Latest news with #TimKuniskis
Newsweek
7 hours ago
- Automotive
- Newsweek
RAM Announces NASCAR Cup Series Entry Timeline
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Days after Stellantis' RAM Trucks announced its 2026 NASCAR Truck Series entry at Michigan International Speedway, CEO Tim Kuniskis has now confirmed the timeline for the brand's entry into the top-tier Cup Series. RAM's entry into NASCAR makes it the first OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) in the sport since Toyota introduced its Tundra in 2004. While RAM hasn't formed a team yet, Kuniskis confidently shared during the announcement that the brand would be ready to race at Daytona next year. He also hinted that the ultimate goal is to race in the Cup Series and that the Truck Series serves as a step to enter the sport. He said: "There will be more details on our NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series program later this year. We are undoubtedly having fun with this project, and I truly look forward to sharing information on our team and how getting back on track relates to the future of Ram performance." (L-R) Tim Kuniskis, CEO Ram Brand - Stellantis, NASCAR Executive Vice President Steve O'Donnell and John Probst, SVP of Innovation and Racing Development pose at the Ram display on the midway for the announcement that... (L-R) Tim Kuniskis, CEO Ram Brand - Stellantis, NASCAR Executive Vice President Steve O'Donnell and John Probst, SVP of Innovation and Racing Development pose at the Ram display on the midway for the announcement that the Ram brand will return to NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series competition, prior to the NASCAR Cup Series FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway on June 08, 2025 in Brooklyn, Michigan. MoreHe added: "We'll be on track in Daytona in eight months, and the way we're going to do it is unlike anyone else. "We're looking for a date to the prom right now. So how am I going to get to Cup? That's going to depend on how I get to Truck. So however we get to Truck is going to obviously weigh heavily on 'do I have a path to Cup?' Our intention is not to do a one-hit wonder and go to Truck and not to Cup. That's not our plan." Now, Kuniskis has revealed further details on the RAM Trucks' plans to enter the Cup Series in 2027, a year after the brand's Truck Series entry. Speaking with Kevin Harvick on NASCAR on FOX, he said: "Coming into Truck [Series] is a lot easier than coming into Cup [Series], and that's why we were really confident with all the work that we've done on the Truck to say we'll be in Daytona. "Now, TBD who the team's gonna be but we have every confidence that we're going to be in Daytona." He added: "It's gonna take a little bit longer to get to Cup. Our goal is to get the Cup a year after that [2027]. "Now, everybody's told me we're crazy. 'There's no way you're gonna get there.' But we think there's a couple of things from our legacy that might speed that development time up. And maybe we could be in Daytona this [coming] year with Truck, and then the following year, Daytona in Cup. "A lot of very smart people, smarter than me have told me you better plan on two years to get back to Cup. But TBD, I'm always pushing for the quicker timeline, so I'm hoping that it's 2027. 2026 for Truck and 2027 for Cup."
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Ram announces 10-year, 100K-mile powertrain warranty on new vehicles
Offering coverage for 10 years and 100,000 miles, Ram is announcing its latest powertrain warranty as "America's best." The idea for a more expansive warranty, said Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis, came from looking at the timelines of leases on new trucks. "Truck buyers are financing purchases for longer periods of time, with nearly 80% of new truck loans exceeding five years,' Kuniskis said. As leasing timelines also go up — and prices of trucks rise, too — Kuniskis said the brand hopes to offer an expansive warranty that will entice buyers to consider Ram when they are purchasing their next truck. The powertrain warranty, which will apply to the original owner of 2026 and later model years of Ram vehicles, is not bumper-to-bumper. It covers the engine, transmission, transfer case, driveshafts, differentials, and axles of the vehicle. New 'Vette: 2026 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X is likely GM's most powerful Phelan: 2025 Ford F-150 Lobo gets racy 'street truck' makeover Ram's previous powertrain warranty was exactly in line with its competitors, General Motors and Ford Motor Co. Previously, Ram, GM and Ford all offered powertrain warranties of five years of coverage or 60 thousand miles, whichever came first. At a private media event on June 3, Kuniskis originally stated that the brand planned to offer the warranty only for its light-duty pickups. Since the preview event, Ram has decided to go all in on offering the warranty for all of its vehicles, except for those sold in fleets. Stephanie Brinley, associate director of Auto Intelligence at S&P Global Mobility, said the broader warranty can "provide some peace of mind as loans extend to longer and longer payments," noting that other automakers, like Hyundai, have used longer warranty offers to boost consumer confidence. According to Brinley, it's not certain that the new offer will immediately result in more Ram vehicles on the road, but it might help. "The warranty is not a magic bullet that skyrockets sales, but it can increase consideration for conquest buyers and help hold brand loyalists," Brinley said. The announcement is the fourth piece of news in a marathon of product releases that Kuniskis has spearheaded. Most notably, Ram has announced intentions to bring back the Hemi engine, along with a return to the NASCAR truck series, announced with a prototype race truck doing doughnuts at the Michigan International Speedway. With this latest announcement, Kunisikis said, "Ram is making a stronger and longer commitment to our customers.' Liam Rappleye covers Stellantis and the UAW for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him: LRappleye@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Ram announces 10-year, 100,000-mile warranty on new vehicles
Miami Herald
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Ram is lengthening powertrain warranty as truck owners hold on longer
Ram will extend the powertrain warranty available on most 2026 models to last 10 years or 100,000 miles - a level of truck coverage the brand says will be America's best. CEO Tim Kuniskis said it's a needed update as truck buyers increasingly opt for extended financing terms - almost 80% of new truck loans exceed five years - and hold onto their vehicles longer. The average age of light trucks in the United States last year was nearly 12 years, and 12.6 years for all vehicles, according to S&P Global Mobility. "They keep it for 12 years because everything's gotten more expensive," Kuniskis said. But even as people spend more money on big pickups and drive them longer, he said, the warranty length never changed: "You're not investing more money to protect them." Ram's warranty announcement is part of a flurry of product and partnership reveals from the Stellantis NV brand, which wants to generate consumer excitement and claw back market share after sales fell 19% last year. The truck maker's current powertrain warranty runs five years or 60,000 miles; its bumper-to-bumper warranty runs three years or 36,000 miles. The longer limited powertrain warranty will apply to all of Ram's 2026 models sold in the United States except its electric ProMaster van. It covers the engine, transmission, transfer case, driveshafts, differentials and axles. Fleet purchases aren't included. Competing trucks from Ford Motor Co., General Motors Co. and Toyota Motor Corp. offer powertrain coverage that runs five years or 60,000 miles. The longer Ram warranty comes as both Ford and GM trucks have recently faced some high-profile problems and recalls regarding their powertrains. Federal regulators are scrutinizing nearly 1.3 million older F-150 pickups over transmission issues reported by dozens of consumers, for example, while GM is dealing with a recall of nearly 600,000 trucks and SUVs due to potential failure of their V-8 engines. Stephanie Brinley, an auto analyst with S&P Global Mobility, said it's too early to say if the new powertrain coverage can significantly boost sales for Ram, "but offering longer warranties has been helpful for some brands in the past." It can give some customers a reason to stick with the brand, she added in an email, while giving Ram "another talking point" to increase consideration of its trucks. The new warranty is the latest of several announcements from Ram, which earlier this month said it was bringing a Hemi engine back to its 1500 pickups and planning to return after a long hiatus to NASCAR's truck series. This week, the brand launched a new ad campaign and an updated tagline, "Nothing Stops Ram." Kuniskis has said Ram will make about 25 product announcements over the next 18 months. Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
Motor 1
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Motor 1
Ram Lengthened Its Warranty Because We're Keeping Cars Longer Than Ever
People are keeping their cars longer than ever. The average age of a vehicle on American roads is 12.8 years, up from 12.5 years in 2023 , and Ram wants to make that ownership experience a bit better. It's launching a new 10-year, 100,000-mile warranty for the 2026 Ram lineup in the United States, including the new Hemi-powered Ram 1500 . It's a limited powertrain warranty only applicable to the original owner, so if you buy one used, don't expect Ram to honor it. It will cover the engine, transmission, transfer case, driveshafts, differentials, and axles. The previous powertrain warranty covered just five years or 60,000 miles. Photo by: Ram The new warranty excludes full electric vehicles like the Ram ProMaster EV, but it will cover the combustion-powered 2026 Ram 1500 , Ram 2500 , Ram 3500 , Ram ProMaster vans, and Ram chassis cabs. It's available for retail purchases and leases, and it could extend beyond the 2026 model year. According to Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis, the new warranty is designed to show people that 'Ram is making a stronger and longer commitment' to its customers. With buyers able to finance cars for six, seven, or even eight years and keeping them for over a decade on average, a longer warranty period could improve the ownership experience later in the vehicle's life. Photo by: Ram 'They keep it for 12 years because everything's gotten more expensive,' Kuniskis said. A major mechanical failure in a car's sixth or seventh year, when an owner might still owe on the note, could push a customer to a different brand, and that's dangerous in the truck segment. Loyalty rates among truck owners are high—70 to 80 percent, according to Kuniskis. 'Once you lose them, good luck getting them back,' he said. A longer warranty helps differentiate Ram from other truck brands. Ford , Chevrolet , and Toyota all offer five-year, 60,000-mile limited powertrain warranties for their full-size pickups. When money is tighter than ever for buyers, having a warranty you can count on for longer could be the deciding factor. Ram Is Listening To Customers: Ram Is Returning to NASCAR. Could Dodge Be Next? Ram Just Proved America Can't Quit the V-8 Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily. back Sign up For more information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use . Sources: Ram , S&P Global Mobility Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
Miami Herald
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Ram Launches 10-Year/100,000-Mile Powertrain Warranty on Trucks and Vans in U.S.
In an effort to shake concerns about quality and reliability, Ram is launching what it claims will be America's "best" warranty on full-size pickups and vans. It's been a tough year for Ram, and the Stellantis truck brand is rolling out an assortment of new product and marketing programs aimed at drawing back skeptical buyers. One move is meant to burnish the brand's reputation for quality and reliability with Ram announcing a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty on its full-size pickup family, as well the ProMaster vans sold in the United States. "The extended warranty is particularly important at a time when rising new vehicle prices have forced millions of buyers to stretch out their auto loans to six, seven, even eight years," said Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis, during a media background briefing at the brand's suburban Detroit headquarters. "Everything is more expensive, and trucks are certainly no exception. Truck buyers are financing purchases for longer periods of time, with nearly 80 percent of new truck loans exceeding five years," said Kuniskis. "Our customers are making a long-term investment in Ram, and with America's Best Full-size Truck Limited Powertrain Warranty, Ram is making a stronger and longer commitment to our customers." The vehicles covered by the new warranty include: The Ram 1500 pickup;2500/3500 Heavy Duty trucks;3500/4500/5500 Chassis Cab;and ProMaster vans. The new warranty program comes at an important time for Ram. The automaker has suffered a sharp drop in sales over the last couple years, a downturn that took the automaker by surprise in light of its launch of a completely made-off 1500 half-ton pickup for 2025. In his background session, Kuniskis acknowledged that Ram "got it wrong" when it decided to end production of its iconic Hemi engine with the launch of the 2025 truck. That V8 returns to the option list starting later this summer. All told, Kuniskis said, Ram has 25 major announcements to share in the coming months. And it's betting that the longer warranty will be particularly effective in winning back buyers, as well as conquesting customers from rivals Ford, Chevrolet and GMC. It helps that Ram already has build a reasonable reputation for quality and reliability. In the latest J.D. Power Initial Quality released in June 2024 it was the overall highest-ranked brand overall ahead of not only mainstream marques such as Chevrolet and Hyundai, but luxury brands including Porsche, Lexus and Genesis. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
