Ram News: Ram Finally Confirms Small Cargo Van, To Be Named ProMaster City

[William Maley]

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William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

December 2, 2013

We've been reporting for the past few years on Ram getting a version of the Fiat Doblo to compete with the likes of the Ford Transit Connect and Nissan NV200. Well today Ram has finally confirmed that a version of Doblo would be introduced into the U.S. sometime next year wearing the ProMaster City name.

"The Ram ProMaster City further expands the Ram Commercial truck lineup, which includes everything from vans to pickups to Class Four and Five trucks. As Ram Commercial continues to gain share and grow sales in the market, we will be aggressive in our goal of expanding our commercial vehicle offerings," said Reid Bigland, President and CEO - Ram Truck Brand, Chrysler Group LLC.

Source: Ram

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected]or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

Press Release is on Page 2

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Ram Commercial Confirms New Small Van

December 2, 2012, Auburn Hills, Mich. - The Ram Commercial Truck division today announced that it will offer an all-new small van for the North American market.

Joining the larger and highly capable Ram ProMaster as an additional van offering, the 2015 Ram ProMaster City will compete with small commercial and passenger vans.

"The Ram ProMaster City further expands the Ram Commercial truck lineup, which includes everything from vans to pickups to Class Four and Five trucks," said Reid Bigland, President and CEO - Ram Truck Brand, Chrysler Group LLC. "As Ram Commercial continues to gain share and grow sales in the market, we will be aggressive in our goal of expanding our commercial vehicle offerings."

"Our successful relationship with Fiat Professional, one of the world's foremost commercial truck manufacturers, gives Ram a competitive advantage with access to proven products and technology that will resonate with our U.S. and Canadian customers," added Bigland.

Based on the successful Fiat Doblo, a two-time International Van of the Year winner with more than 1.3 million units sold, the Ram ProMaster City will encompass familiar Ram Truck styling cues and offer features and powertrains preferred by North American commercial customers.

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[Drew Dowdell]

Good name!

This reminds me to get my Promaster preview done.

[David]

Wow, I wonder if they will get any law suites over the name since there are many other products called ProMaster? This is one ugly van. I really hope they redo the nose.

[William Maley]

Good name!

This reminds me to get my Promaster preview done.

Yes you should get that review done

[ocnblu]

Mr. dfelt, that's the fullsize ProMaster, not the little ProMaster City in your photo. Here's the Doblo/ProMaster City.

[Drew Dowdell]

There is actual logical reasoning behind the Promaster nose and why it looks the way it does.

[smk4565]

What an epic name, the small van market is heating up. I still like the new Transit more I think, but the Promaster City has the best name and almost looks like an Alfa Romeo. I wonder if it will have a diesel option. Or maybe they can do an SRT version with a Pentastar V6!

[balthazar]

There is actual logical reasoning behind the Promaster nose and why it looks the way it does.

Because its much cheaper than sheet metal? The entire nose of the van is plastic, unpainted, black, cobbled up plastic. Seriously, what's the logic?

All these white refrigerator boxes, all intently cheaply made/looking.

[Drew Dowdell]

There is actual logical reasoning behind the Promaster nose and why it looks the way it does.

Because its much cheaper than sheet metal? The entire nose of the van is plastic, unpainted, black, cobbled up plastic. Seriously, what's the logic?

All these white refrigerator boxes, all intently cheaply made/looking.

You'll just have to wait for my chair arm gripping review!

[David]

Impatiently waiting,..........

Both are still very ugly IMHO. I agree with Balthazar that there is some cheapness going on with the all plastic nose. But knowing the idiot Socialist Republic of Euro, they probably will say it is people friendly when they get hit by the crazy drivers. Lately it all seems to boil down to what is people crash friendly.

I wonder just how friendly it is compared to a nice looking body style.

[FAPTurbo]

Why is there this weird fixation on the 'ugliness' of these vans? Van's were never meant to look 'good' or desirable. They're supposed to value function over form. Is this America's passive-aggressive way of being upset that Europe does vans better?

PINNACLE OF COMMERCIAL AUTOMOTIVE DESIGN RIGHT HERE:

Edited December 3, 2013 by FAPTurbo

[Drew Dowdell]

Exactly!

And the Econoline rides terribly too. The Savana/Safari aren't lookers either, but they at least have a Suburban-esque ride to them. I'll give a hint as to why the ProMaster (the big one) might sell better than you guys here expect. It is unusually nimble for its size.

[balthazar]

The focus for some may be that 'we're told' it doesn't cost any more money to make something aesthetically pleasing.

Others likely take issue with increasing acreage of black plastics, again which 'we're told' is 'utter cheapness'...

[Drew Dowdell]

Again, there is a reason and method behind those plastics. I got a very detailed explanation from Dodge about it. I'll try and hurry up and get the review out this week.

[balthazar]

Looking forward to putting that explanation thru the BS detector.

[smk4565]

I don't like the look of the ProMaster, but the City version looks pretty good. I think Ford wins in van styling, the new big Transit and the Transit Connect both look good, and I'd say are the styling leaders for full size and small vans. The Savana/Express I think will look like dinosaurs once these new Euro vans hit, these new vans might be 5-10 mpg better than the old Econolines and Savanas running around.

Although the Sprinter is the best looking van of course, and it comes with the same 7 speed transmission you get in an S-class!

Edited December 3, 2013 by smk4565

[balthazar]

w-wait... the S-class has a sprinter cargo van transmission ?!?!?!?!? {falls over dead}

[daves87rs]

I'l take a transit over this, thanks...

[ocnblu]

GM needs to get their small commercial vanlet out fast. The Transit Connect is still the coolest, but the PMCity is right there with it, nearly. The CityExpress is not good looking, NV200 is absolutely woeful, plus it has a garbage CVT.

I wonder if the Ram tiny will have two lemfs, or will it stick with one.

I imagine the big black nose on the giant ProMaster is for quick change ease in case of an accident, perhaps it is one big assembly that comes off as a unit.

[Drew Dowdell]

Ocn, you're close on idea, a little off on implementation.

[David]

I bet on the following, the ugly big plastic nose is for Euro spec pedestrian crash standards / ease of repair for auto crashes and probably the only way they can get at the engine for service.

Remove the Nose, service the engine and put the nose back on again. Vans have never really had an easy service access except in the 70's when you had the huge hump inside come off so they could do an easy tune up.