[Jumper]

Any news when the ProMaster/Ducato new hood/headlights will come to US?

Have seen various pics of the latest Fiat & Citroen models & am still interested in the passenger versions.

Bought my 4th Ford Econoline Club Wagon b/c it got too frustrating finding only white empty ProMasters for sale in my configuration.

Am hoping Ram Truck cranks out colors, interiors & options by Fall. Also that they iron out the bugs that so many have complained about.

 

[Allhandsondeck]

Jumper don't hold your breath on any of the above mentioned. Obviously, no new front end for the 2015 model year and maybe not until 2017. Passenger versions probably same year, unless you are willing to have an upfitter install/customize for you from what I have seen out the the cost is about 10-15K. FCA is absolutely color blind! Unless you order one, you wont see any colors on dealer lots besides white and maybe some silver PM's.

 

[Dwight]

One person reported hearing at an RV show, it's not coming anytime soon because gas engine doesn't fit in new design.

 

[RDinNHandAZ]

One person reported hearing at an RV show, it's not coming anytime soon because gas engine doesn't fit in new design.

They did report that but comparison pictures make it look like the report is not fact which is par for the course based on hear say. Unless that gets confirmed I believe it is just a matter of adapting the Euro front into the manufacturing process in Mexico and I'm sticking to my story!

 

[30 Ounce]

One person reported hearing at an RV show, it's not coming anytime soon because gas engine doesn't fit in new design.

I don't think they would have designed the new fascia without considering all the powertrain options being used in the Ducato/ProMaster and their fitment requirements. One of the original design goals for the Ducato was an engine bay that could accept a wide variety of power plants. The fact that the redesigned face needs to be crash tested in the U.S. might be a viable reason. Or that they have the current design readily available and need to ramp up stampings for another market. Someone had posted a side by side view of the old and new designs and the new one was longer and taller in the front.

 

[GapRunr]

My gut instinct is that this might be part of the tooling costs, and the tooling for the previous Ducato/current Promaster was sent to the plant in Mexico for north american production. When the Ducato gets its next facelift, we may inherit the tooling for the recently released Ducato front end.

 

[RDinNHandAZ]

I for one don't care as I find the current front end sort of Euro in a bull dog imitation way. The newer one is a bit cleaner and more streamlined but loses the shock value of the current van... everyone seems to notice it. BTW the Tranist has a pig snout stuck on the front like many of the current trucks that I can't like. Sprinters still look nice and they have that expensive star on them! Don't let me start on the vans like Nissen with the hump on a truck look. I think GapRunner has a point but if we saw the facelift in 2016 I wouldn't be surprised either. Ducato will not change for about 4-5 more years if the past is an indication and that is a long time to wait for so minor a change which exists in Europe.

 

[Chris]

Has anyone been to the ProMaster factory in Mexico?

My understanding is that the factory is only an assembly plant; there is no raw sheet-metal stamping done there. All of the body panels are made at Sevel, for assembly there, or to be shipped to Mexico.

If this is so, the theory of using the old tooling in Mexico doesn't hold up. If this is not so, and they do stamp the body panels there, it would make sense to keep giving us the "old" front end, since the vehicle is new (since 2013) to the North American market and doesn't yet need an update.

Unfortunately for automakers, the internet makes it easier for consumers to see what products are available in all parts of the world. I really like the new front end, and hope we get it sooner than later.

 

[Brian P]

Tooling isn't just the stamping dies - it's also all of the fixtures that hold those parts in place during welding, and all of the assembly tooling that inserts captured nuts and studs and welds them in place, and all of the robot end-effectors that handle those parts. The slightest change in the shape of the workpiece has a way of screwing up the whole process. Ask me how I know ... I work with this stuff all the time.

It is entirely possible that when the assembly plant in Italy retooled for the new front end styling, they sent the no-longer-needed bits to Mexico ...

 

[RDinNHandAZ]

Saltillo has a stamping plant for the Dodge pickups both extended and quad. There seems to be no mention of where the Promaster stampings are made nor where the diesel 3.0 is produced. The Pentastar engine is made in Saltillo. Google failed me!

 

[Vale72]

The new Ducato/Boxer/Jumper is a huge success here in Italy.
I have seen the new Transit at the Ford dealer, but I haven't seen no one on the road...very strange.

 

[Vale72]

I think that in the Sevel plant in Italy, they have to standardize the production as soon as possible, so you will not wait too much to see the facelift also in the US.

 

[KilWerBzz]

My gut feeling is they had to beat ford to market.

My gut instinct is that this might be part of the tooling costs, and the tooling for the previous Ducato/current Promaster was sent to the plant in Mexico for north american production. When the Ducato gets its next facelift, we may inherit the tooling for the recently released Ducato front end.

 

[MJAB]

The Ram Promaster metal stamping is made at Sevel sud plant in Italy.
At Sevel plant they manufactured the old and new version on the same line for several months.
The hood is bigger and more rounded (taller), the "bumper" is now split in 4 pieces (instead of three).
Modifications are not only in the front, but also to the brakes, to the part were frontal suspension are fixed, rear leaf is now in composite material (lighter, but with same performance), better to say there are several different rear suspension configurations (different leafs, with/without torsion bar, ..)
The chassis/body reinforced in some parts and in other they used different materials.
Were introduced also many electronic safety controls, some as standard equipment or as option, like Traction+ (simulates differeantial lock using brakes) with "hill descent control" option.

Maybe some modifications were already introduced in Ram Promaster.

For the ones that want to give their Promaster a different design there is this version (it is a RV manufacturerrs version, rear track is wider and with light frame)

Diesel engine for Ram Promaster is manufactured at FPT Industrial plant in Foggia (Italy).
FPT Industrial is part of CNH Industrial (demerger process from Fiat S.p.A. started in 2011).
Some of CNH Industrial brands are: Case, New Holland, Steyr, IVECO, Astra, Magirus, FPT.

 

[Brian Haase]

...Have seen various pics of the latest Fiat & Citroen models & am still interested in the passenger versions.

Bought my 4th Ford Econoline Club Wagon b/c it got too frustrating finding only white empty ProMasters for sale in my configuration.

Am hoping Ram Truck cranks out colors, interiors & options by Fall. Also that they iron out the bugs that so many have complained about.

Have you see our line of Sherry Vans built on the RAM ProMaster?

We offer 7 and 9 passenger vans in all of RAM's colors as well as any custom color you would like.

Check us out. Let me know what your thoughts are.

www.sherryvans.info

 

[Jumper]

Still haven't seen any ProMaster updates?

There are fewer, NOT more, ProMasters at the scattered Ram Truck dealers that sell commercial vehicles. Online inventory searches still show virtually all ProMasters in stock are white cargo vans. Don't think I've seen 2 dozen on the road yet. Haven't seen any factory ProMaster window/passenger vans, only a trickle of ads for gaudy $60,000 conversions. Dealers remain silent on when the new nose/headlights will appear & still can't order options that have been advertised for over a year.

Holding my breath waiting for bugs to be worked out, turned blue long time ago.

Meanwhile, FORD Transit seems to be catching up from behind. Saw my 1st Transit Wagon for rent at Enterprise, saw another days later at U-Haul. Saw a Lunar Gray Transit Wagon on the road last month. Dealer was unaware they were out. Reviews have been very positive & sales now lead the segment. Only seen about 6 Transits on the road so far.

 

[Chance]

This picture of Roadtrek Zion coming in 2015 shows it with new front end. Previous Zion models I had seen pictures of were based on 2014/2015 design. I hope this new Zion picture is an indication of things to come from RAM.

 

[carnut]

... this new Zion picture ...

Wow, that is really lame photoshop work. I can't believe a manufacturer would put out something like that.

 

[BavarianBoy]

I can't believe a manufacturer would put out something like that.

Pick out a RV from www.poessl-mobile.de/modelle/

 

[Chance]

Wow, that is really lame photoshop work. I can't believe a manufacturer would put out something like that.

It's in their website. If you go to Zion model and download brochure it will have the pictured van. On page two it has ProMaster specs including gasoline V6.

I'm pretty sure they all photoshop, but I'm not sure which part you find lame. Care to elaborate in more detail? When visiting my parents who have very slow internet, pulling up a picture of a class A RV will come up as a green field first then the RV slowly materializes blocking part of background. I'm assuming marketing photos are rarely real. Is that the kind of thing you are referring to?