It seems that the desert racing  look is the next big thing when it comes to enthusiast trucks. Ford’s got the Raptor, now, Chrysler’s Ram truck brand is getting in the action with the Ram Runner package, which will become available from March on the brand’s 1500 1/2 ton pickups via Mopar (a display vehicle will be on hand at this year’s North American International Auto Show in Detroit from January 15-23).

Chrysler has announced that it is recalling a total of 76,122  2010-11 Ram Heavy Duty models equipped with the 6.7-liter Cummins turbo diesel engine, due to a fault with the brake lights.

According to a well-known Mopar source, entries in Chrysler’s new car dealer ‘Star’ network show codes for impending diesel engine and hybrid-electric transmission options in Ram 1/2 ton pickups.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently implemented a revised test procedure for it’s 5-star New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) vehicle safety rating system and now, has issued results conducted with four 2011 model year pickup trucks – the Chevy Silverado/GMC Sierra 1500,  Ram 1500 and Toyota Tacoma.

In an effort to improve customer satisfaction, Chrysler Group LLC is urging its dealers to set up Quick Lubes as part of their service operations. Although some dealers have been shying away from the concept, Chrysler says that by adopting Quick Lubes, concessionaires will be able to double their oil change business as well as proving greater convenience and service satisfaction for customers.

For all you lovers of body on frame chassis and four wheel drive, we bring you our favorite trucks of the 2010 SEMA Show.

It’s no secret that the Lone Star State is known as truck country. Texas accounts for 17 percent of total pickup sales in the U.S. and this year, after two grueling days of evaluating a total of 57 trucks and SUVs, the Texas Auto Writers Association, declared the 2011 Ram Laramie Longhorn as this year’s ‘Truck of Texas.’

If you own a 2010 Dodge Ram 1500 or HD; Chrysler is asking you to contact your nearest dealership for a recall. Now it’s not a mechanical defect this time, but rather incorrect warning labels, specifically relating to tire pressure information regarding vehicle weight loadings and capacities.

Automakers are increasingly using targeted consumer events as the location from which to launch a new vehicle and for the past several years the Texas State Fair has (understandably) been one of the more popular venues for pickup truck manufacturers. This year’s event saw the introduction of the new top-trim Dodge Ram Laramie Longhorn edition truck  – with a seriously intricate and high-grade interior.

Dominating the headlines following Chrysler‘s first dealer meeting in three years yesterday was news of a new Viper planned for 2012. But apart from headline-grabbing sports cars, Chrysler execs made plenty of comments regarding the company’s commitment to the truck and SUV segment.

Ever since it’s inception, the Federal Government’s Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards program has never been far from controversy. With the proposed 35 miles per gallon standard less than a decade away; auto manufacturers are struggling to find ways of meeting these fleet average targets. Because light trucks as well as cars are now included in the targets, domestic automakers like Ford, GM and Chrysler are likely to find the new regulations particularly tough to deal with, since a great deal of their profit still rests on truck production. Now, thanks to a meeting in May, when President Obama called on the EPA and Department of Transportation to included medium and heavy-duty vehicles within the CAFE umbrella (under different and yet undisclosed fuel economy standards), things have become even more messy and complicated.

Recently, Chrysler issued a recall affecting approximately 22,000 vehicles from model year 2010. Said vehicles include Ram 1500 1/2 pickups, the Dodge Nitro and Jeep Liberty SUVs, plus the Jeep Wrangler. The recall centers around the brake system on these vehicles, whereby  the lines from the master cylinder to the hydraulic brake unit could fail, causing a loss of fluid and compromised braking ability, potentially resulting in accidents.

The Ford Transit Connect, Jeep Liberty, Jeep Wrangler, Dodge Nitro and RAM 1500 are being recalled by Ford and Chrysler respectively, for separate issues.

Chrysler will build a licensed version of a ZF 8-speed automatic gearbox at their Indiana transmission plant. Production is expected to start in 2013, and retain roughly 1,200 jobs.

It may cost more money to purchase and fill up, but SUVs , trucks and mini-vans are cheaper to insure. This information is coming from a recent government report that based its findings on the fact that some vehicles cost less to fix, and therefore reflects how much it will cost to insure.

Hyundai and Chrysler could partner together for a full-sized truck based off of the Ram, after Chrysler’s deal with Nissan fell apart. Sources say that Hyundai approached Chrysler as late as February regarding a potential tie-up. Hyundai’s lineup is experiencing a renaissance in North America, but the Korean automaker lacks a full-size pickup truck for the crucial North American market. Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne reportedly turned down the offer at that time, but is now re-considering due to excess capacity at truck plans. Both Toyota and Nissan have struggled to sell their own full-size pickups in recent years.

A company doesn’t usually send out a press release to announce production of a new engine, but these days Chrysler can use all the good press it can get. And good press this most certainly is, as the new Pentastar 3.6-liter V6 marks the first real step in the rebirth of Chrysler.

The new V6 engine will significantly reduce overall costs as Chrysler will replace seven different V6 engines currently used across the company’s lineup with this one motor. Chrysler also claims it will reduce fuel consumption by at least 25 percent. Power output will also increase considerably, with 280-hp and 260 ft-lbs of torque available from the V6 when it debuts later this year in the new 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Afterwards, it’s slated to arrive in the new mid-size D-Class models, mated to a six-speed Dual Dry Clutch Transmission (DDCT).

But the best news of all is confirmation that Chrysler has built the engine to be compatible with more advanced technologies, meaning that in the future it will get Fiat’s Multiair variable valve timing, direct-injection and turbocharging.

Previously it was thought this technology might only be used in pricey European models (Alfa Romeo perhaps?), but the fact that Chrysler thought to mention it speaks volumes. Perhaps, the company is looking to follow after Ford’s EcoBoost plan and bring a Turbo Pentastar V6 to market as a V8 alternative?

Official release after the jump:

Chrysler has announced that thanks to a government grant it will build a test fleet of hybrid Ram pickups. Chrysler had initially planned to build a Ram HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicle) for 2011, but those plans were canceled when market demand was shown to be too minimal. The new truck, under the new Ram brand, will be a PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle), using a lithium-ion battery, electric motor, 5.7-liter Hemi V8 and a two-mode hybrid transmission. Chrysler claims a 20 mile emissions-free range, with an improvement of 65 percent over the current Ram 1500.

The $48 million grant comes as a part of a $2.4 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act DOE Vehicle Electrification program, from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

A total of 140 Ram PHEVs will be built to test market demand as well as the durability of such a truck. “DOE-support for domestic advanced technology is an important enabler for Chrysler Group and its key suppliers in order to understand and test customer acceptance and the capability of PHEV systems in a variety of real-world conditions,” said Paolo Ferrero, Senior VP of Powertrain technology at Chrysler.

It’s not clear how soon the trucks will hit the road, but Chrysler is looking to do a three year test of the vehicles before making any decisions.

Official release after the jump: