Ram prices new small van against rival Ford
Chrysler Group's Ram is going head-to-head against Ford's Transit Connect when it comes to pricing of its small, commercial city van.
Ram said Wednesday that it will price the ProMaster City Cargo at $24,125 when destination charges are included, which is even with the long-wheelbase version of the Transit Connect, the little car-like, European-style van that has revolutionized the small delivery truck market.
But Nissan NV200, the other big competitor in the segment, will be cheaper than either. It has a starting price of $21,580, also including destination charges.
Ram says it's ProMaster City Cargo will succeed because of strong fuel economy and great cargo capacity. The van's 178-horsepower 2.4-liter Tigershark engine with a nine-speed transmission is good for 21 miles per gallon in the city, 29 mpg on the highway and 24 mpg overall. It can carry 1,883 pounds and tow up to 2,000 pounds.
"The new Ram ProMaster City enters the ... market with a long list of customer-focused, best-in-class features, including the highest available payload and cargo capacities," said Bob Hegbloom, CEO of the Ram Truck brand, in a statement.
The Ram ProMaster City Cargo only comes in one size while Ford's Transit Connect has a short-wheel base version that's $1,000 cheaper.