The 2015 Ram ProMaster City is Ram’s newest addition to its commercial vehicle lineup, and contributes to the expanding, purpose-built, van segment with a number of best-in-class, functional elements tied directly to commercial customer demand.
Joining the larger Ram ProMaster and Ram C/V as a Class 1 van offering, the ProMaster City will compete with compact commercial and passenger vans with best-in-class attributes in the areas that count: payload capacity, cargo area, performance and fuel economy, according to the company.
“As businesses strive for lower costs, the demand for a smaller, more efficient van has increased and Ram Commercial is answering the bell with the all-new ProMaster City,” says Reid Bigland, President and CEO — Ram Truck Brand, Chrysler Group LLC. “Years ago, the selection of delivery and cargo vehicles was limited and those offerings didn’t focus on cost of ownership. Today all of that has changed with the recent introduction of the full-size Ram ProMaster, and now the Ram ProMaster City.”
Ram Truck cites it relationship with Fiat Professional, one of the largest producers of commercial vehicles in the world, as an important aid to the brand’s entry into new segments and to expanding its product line.
Based on the successful Fiat Doblo, a two-time International Van of the Year winner with more than 1.3 million units sold, the Ram ProMaster City will incorporate familiar Ram Truck design elements and offer features, systems and powertrains preferred by North American customers.
Whether the job is delivering packages, organizing and hauling the tools of a professional tradesman or carting the band’s gear to the next gig, the ProMaster City van is designed and engineered to tackle big jobs while delivering versatile functionality, durability and superior ride and handling.
It will be offered in two-seat Tradesman cargo van and five-seat passenger Wagon configurations.
Unibody design: The foundation of the 2015 ProMaster City is a steel unibody design. The unibody architecture helps minimize curb weight, a key contributor to the van’s payload capability of 1,883 pounds. A 122.4-in. wheelbase creates the space needed for the largest cargo area in the segment.
Suspension: The front axle uses a compact MacPherson strut suspension, tuned for rougher North American roads and class-leading payload capacity.
In a departure from standard practice in the Class 1 van category of using rear leaf springs, the ProMaster City upgrades to an independent, coil-sprung bi-link rear suspension.
Front-wheel drive: The van uses a front-wheel-drive layout that provides several benefits:
- Fewer mechanical parts, resulting in less weight, lower maintenance costs (in large part because there’s no rear differential), enhanced mechanical efficiencies and enhanced fuel efficiency
- Optimal cab and cargo compartment space, attributable to the absence of a transmission/prop shaft tunnel – a key enabler to achieving a flat floor in the cargo compartment area
- More predictable handling in emergency maneuvers (reduced over- and under-steer characteristics)
- Enhanced traction in rain, mud and snow, a result of the engine weight being situated over the drive wheels
- Greater payload capacity due to lighter overall vehicle weight
Above the wheel wells, the van’s nearly vertical side panels give it a best-in-class width of 60.4 inches. Combined with an interior roof height of 51.8 inches, the result is best-in-class volume of 131.7 cubic feet for the cargo van version.
The vertical side panels are upfitter-friendly and simplify the attachment of shelves or storage racks for specialized commercial use.
The floor of the ProMaster City cargo van measures 87.2 inches in length and is fitted with six standard equipment D-ring tie downs to secure cargo in place.
The rear of the van is fitted with 60/40 split swing doors, making it easy to quickly access larger cargo items and not block the path to the curbside of the van. Both rear doors initially swing open 90 degrees, and – for dock loading – can swing to 180 degrees with a simple press of a release button on the door latch. The latch automatically re-engages when the door is closed.
Upfitter friendliness: The ProMaster City features a variety of available upfit systems through Mopar. Virtually all primary vehicle systems are packaged forward of the cargo area, leaving the box open to creativity.
Powertrain: The van’s powertrain combines MultiAir2 engine technology and an exclusive nine-speed automatic transmission to deliver best-in-class performance and best-in-class combined fuel efficiency.
Tigershark: The ProMaster City is powered by the 2.4-liter Tigershark I-4. The engine generates a best-in-class 178 horsepower at 6,400 rpm, while its peak torque – 174 lb.-ft. at 3,900 rpm.
Transmission: The centerpiece of the ProMaster City’s powertrain is its segment-exclusive nine-speed automatic transmission, making the van one of the first vehicles to be so equipped in automotive history.
With a 3.73:1 final-drive ratio, the 948TE transmission’s 4.70 first-gear ratio equates to 0-to-30 mph in an estimated 3.7 seconds and 0-to-60 mph in an estimated 9.8 seconds.
Configurations: The 2015 Ram ProMaster City offers eight different configurations:
- Tradesman Cargo with security panels
- Tradesman Cargo with rear windows
- Tradesman Cargo with rear and side windows
- Tradesman SLT Cargo with security panels
- Tradesman SLT Cargo with rear windows
- Tradesman SLT Cargo with rear and side windows
- Wagon with rear and side windows
- Wagon SLT with rear and side windows
