Jeep® Wrangler and Ram 1500 Laramie Named Active Lifestyle Vehicle Winners for 2013

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Oct 24, 2012, 09:00 ET

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Oct. 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

The 2012 Jeep^® Wrangler captures the "Best Value Off-Road" award
The 2013 Ram 1500 Laramie earns top honors in "Luxury Off-Road" category
Awards come days after Jeep Wrangler and Ram 1500 win awards from the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) at the Texas Truck Rodeo

More than 100 attendees, including automotive journalists and elite athletes from a variety of sports, gathered in Chandler, Ariz., on Oct. 20 to choose the Active Lifestyle Vehicle (ALV) winners for 2013. The 2012 Jeep^® Wrangler captured the "Best Value Off-Road" award, while the 2013 Ram 1500 Laramie earned highest honors in the "Luxury Off-Road" category.

"What surprised the athletes about both the Wrangler and Ram wasn't off-road capability, which they have come to expect from both brands. It was vast improvements to the interior fit and finish as well as on-road ride-and-handling, which sent these vehicles to the front of the pack," said Nina Russin, automotive journalist and ALV program founder. "From a consumer stance, the fact that both the Wrangler and Ram 1500 4X4 can fill so many squares, functioning equally well commuting to and from work, running errands and taking the kids to soccer practice, adds a tremendous amount of value at any price."

In the final tally, the athletes' votes and those of the journalist jury panel each accounted for 50 percent. Their evaluations took into consideration overall vehicle design, fuel efficiency, engine power and cargo capability.

ALV is the only car-of-the-year program in the United States that combines the input of automotive journalists with elite and area athletes to determine which cars and trucks best meet the needs of buyers with active lifestyles.

Jeep Wrangler
Jeep Wrangler – the most capable production off-road vehicle in the world - gets even better due to continued improvements without sacrificing any off-road prowess. Jeep continues to redefine the successful Wrangler formula by combining legendary, benchmark capability with an interior that delivers rich styling, occupant comfort and versatility, and a premium appearance courtesy of items such as body-color hard tops for the popular Sahara and Rubicon models.

Features such as new seats, interior LED lighting, dual windshield washer nozzles and Alpine audio upgrade are new for 2013. A new premium Sunrider soft top features a richer appearance and three layers for reduced noise, and all soft tops on Unlimited models have been redesigned for easier operation.

The new 2013 Jeep Wrangler Moab special edition pays homage to the popular enthusiast off-roading venue and boasts winch-ready steel bumpers, rear limited-slip differential and available rear locker. Wrangler Moab is available with a black or body-color hardtop, and has dedicated off-road features like new Goodyear Silent Armor off-road tires with Kevlar reinforcement and rock rails. The award-winning 3.6-liter V-6 engine delivers 285 horsepower and 260 lb.-ft. of torque, and is available with a six-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmission.

Ram 1500
For 2013, the new Ram 1500 offers buyers best-in-class fuel efficiency, new technology and new features without sacrificing capability. Ram 1500 – the most recognizable pickup on the road – raises the bar with a truckload of pioneering, fuel-saving systems and first-in-segment technologies: eight-speed TorqueFlite 8 transmission, stop-start and active aerodynamics, including grille shutters and air suspension. Ram engineers changed every area of the truck – from a newly designed frame to new engines and transmissions to a new interior with the next-generation Uconnect® system. With best-in-class ride and handling and best-in-class aerodynamics, the 2013 Ram 1500 delivers unmatched content, performance and capability to truck buyers. 2013 Ram 1500 prices start at $23,585.

The 2013 Ram 1500 marks a milestone for Ram as this truck delivers best-in-class fuel economy of 18 MPG city and 25 MPG highway with a truckload of pioneering, fuel-saving systems including a more fuel efficient and more powerful 3.6-liter V-6 engine and first-in-segment technologies: eight-speed automatic transmission, stop-start system, thermal management system, pulse-width modulation and active aerodynamics, including grille shutters and air suspension. The 2013 Ram 1500 is available in nine trim levels and starts at $23,585 including $995 destination charge.

About the Jeep Brand
Built on more than 70 years of legendary heritage, Jeep is the authentic SUV with class-leading capability, craftsmanship and versatility for people who seek extraordinary journeys. The Jeep brand delivers an open invitation to live life to the fullest by offering a full line of vehicles that continue to provide owners with a sense of security to handle any journey with confidence.

The Jeep vehicle lineup consists of the Compass, Grand Cherokee, Liberty, Patriot, Wrangler and Wrangler Unlimited. To meet consumer demand around the world, all six Jeep models are sold outside North America - and all are available in right-hand drive versions and with gasoline and diesel powertrain options. Chrysler Group LLC sells and services vehicles in approximately 120 countries around the world.

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Ram Trucks
The Ram Truck brand continues to establish its own identity and clearly define its customer. The brand has emerged as a full-size truck leader by investing substantially in new products, infusing them with great looks, refined interiors, durable engines and features that further enhance their capabilities. Truck customers – from half-ton to commercial – have a demanding range of needs and require their vehicles to provide high levels of capability. The Ram 1500, 2500, 3500 pickups: 3500, 4500 and 5500 Chassis Cabs and Ram Cargo Van are designed to deliver a total package.

For 2013, the Ram 1500 grabs the title of best-in-class fuel economy for the half-ton segment with a number of exclusive technologies including a new V-6 engine, eight-speed transmission, stop-start system, air suspension and active grille shutters.

The 2013 Ram Heavy Duty brings best-in-class capability and innovative new features to the heavy-duty segment with an uncompromising attitude that remains the standard for all full-size heavy-duty pickups. Ram Heavy Duty also delivers the performance and amenities customers demand, for example the most off-road capable pickup on the market – the award-winning Ram Power Wagon. Ram also offers the only factory-engineered CNG truck. The Ram 2500 CNG is bi-fuel, capable of operating on compressed natural gas or gasoline.

The Ram Truck brand offers best-in-class capabilities on its hardest-working trucks – the Ram 3500, 4500 and 5500 Chassis Cab trucks. The Chassis Cab trucks provide customers with first-time innovations and features along with new standards of strength, utility and drivability. Building on Ram Truck's leadership in the heavy-duty pickup segment, Ram's commercial-grade work trucks are built on proven frames and chassis and engineered for maximum uptime, low cost of ownership, optimum performance and enhanced commercial capability.

When it comes to capability, the Ram C/V out-works competitive vans on a number of fronts by delivering best-in-class payload, cargo space, towing and turning radius. Equipped with the award-winning Pentastar engine, the Ram C/V also delivers best-in-class horsepower, torque and driving range.

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