When Ram introduced the 2019 1500 pickup at the North American International Auto Show last year, the company didn’t mention any plans for a diesel engine.
That was a bit surprising as the previous-generation truck offered a diesel engine and so do competitors such as the Chevrolet Silverado and Ford F-150. Diesel fans can now relax as Ram boss Jim Morrison has confirmed the powertrain will be introduced later this year.
Speaking to Autoblog, Morrison said the Ram 1500 will receive the new 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V6. In the Jeep Gladiator and Wrangler, it will be rated at 260 hp (194 kW / 264 PS) and 442 lb-ft (599 Nm) of torque. If those numbers carryover, the new Ram 1500 EcoDiesel would have 20 hp (15 kW / 20 PS) and 22 lb-ft (30 Nm) of torque more than its predecessor.
Little else is known about the engine at this point, but on the Jeeps it is paired exclusively to an eight-speed automatic transmission. The diesel also comes standard with an engine stop/start system, so it’s likely we’ll see one on the Ram as well.
While Morrison confirmed plans for a diesel-powered Ram 1500, he wouldn’t say anything about a regular cab variant. As a result, we don’t know when or if a regular cab will join the existing quad and crew cab models. However, the 2019 Ram 2500 and 3500 are available with a regular cab and so is the Ram 1500 Classic.
In other news, Morrison said there are currently no plans for a mid-size pickup to battle the likes of the Chevrolet Colorado and Ford Ranger. As a result, mid-size FCA trucks fans will have to stick with the 2020 Jeep Gladiator.
