Dissecting the 2013 Ram 1500

Bob Hegbloom, director of the "Ram Truck Brand," noted that the 2013 Ram 1500 equipped with a new 3.6-liter V6 engine and 8-speed transmission averages an EPA-rated 18 mpg city and 25 mpg highway.

Joe Dehner, head of Ram and Dodge exterior design, noted changes to the shape of the 2013 Ram 1500 front bumper to make it more aerodynamic and thus help save on fuel.

Mike Raymond, head of Ram 1500 engineering, used a special "cutaway" truck to highlight all the changes made both inside and outside to the new 2013 model line.

Ryan Nagode, chief of Ram, Dodge, SRT, and Fiat interior design, highlighted the new materials and interior configurations used within the 2013 Ram 1500 cab space.

Mike Raymond explained that the major fuel economy improvements to the 2013 Ram 1500 comes from the combination of the new 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine (left) and 8-speed "TorqueFlite 8" transmission.

The lighter 3.6-liter V6 and 8-speed transmission combined with other chassis and body changes reduced the 2013 Ram 1500 weight by 130 lbs. versus the 2012 model line.

A suspension capable of achieving five different ride heights help provide better off road handling as well as a more aerodynamic profile at highway speeds.

Chrysler spend a lot of effort reshaping the 2013 Ram 1500 interior to address the need for the pickup cab to often serve as a "mobile office," providing more power outlets for phones and laptops as well as greater flat surface working area.

Lighter steel wheels helped shave pounds off the 2013 Ram 1500.

The burled wood used for the door treatments with the 2013 Ram 1500 luxury trim package comes from European trees used as fence posts. The wavy wood grain pattern is the result of the barbed wire once stapled to and then absorbed by the trees as they grew.