> Cummins, Chrysler Extend Diesel Contract for Ram Pickups

The brand name may have changed, but the diesel engine offered in Ram pickups won’t. Cummins Diesel Inc. announced today it has renewed its contract with Chrysler to provide turbo-diesel engines for heavy-duty models.

“Cummins and Chrysler have a long and important history together,” said Dave Crompton, vice president and general manager of midrange engines at Cummins. “The Chrysler business continues to be a key part of our midrange engine business, and we’re proud to continue working with Chrysler to develop best-in-class products that customers can depend on.”

We can see why the Ram contract is an important one to the engine manufacturer. Cummins and Chrysler first partnered to offer a turbo-diesel in the 1989 Ram. Both parties anticipated sales to remain under 5000 units. Instead, more than 20,000 Cummins-powered Rams were sold that year, and Cummins has gone on to provide over 1.7 million engines for use in heavy-duty Ram models.

Today, nearly 80 percent of Ram heavy-duty buyers opt for the current Cummins option, which is a 6.7-liter turbo-diesel I-6. The engine pumps out 350 hp at 3000 rpm, and a solid 650 lb-ft of torque at 1500 rpm.

Neither party will disclose how long the new deal will last, although Cummins describes it as a “multiyear extension” of its current contract.