Dodge Ram ProMaster: Modified Fiat Ducato (Code VF)
Starting in 2009, Ram engineers started worked on adapting Fiat vans to American needs. The 2014 Ram ProMaster, based on the front-wheel-drive Fiat Ducato, is the first jointly developed product of Ram Truck and Fiat Professional. Production is scheduled to start in Chrysler’s Satillo (Mexico) plant, in the third quarter of 2013; the plant was chosen because it is in two overlapping free trade zones.
ProMaster has 13 different configurations, with three wheelbases, low and high roofs, and cargo van, cutaway, and chassis cab versions. It was designed to be superior to other American-market in both cargo capacity and fuel efficiency, with a low total cost of ownership (aided by good serviceability); it is already more flexible, in terms of body types, than any Dodge van in memory.
While some markets already had Ducatos with Fiat’s four-cylinder, 3-liter diesel engine (already used in the US), Ram is the first to have a V6 gasoline-engine version of the van — using the 3.6 liter Pentastar V6.
As with the Ram series, ProMaster is available in three capacity ranges: 1500, 2500, and 3500.
To meet North and South American needs, ProMaster was retuned for rougher roads and higher payloads, and corrosion protection was added. Safety, emissions, and powertrains meet U.S. standards. As sold in North America, the Ram ProMaster has a maximum 5,145 pound payload capacity, with a 5,100 pound maximum towing capacity. The gross combined weight rating for the 3.6-liter V6 is 11,500 pounds and 12,500 pounds for the 3.0-liter diesel. The Ram ProMaster appears to have far higher capacities than Fiat Ducato, whose maximum payload is roughly 3,472 pounds.
ProMaster chassisThe frame rails are fully boxed and welded to ensure stiffness, stability, and strength; the eight upper and lower cross members create a structural “ladder-frame” for integrity, torsional stiffness, and durability.
The floor panel is welded in place with the rails and cross members to reduce weight, and a reinforced plenum area raises lateral stiffness in the front.
The cargo van has a reinforced sub-frame extending the length of the van, while the chassis cab’s unibody structure stops at the back of the cab; the ladder-bar frame extends to the rear. The frames use high-strength steel.
Ram ProMaster cargo vans: storage
Two roof heights are available (90 or 101 inches). The body is 82.7 inches wide in every configuration. Cargo volume is up to 530 cubic feet. Four cargo floors are available, with 105, 123, 146, and 160 inches.
Up to 17 tie-down rings with a 1,000-lb. rating fold away to maintain a flat floor; optional partitions protect against load shifts. Floor finishes include a resin-finished wooden load floor, painted steel, or rubber-coated steel. Side walls can be painted or composite finished (lower and/or upper parts); a cargo partition with window is available to separate the cab from the cargo.