

This is brought to you by the same train of thought that brought that stupid FWD Turkish Tin Can here under the nameplate of the Ford Transit.

That Turkish Tin Can is also selling like hotcakes, too.

[Speed_Racer]

Interesting side effect of the FIAT-Chrysler thing.

I might see this as a good competitor to the Transit Connect for small business owners and ind. contractors. Other than that, I don't see it catching on.

[2o6]

Interesting side effect of the FIAT-Chrysler thing.

I might see this as a good competitor to the Transit Connect for small business owners and ind. contractors. Other than that, I don't see it catching on.

Well, obviously.

[SVT666]

This is not a van worthy of the US.

This is brought to you by the same train of thought that brought that stupid FWD Turkish Tin Can here under the nameplate of the Ford Transit.

I see them all over the place.  Flower shops, bakeries, auto parts stores, etc. are all using them as delivery vehicles.  I even seen several as taxis.

[ifcar]

That Turkish Tin Can is also selling like hotcakes, too.

Not exactly, maybe 2,500 units a month -- though steady. Its strong points are maneuverability and price, with its engine as the weak point, so there's room for the Fiat to take over that niche.

And because the product already exists, it doesn't need a major investment, so niche status should be fine. It's better than Dodge/Ram selling no vans at all, for sure.

[Atomic]

Interesting side effect of the FIAT-Chrysler thing.

I might see this as a good competitor to the Transit Connect for small business owners and ind. contractors. Other than that, I don't see it catching on.

in coming years, i think these vans will become more americanized and better suited to the needs here in NA. i do think that it is wise for chrysler to proceed now with this current van in order to gain market share.

[Madman]

I see them all over the place.  Flower shops, bakeries, auto parts stores, etc. are all using them as delivery vehicles.  I even seen several as taxis.

Same here.  I've been seeing Transit Connects all over the place, all stickered-up in commercial livery.  The home appliance shop where I just bought my new washing machine has just bought a bunch of these to replace their old gas-guzzling full size vans.  If you ask me, I think the Transit Connect is the most innovative thing to happen to light commercial vehicles in over a generation.  Too bad Ford fumbled the ball by not offering us a diesel.

I'm certain the Ram grille will look like crap on the Doblo.  From a design perspective, I just don't see it working.  Besides, won't this cannabalise sales from the recently unvieled Grand Caravan-based Ram C/V?  I say market the Doblo as a Fiat and sell it along side the 500.  The funky looks are more likely to appeal to potential Fiat customers, anyway.  Personally I just can't see the typical Dodge/Ram buyer going for something like this.  Still, it will be interesting to see how the Doblo stacks up against the Transit Connect.  The more the merrier, I always say.

[2o6]

The Doblo will be marketed to fleets, because like in Europe it really is only a commercial van. Yeah, there are versions for the public, but really the C4 Picasso is the real small van.

[Soup DeVille]

That Turkish Tin Can is also selling like hotcakes, too.

To flower shops and bakeries that deliver cupcakes to the local Starbuck's knock-off.

It has a small, but useful niche, but is at the end of the day, an over rated, undersized tin can.

[2o6]

To flower shops and bakeries that deliver cupcakes to the local Starbuck's knock-off.

It has a small, but useful niche, but is at the end of the day, an over rated, undersized tin can.

It has no competition.

[ifcar]

To flower shops and bakeries that deliver cupcakes to the local Starbuck's knock-off.

It has a small, but useful niche, but is at the end of the day, an over rated, undersized tin can.

Econolines and their ilk have gotten crazily expensive. If you don't need that huge amount of space, why pay for it? It's not as if you can't fit a great deal of stuff into a Transit Connect, too.

[2o6]

Econolines and their ilk have gotten crazily expensive. If you don't need that huge amount of space, why pay for it? It's not as if you can't fit a great deal of stuff into a Transit Connect, too.

Besides, the running costs for those big engines aren't cheap.

[Laconian]

They're quite popular here. I think all of the elevator service companies have switched to them.

[Soup DeVille]

They're quite popular here. I think all of the elevator service companies have switched to them.

Notice they're all bought by people who never have to drive them?

[Laconian]

Notice they're all bought by people who never have to drive them?

So you're saying that people buy Econolines and Expresses for driving pleasure?

[Soup DeVille]

So you're saying that people buy Econolines and Expresses for driving pleasure?

I'm saying when people are spending their own money for their own purposes, they have different requirements.

[Madman]

Notice they're all bought by people who never have to drive them?

It's designed to be a purpose-built commercial vehicle.  It's not intended for the average personal-use consumer.

[280Z Turbo]

I'm saying when people are spending their own money for their own purposes, they have different requirements.

Do you think the Transit Connect likes trail braking like a Focus?

[2o6]

Do you think the Transit Connect likes trail braking like a Focus?

With a dead rear axle? I don't think so.

I'm saying when people are spending their own money for their own purposes, they have different requirements.

I don't understand your vendetta. It's a commercial van.

[Atomic]

Econolines and their ilk have gotten crazily expensive. If you don't need that huge amount of space, why pay for it? It's not as if you can't fit a great deal of stuff into a Transit Connect, too.

agreed. i think it was unfortunate for chrysler to have discontinued their dodge ram van, but that must have been the decision of 'benz. the sprinter did manage it serve as a decent enough replacement, but now chrysler corp. is without a competitor to ford's ecolines series of vans for commercial use, as popular college sport's team transporters, etc. the now defaunt dodge van (pre-spirnter) was in obvious need of a substantial update in order to compete with the ford, chevy and GMC vans. i do see dodge's ram divion of trucks rebounding with this new fiat van, with other size vehicles to follow.

[93JC]

With a dead rear axle? I don't think so.

By definition all front-drive vehicles have a dead rear axle...

[2o6]

By definition all front-drive vehicles have a dead rear axle...

A non powered live-axle (solid axle)  is referred as a dead rear axle, no?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beam_axle

[93JC]

A non-powered axle of any sort is 'dead'.