Auto Shows | January 18 2019

See FCA’s latest and greatest at Detroit auto show

From a ground-breaking midsize pickup truck to a ground-shaking 1,000-horsepower engine, the past few months at FCA North America have given off-road and performance fans plenty to cheer.

The North American International Auto Show in Detroit, which opens to the public this Saturday, Jan. 19, is a chance to see these milestones in person, all in one place. The show runs through Sunday, Jan. 27 at Cobo Center in downtown Detroit.

Whether you take a short drive or plan a trip and multi-day stay, we’re confident that at the end of the day you’ll find your car and truck passion refueled.

Here are some highlights of what you’ll find in the FCA stand:

Unveiled at this year’s Detroit show, the redesigned 2019 Ram Heavy Duty has the moxie to outpower, out tow and outhaul the field with an available 1,000-lb-ft 6.7-liter Cummins I-6 Turbo Diesel.

The new Ram Heavy Duty not only out works other trucks, it also out coddles the passengers with a cabin filled with eye-catching design, premium materials and advanced technology. That tech suite includes active cruise control, Automatic Emergency Braking and Forward Collision Warning.

It is easy to see that the new Ram Heavy Duty takes inspiration from the all-new 2019 Ram 1500 pickup, newly crowned as both the Motor Trend Truck of the Year and 2019 North American Truck of the Year. You can check out the Ram 1500 with its available 12-inch screen with Uconnect 4C and SiriusXM 360L audio content.

The all-new 2020 Jeep® Gladiator debuted in Los Angeles last November and interest in the pickup as only grown since then. Set to arrive in showrooms in the second quarter of this year, the Gladiator offers the unique combination of an open-air ride with the versatility of a 5-foot bed.

Maybe you prefer the all-new, iconic Jeep Wrangler, which launched last year. The editors at Motor Trend did, naming it the SUV of the Year.

Horsepower reigns supreme at the SEMA show in Las Vegas and Mopar took its place among the royalty with the 1,000-hp “Hellephant” supercharged HEMI® V-8 crate motor. You will find it nestled in the Mopar area in Detroit, along with the Dodge Super Charger concept – a restoration/modernization of the 1968 Dodge Charger that marries classic muscle car styling with modern muscle car thrust.

The Dodge section of the FCA stand packs all the horsepower, too, ranging from the 797-hp 2019 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye to the drag-focused Challenger R/T Scat Pack 1320. Don’t miss the chance to get a turn in the Dodge Challenger race track simulator. Also, no need to wait for a three-row, high-performance, unibody SUV – the 475-hp Dodge Durango SRT is at the show and in dealer showrooms.

Maybe you have other hauling needs –the precious cargo suited for the stylish Chrysler Pacifica and Pacifica Hybrid minivans. Or, you’re already dreaming of summer driving – we bet you can’t pass the Fiat 124 Spider Abarth on display without stopping and trying it on for size.

So wear comfortable shoes. The FCA stand in Detroit is practically an entire auto show unto itself.

Dale Jewett

Do you know your blood type? Mine is 100 octane (not your standard blood bank classification). At any given moment, I’m thinking about cars – driving one, fixing one, buying one or (in my dreams) restoring one. So I love to tell stories that involve horsepower, brake and wheel diameters
Read More
Do you know your blood type? Mine is 100 octane (not your standard blood bank classification). At any given moment, I’m thinking about cars – driving one, fixing one, buying one or (in my dreams) restoring one. So I love to tell stories that involve horsepower, brake and wheel diameters and 0-to-60 times – and the people who make it happen. Because behind every awesome vehicle are amazing people with vision and the desire to make it a reality. I cover Mopar, Dodge, SRT and motorsports for Stellantis Digital Media. I learned to drive on a 1973 Jeep CJ-5 with the rare Super Jeep option package and three-speed manual transmission. I still belong to the dwindling club of people who prefer to shift their own gears, and think the best way to drive is with the top down!