Here are the top stories from Chrysler Group LLC for the week of Nov. 9. Stories include a glimpse at the new Jeep® commercials, the reveal of the new Dodge Challenger that will race in the NASCAR Nationwide Series next year and a look at Dodge Sprint Cup driver Kurt Busch’s win last weekend at Texas International Speedway.

This special, expanded edition of Under the Pentastar, for the week Nov. 2-6, covers the rollout of the Chrysler Group LLC 2010-2014 Business Plan by CEO Sergio Marchionne and the company’s top executives at a meeting with investors and media on Nov. 4.

In this video, Joe Veltri, Head of Product Planning, talks about a the heavy-duty pickup truck market and customer, and how the various models and features of the all-new 2010 Dodge Ram Heavy Duty appeals to those buyers.

Here are some of the key points Veltri stressed in his presentation to the media:

Customer conveniences of the all-new Dodge Ram Heavy Duty
• Tailgate accommodates an available back-up camera for convenient trailer hook-ups and includes a lift-assist feature that makes raising and lowering a one-hand operation
• Standard bedrail protection is included with both the 6-foot-4-inch and 8-foot cargo boxes. The boxes now feature bedrail caps that protect sheet metal from dents and scratching
• Six-ring instrumentation keeps track of vehicle functions, while many controls are arrayed in the center stack for easy reach to buttons and knobs
• The new 2010 Dodge 2500 and 3500 Mega Cab models retain their title of best-in-class interior room in the segment:
o Largest, longest cab (143.2 cubic feet, 111.1 inches long)
o Largest interior cargo volume (72.2 cubic feet)
o Largest cargo volume behind rear seat (7.7 cubic feet)
o Largest flat-floor load area (16.8 square feet)
o Largest second-row leg room (44.2 inches)
o Largest rear-door opening (34.5 inches wide, 35.5 inches high)
o Largest rear-door open angle 85 degrees)
o First-ever reclining rear seats (22- to 37-degree seat-back angle)

Click here for a PDF of Veltri’s points Dodge Ram Heavy Duty Conveniences

Here is a look at the top stories from Chrysler Group LLC for the week of Oct. 26-30. Stories include details about some more “Moparized” vehicles to go on display at the Specialty Equipment Market Association show in Las Vegas next week and a convoy of the all-new 2010 Dodge Ram Heavy Duty vehicles headed to Talladega, Ala., for this weekend’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race. The company also announced plans to be the first automaker to offer mobile television, through FLO TV, in its vehicles.

Mark Allen, Mopar® Design Team Leader, shows off the key features of the Dodge Challenger 1320 “image” vehicle that will be on display at the 2009 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show next week (Nov. 3-6) in Las Vegas. The Challenger 1320 is a light-weight, stripped-down, race-only, special-order version of the Dodge Challenger designed for competitive drag racing.

Fred Diaz, President and CEO of the Dodge Ram Brand, and Mark Heber, Head of Dodge Product Marketing, talk about key features of the all-new Dodge Ram Heavy Duty and the heavy-duty pickup truck market.

Here are some of the key points Diaz and Heber made about the new Ram Heavy Duty vehicles:

• Last year, we introduced the all-new 2009 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup
• With its game-changing link coil suspension, this represents just one end of the boldest and most capable line-up of trucks on the planet
• Dodge Ram 1500 continues to haul in awards, including:
o Strategic Vision Inc.’s (SVI) 2009 Total Quality Index™ (TQI)
o Consumer Guide Best Buy for 2009
o Winner, 2009 International Truck of the Year
o Truckin’ magazine’s Truck of the Year
o 2009 Full-size Pickup Truck of Texas
o Winner of Car and Driver’s full-size truck comparison—beating the new Ford F150 and Chevy Silverado
• Industry-first, one-of-a-kind RamBox™ also was singled out for accolades, earning Best Achievement in Party-enabling Technology by Maxim Magazine
• One out of every eight vehicles sold today in the United States is still a full-size pickup truck
• The heavy-duty truck segment still comprises about a third of the full-size truck market, and its customers are the most brand-loyal in the industry
• Total Dodge Ram (light- and heavy-duty) sales in 2008 were 15.3 percent of full-size pickup segment
• Overall Dodge Ram Heavy Duty truck market share in 2008 was 23.0 percent of the heavy-duty truck segment
• The truck segment is still one of the largest segments in the industry, with more than 1.6 million units sold in 2008
• The all-new 2010 Dodge Ram Heavy-Duty is the ultimate pickup and the best pickup truck Dodge Ram has ever offered
• Ram Heavy Duty is the continuation of our “reinvention” of the Dodge Ram lineup
• 2010 Dodge Ram Heavy Duty is available for the first time in a crew-size cab model – providing Dodge with a formidable entry in the highest-volume part of the heavy-duty pickup segment (approximately 50 percent)
• Crew-size cabs are the fastest-growing part of the truck segment, growing from approximately 20 percent of the market in 2002 to nearly 50 percent in 2008
• Larger Crew Cab configuration is favored for more passenger and greater content storage

• Crew Cab provides:
o Greater interior room and storage
o More rear-seat legroom
o Full-size rear doors
o Hidden-in-floor storage
o Removable bins
• In addition to crew-size cab, Dodge Ram Heavy Duty also is offered in regular cab and Mega Cab configurations
• Dodge Ram Heavy Duty general target demographics:
o Ninety percent male
o Median age 55
o Eighty-five percent married
o Median annual income $87,000
o Thirty-four percent college educated
• Fifty percent of heavy-duty truck buyers use their trucks for work and 100 percent use their trucks for fun and leisure

Click this link for a PDF version of this list Dodge Ram Heavy Duty market

Yesterday morning, a convoy of five 2010 Ram Heavy Duty pickup trucks, sporting special Talladega Superspeedway graphics and Ram engineers behind the wheel, gathered in front of the Auburn Hills Complex before setting off on an 800-mile drive to the racetrack in Alabama. In this video, executives and company officials talk about key features of the all-new pickup and the trip. The engineers driving the vehicles plan to stop along the way and answer questions from onlookers. They also plan to meet and talk about the trucks with NASCAR fans during the race this weekend.

Mike Cairns, Vehicle Line Executive—Truck, discusses in this video the key engineering features and changes in the all-new Dodge Ram Heavy Duty pickup.

Below are the highlights and key points about the Ram Heavy Duty’s engineering, capability, and safety and security features of his presentation:

Engineering features, amenities of the all-new Dodge Ram Heavy Duty

• Dodge Ram continues its strong heritage in the heavy-duty truck market by building on its past. Since 2003, Dodge has launched new models or made improvements to its Heavy-Duty lineup:
o 2003 – Launched all-new version of Ram Heavy Duty
o 2004 – Introduced diesel engine improvements
o 2005 – Introduced Dodge Ram Power Wagon
o 2006 – Introduced Dodge Ram Mega Cab
o 2008 – Introduced (2007.5) New 6.7-liter Cummins Turbo Diesel engine
o 2009 – Introduced new 5.7-liter HEMI® engine and new brake system for added brake life and improved fuel economy and new 3.42 axle ratio on diesel automatic transmission
• New for 2010, the Crew Cab, with either 6-foot 4-inch or 8-foot boxes, replaces the Quad Cab® to meet heavy-duty truck customer needs and focus on overall vehicle refinement, ride and comfort
• Crew Cab segment is the highest-volume part of the heavy-duty pickup segment (approximately 50 percent)
• Choice of legendary diesel- and gasoline-fueled powerplants:
o Available 6.7-liter Cummins Turbo Diesel produces 350 horsepower (261 kW) at 3,000 rpm and 650 lb.-ft. of torque (881 N•m) at only 1,500 rpm. The 6.7-liter meets the most stringent of 50-state emission requirements and includes a segment-exclusive standard exhaust brake
o Standard 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 delivers 383 horsepower (286 kW) at 5,600 rpm and 400 lb.-ft. of torque (542 N•m) at 4,000 rpm. Features variable valve timing for greater efficiency and performance
• The most durable and reliable engine in its class, the 6.7-liter Cummins Turbo Diesel, features standard oil-change intervals of 7,500 miles. It also has life-to-major overhaul intervals of 350,000 miles, providing more than a 100,000-mile advantage over the competition
• The Cummins 6.7-liter Turbo Diesel engine uses a diesel particulate filter (DPF) to virtually eliminate particulate matter emissions and an absorber catalyst to reduce oxides of nitrogen (NOx) by as much as 90 percent, in order to meet stringent 2010.5 diesel emissions requirements
• The 5.7-liter HEMI was redesigned for 2009, with several new and improved technologies:
o Variable Valve Timing (VVT)
o Increased compression ratio
o Active intake manifold with long runners for low-end torque and short runners for high-rpm power
o Improved cylinder head port flow efficiency
o Reduced-restriction exhaust and induction systems
o Best-in-class performance and greater efficiency:
 Peak torque increased 8 percent to 400 lb.-ft.
 Peak power increased 15 percent to 383 horsepower
 Fuel economy improved 4 percent
• Ride greatly improved with new fluid-filled hydro mount C-pillar and re-tuned suspension components
• All-new integrated trailer brake controller offered with trailer tow package improves trailer braking and stability
• B20 (biodiesel) package available to fleet customers only

Capability of the all-new Dodge Ram Heavy Duty
• Ram Heavy Duty 3500 offers superior towing capability at 17,600 pounds and a maximum payload of 5,150 pounds
• Ram 3500 with dual-rear wheels, diesel engine, automatic transmission and 4.10 rear axle has an increased Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR) of 24,500 pounds from 24,000 pounds
• With Max Tow Package, GCWR increases to 25,400 pounds (late availability)
• Ram Heavy-Duty 2500 Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) increases to 9,600 pounds from 9,000 pounds, a 600 lb. increase on crew cab and Mega Cab 4×4 models equipped with the Cummins Turbo Diesel engine
• Increased front Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) of 5,500 pounds on 4×4 models equipped with the 6.7-liter Cummins Turbo Diesel engine allows for more front-weight carrying capability, including greater snowplow weights
• Increased Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) on 2500 4×4 crew cab diesel models to 9,600 pounds from 9,000 pounds
• Increased Gross Combined Weight Ratings (GCWR) on 3500 4×2 models to 24,000 pounds from 23,000 pounds
• Increased front Gross Axle Weight Ratings (GAWR) on several models:
o To 5,500 pounds from 5,200 pounds on diesel 4×4 pickups
o To 5,000 pounds from 4,700 pounds on diesel 4×2 pickups
• Suspension upgrades and larger front axle U-joints, combined with increased front GAWR, result in increased front-weight carrying capability – a must for larger snowplows
• A coil-spring suspension setup is used in the front of the vehicle, while the multi-leaf spring design is maintained in the rear for heavy-duty capability
• Front and rear shocks and springs are tuned for optimum ride quality and capability
• Ram Heavy-Duty offers only standard exhaust brake in the segment (diesel-equipped models). This feature reduces brake fade, prolongs brake life and provides confidence and safety when hauling heavy loads on downhill grades
• Large front (360 mm) and rear (358 mm) brakes with integrated Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) results in increased brake life and braking stability
• Available integrated trailer brake control provides better driver control in towing situations. Trailer brake control information is conveniently displayed in the Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC), which is standard on diesel models and available on gas SLT, TRX and Laramie models
• New 2010 Dodge Ram Heavy-Duty transmissions include Electronic Range Select, which enables the driver to manually limit the highest available transmission gear, allowing manual upshifts and downshifts based on road speed and engine speed
• A tow/haul mode switch enhances tow capability while towing. Tow/haul mode is available on both five-speed and six-speed automatic transmissions
• Tow-friendly features include improved trailer-tow mirrors with integrated turn signals, memory function and puddle lamps
• The larger 7-inch x 11-inch trailer-tow mirrors offer improved visibility with larger convex glass surfaces
• Mirrors flip up and out in a vertical configuration for improved visibility around wide trailers. Trailer-tow mirrors are now standard on 3500
• Dodge Ram Power Wagon returns for the 2010 model year
• It is equipped with electric-locking front and rear differentials, electronic disconnecting sway bar, Bilstein shocks, 32-inch BF Goodrich off-road tires, underbody skid plate protection, 4.56 axle ratio for hill climbing and a custom-built Warn® 12,000-pound winch is accessible through the front bumper

Safety, security features of the all-new Dodge Ram Heavy Duty
• Chrysler Group LLC employs a two-fold approach to safety: passive safety features, including pre-tensioning and load-limiting seat-belt retractors and supplemental side air bags; and active safety features, including responsive steering, handling and braking
• More than 25 safety and security features, including:
o Anti-lock Brake System (ABS): Senses and prevents wheel lockup, offering improved steering control under extreme braking and/or slippery conditions
o Advanced multi-stage air bags: Use either an Occupant Classification System or a Low-risk Deployment Air Bag for the front passenger
o Electronic brake force distribution: Adjusts braking pressure front to rear, based on weight distribution of passengers and cargo, to minimize brake dive during hard braking
o Energy-absorbing steering column: The manual-adjust steering column utilizes two hydo-formed coaxial tubes that move relative to each other in order to allow the column to move forward for enhanced energy absorption during a crash. The steering column employs a calibrated bending element that collapses during column stroke for optimal energy management
o HomeLink universal home security system transceiver: Stores three separate transmitter radio-frequency codes to operate garage-door openers, security gates, security lighting or other radio-controlled devices
o Interior head-impact protection: Interior pillars above the beltline and instrument panel, including areas around windshield and rear window headers, roof and side-rail structures, and shoulder-belt turning loops, specifically designed to limit head-impact collision force
o Parksense® Rear Park Assist System: Assists at low speeds in Reverse to detect stationary objects. Consists of visible (interior lights seen with rearview mirror) and audible warnings for the driver
o Power-adjustable pedals: Allow brake, accelerator and clutch (if equipped) pedals to move toward or away from the driver in order to achieve a safe and comfortable seating position for improved vehicle control
o Sentry Key® engine immobilizer: Utilizes an engine key that has an embedded transponder with a pre-programmed security code to discourage vehicle theft. When the key is inserted into the ignition, the controller sends a random number to the transponder and the engine is allowed to start. If an incorrect key is used, the engine will shut off after a few seconds
o Uconnect® Phone: Uses Bluetooth technology to provide voice-controlled wireless communication between the occupants’ compatible mobile phone and the vehicle’s onboard receiver. The hands-free option promotes safety, freedom, value and flexibility

Click these links for PDF version of Cairns’ presentation:
Dodge Ram Heavy Duty engineering features
Dodge Ram Heavy Duty capability
Dodge Ram Heavy Duty safety-security features