Ram 1500 TRX Captures Official Winter Pickup Truck of New England Crown; Chrysler Pacifica and Jeep® Gladiator Earn Class Honors at NEMPA Winter Vehicle Driving Event

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07/21/2021 - 09:00 AM

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., July 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --

2021 Ram 1500 TRX, in its first year of eligibility, named Official Winter Pickup Truck of New England at annual New England Motor Press Association (NEMPA) winter vehicle competition
2021 Chrysler Pacifica, now with all-wheel-drive capability, takes People Mover best-in-class honors
2021 Jeep® Gladiator named Mid-size Pickup Truck class winner
Winners chosen by jurors representing print, television, digital and radio media outlets from Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont

The 2021 Ram 1500 TRX has been named Official Winter Pickup Truck of New England while the 2021 Chrysler Pacifica and 2021 Jeep® Gladiator earned class honors at the annual New England Motor Press Association (NEMPA) winter vehicle competition.

"The Ram 1500 TRX earned the top spot as the overall winner,'' said John Paul, President, New England Motor Press Association. "The mighty TRX is designed to handle the harshest conditions, including snow, and satisfies the New England motorist in every detail from its supercharged engine to its 35-inch tires. The Jeep Gladiator doesn't just handle New England winters, it dominates them, which is why it's a favorite and repeat winner in taking NEMPA honors. Chrysler Pacifica now offers true all-wheel-drive that can handle not just New England winters, but with its full suite of safety features, further adds to driver and passenger safety. Add in one of the best infotainment systems and Pacifica is the NEMPA best-in-class People Mover."

The Ram 1500 TRX captured the crown in its first year of eligibility at the event, marking the third consecutive year winter-weather savvy NEMPA journalists have picked a Stellantis vehicle as the Official Winter Truck of New England. The all-new 2021 Ram 1500 TRX is the apex predator of the truck world and cements Ram Truck as North America's off-road truck leader. Ram TRX expands the light-duty lineup and sets new benchmarks for power and performance among half-ton pickup trucks with the 6.2-liter supercharged HEMI® V-8 engine.

The Chrysler Pacifica, which offers all-wheel-drive (AWD) capability paired with Stow 'n Go seating, took NEMPA People Mover best-in-class honors. Pacifica's AWD system engages seamlessly at any speed, without any activation required by the driver. The system automatically activates transfer of all available engine torque to the wheels with more traction. It can also detect when AWD is not needed and disconnect the power-transfer unit and rear drive module automatically to stop the drive shaft from spinning, reducing driveline drag, improving fuel efficiency and reducing emissions — a class-exclusive in the minivan segment.

Jeep Gladiator claimed victory in the Mid-size Pickup Truck class. The 2021 Jeep Gladiator, engineered from the ground up to be the most off-road capable Jeep truck ever, builds on a rich heritage of tough, dependable trucks with an unmatched combination of rugged utility, authentic Jeep design, open-air freedom, clever functionality and versatility. Gladiator is built to handle the demands of an active lifestyle, whether in extreme desert heat or, in the case of the NEMPA Winter Vehicle Driving Event, a cold New England winter.

NEMPA members evaluated a wide variety of vehicles from various manufacturers that covered multiple categories. Journalists cycled through each vehicle throughout New England leading up to the official day of testing and scoring that took place in February at NEMPA headquarters in Middleborough, Massachusetts.

New England Motor Press Association (NEMPA)
The New England Motor Press Association, founded in 1987, coordinates professional media coverage and creates content covering the auto industry specifically for the 14.5 million vehicle buyers living in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. These New England buyers have unique demographics and automotive preferences. Membership in NEMPA is by invitation and open to carmakers and their public-relations and communications staffs, suppliers to the automotive industry, and trade and consumer auto show producers as well as to automotive journalists and photographers. NEMPA's media members appear in national and regional print, radio, TV and online media outlets and have a strong social media presence. Find more information at www.nempa.org.

Ram 1500 TRX
The new 2021 Ram 1500 TRX is the apex predator of the truck world and cements Ram Truck as North America's off-road truck leader. Designed bolt by bolt to significantly outperform every other truck straight from the factory, the Ram 1500 TRX has been tested to handle the most punishing conditions with extreme durability. Class-leading, uncompromising performance in the harshest environments is achieved in part through the 702-horsepower supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI V-8 engine. Stratospheric power delivers a new level of performance: 0-60 miles per hour (mph) in 4.5 seconds, the quarter mile in 12.9 seconds at 108 mph and a top speed 118 mph. The 2021 Ram 1500 TRX has been rigorously tested to handle the most punishing conditions with extreme capability and durability on its way to being the quickest, fastest and most powerful mass-produced half-ton pickup truck in the world.

The Ram 1500 TRX builds on everything the award-winning Ram 1500 lineup delivers – including world-class luxurious interiors with premium materials and incredible attention to detail, segment-leading ride-quality and comfort, and a superior level of refinement and sophistication – and raises the no-compromise benchmark for power, performance, durability, technology and convenience with features never before offered in a pickup.

Class-leading ride and handling are accomplished via an all-new custom suspension composed of the highest possible quality components and tuning geared towards high-speed desert runs, producing even more capability on the street or in the desert. The Ram 1500 TRX boasts a ground clearance of 11.8 inches due in part to a 2-inch ride height increase when compared with the rest of the Ram 1500 lineup, along with aggressive 35-inch Goodyear Wrangler Territory All-Terrain 325/65/R18 tires. This combination enables TRX to clear surface obstacles easily and at high speeds.

A luxurious and spacious interior offers authentic, premium materials, colors and textures, including hand-wrapped leather instrument panels for unexpected luxury throughout. As a segment disrupter, the standard Uconnect 4C with a massive 12-inch touchscreen leads the segment in technology, featuring split-screen capability, 360-degree camera views, and exclusive content from SiriusXM with 360L and Personalized Stations Powered by Pandora. The 2021 Ram 1500 TRX is the first vehicle to include the new Know & Go mobile app featuring an immersive experience for customers who want to learn more about their vehicles. Active safety and security systems include adaptive cruise control, Forward Collision Warning, Blind-spot Monitoring and Ready Alert Braking.

Chrysler Pacifica
The Chrysler brand continues to set the pace for the minivan segment with the new 2021 Chrysler Pacifica. The first-ever minivan to offer both gas and hybrid powertrains, Chrysler is elevating its minivan game to new levels, creating a new top-of-the-line Pinnacle model in the segment, offering AWD capability paired with Pacifica's class-exclusive Stow 'n Go seating, more standard safety features than any vehicle in the industry, new FamCAM interior camera, wireless charging, next-generation Uconnect 5 connectivity, an athletic new look and loads more creature comforts and interior storage for the 2021 model year. The Pacifica Hybrid delivers more than 80 miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe) in electric-only mode, an all-electric range of more than 30 miles and a total range of more than 500 miles.

The Chrysler Pacifica continues to hold its status as the most awarded minivan five years in a row with more than 150 honors and industry accolades. As the first company to introduce the minivan and through six generations of the vehicle, 116 minivan firsts have been produced, including nearly 40 minivan-first features on the Pacifica. The company has sold more than 15 million minivans globally since 1983, twice as many as any other manufacturer over 37 years.

Jeep_® Gladiator
The Jeep Gladiator – the most capable Jeep truck ever – builds on a rich heritage of tough, dependable Jeep trucks with a robust combination of rugged utility, authentic Jeep design, open-air freedom, clever functionality and versatility, advanced fuel-efficient powertrains, superior on- and off-road dynamics and a host of innovative safety and advanced technology features. Legendary off-road capability comes courtesy of the Command-Trac and Rock-Trac 4x4 systems, third-generation Dana 44 axles, Tru-Lock electric front- and rear-axle lockers, Trac-Lok limited-slip differential, segment-exclusive sway-bar disconnect and 33-inch off-road tires. The Jeep Gladiator is available in Sport, Sport S, Overland, Rubicon and Mojave trims, and is built in Toledo, Ohio.

Stellantis
Stellantis (NYSE: STLA) is one of the world's leading automakers and a mobility provider, guided by a clear vision to offer freedom of movement with distinctive, affordable and reliable mobility solutions. In addition to the Group's rich heritage and broad geographic presence, its greatest strengths lie in its sustainable performance, depth of experience and the wide-ranging talents of employees working around the globe. Stellantis will leverage its broad and iconic brand portfolio, which was founded by visionaries who infused the brands with passion and a competitive spirit that speaks to employees and customers alike. Stellantis aspires to become the greatest, not the biggest, while creating added value for all stakeholders, as well as the communities in which it operates.

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