By Bud Wells

Idling at a stoplight Sunday noon after driving away from lunch in Old Town Fort Collins in a 2017 Fiat 124 Spider Abarth roadster, it took me but a few seconds to brighten the tiny cockpit. With my left hand on the steering wheel, I released the latch at the center of the windshield header, tossed back the softtop and gave one final hard push to secure it down behind the seats.

With the top open, the beautifully sculpted Fiat draws lots of looks along the busy streets of Greeley, Windsor, Loveland and Fort Collins. The two-seater performs best, though, out on a more open roadway, one filled with curves and climbs and descents and some spectacular sideline scenery. You know where I’m heading with this. We were lunching in Old Town from completing the exhilarating drive of Rist Canyon.

Rist Canyon and its adjacent areas north of Masonville and west of Fort Collins, are drives lined not only with beauty, but challenges worthy of great-handling automobiles. Since the day in February 2009, when I tested its twists with an ’09 Chrysler 300C SRT8’s 425-horsepower, 6.1-liter Hemi V-8, I’ve guided four sports cars through the “course.”

Perfectly suited to the narrow roadways was the Porsche Carrera, then came the 2010 Chevy Corvette Grand Sport Coupe – 6-speed manual shift with a 436-hp, 6.2-liter V-8, which would run 0 to 60  in 4 seconds. Last September, it was the 2016 Ford Mustang GT, finished in a deep orange hue, with 435-hp and 400 lb.-ft. of torque. Sunday, it was the Abarth Spider in an Italian rosso shade of red.

The Fiat 124’s outstanding grip and cornering capability are its claims to meriting a run through the Rist loop. The Abarth version of the convertible adds Bilstein sport suspension, Brembo brakes, a mechanical limited-slip differential and Recaro sport seats.

The 124 Spider dates to the mid-1960s in Italy, and the new one certainly appears to be something designed and built in Fiat’s native land. Not so.

While the Spider is chief rival for the popular Mazda Miata, ironically the Fiat is being built by Mazda on the same assembly line as the Miata, in Hiroshima, Japan. The faster Mazda builds the cars, the more competition it has. Wise guys have referred to the new 124 as a Fiata or Fiazda.

While the interiors of the Spider and Miata are near identical, the Fiat furnishes its own engine and is somewhat distinctive with an exterior of low-riding grille, hood bulges and a chrome finish around the windshield, all drawn from the old 124. The Fiat is 5 inches longer than the Miata.

In Abarth form, the Fiat uses a 1.4-liter, turbocharged 4-cylinder engine of 164 horsepower and 184 lb.-ft. of torque. Mazda for its Miata uses a 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder naturally aspirated block of 155 horsepower. The two shares Mazda’s 6-speed manual transmission.

My overall fuel-mileage average was 28.9; EPA estimate is 26/35. The interior is tight, Particularly in footroom for the driver. If braking for a downshift with right foot on the pedal, the left foot barely has room to depress the clutch.

Sticker price on the Abarth Spider is$33,185. Give up sport leather seats, navigation, headlamp washers, blind-spot warning and SiriusXM satellite radio and the price would fall below $30k ($29,190). Beginning price on the lesser-equipped 124 Spider Classica is around $25,000.

A special new model, the 2017 Mercedes-Benz GLE43 AMG, was the SUV of choice for my annual Memorial weekend circle drive to Wray and Sterling and back to our Front Range home, which was in Denver for many years and more recently in Greeley.

For the Mercedes to show up for the drive was fitting, for its AMG dvision is celebrating its 50^th anniversary.

The new GLE, an all-new successor to the former ML, is part of the newly launched 43AMG series featuring a powerful 6-cylinder engine and a shorter-shift-timed 9-speed automatic transmission.

AMG, founded in Germany in 1967 by Hans-Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher as a sports car and performance brand, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Daimler AG, producers of Mercedes-Benz automobiles.

The GLE43 AMG I drove is equipped with a 3.0-liter biturbo V-6 engine of 362 horsepower and 384 lb.-ft. of torque. Its sport suspension, all-wheel-drive system, braking and dynamic select-shift were enhanced along with the engine/tranny by AMG.

Most of my driving time with the GLE was split between Comfort and Sport in the select-shift feature; other choices are Sport-plus, Snow and Individual modes. The upgraded suspension of double-wishbone front and multilink rear, both with air springs and torsion bars, is of firm response in lateral movements.

It was quiet in the pretty little town of Wray; most everyone apparently attending the high school graduation ceremonies Saturday morning. Bonanza Ford was closed; the building originated 74 years ago as Dale Wells Ford Garage, where I tagged my dad around. The Wray Gazette was closed, as was the Upstairs Downtown restaurant. So, Jan and I drove out to the north edge of town for lunch at the Sandhiller, where Julie Koch, who with husband Duane has run the restaurant and motel since 1990, sat down for a nice visit.

A fun discovery among all the high-tech innovation in the Mercedes was a working cigarette (or cigar) lighter in the center console; I’ve not seen that in several years (save your e-mails, I’m not a smoker).

The midsize GLE, with large, comfortable front seats, is a five-passenger SUV crossover boasting 38 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats. On a wheelbase of 114.8 inches, it is 189.6 inches in length and weighs in at a heavy 4,987 pounds. Tow rating is 7,200 pounds. It rides on 21-inch wheels with Continental CrossContact 265/40R21 tires. Running boards are attached so tightly into the GLE’s underside, they’re almost too narrow for use.

The Saturday drive of 350 miles lifted the Mercedes’ overall fuel mileage to 22.7; its EPA estimate is 17/23.

With AMG and safety options, sticker price climbed to $83,745 for the GLE. Included were multicontour front seats, power panorama roof, the 21-inch wheels, saddle brown leather interior and harman/kardon surround-sound. Among safety additions were distance pilot, active brake assist, lane-keeping, surround view, adaptive high beams.

The finest M-B AMG model I’ve driven was four years ago, the 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG Roadster of 557 horsepower and an astounding 664 lbs.-ft. of torque, with price tag of $171,225.

Following the splash of the Volvo S90, my selection for Car of the Year at the Denver Auto Show, along comes the wagon version – the 2017 V90 Cross Country T6 all-wheel-drive model.

Like the S90, the big V90 performs impressively with the double-barreled (both supercharged and turbocharged) 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder direct-injection engine of 316  horsepower and 295 lb.-ft. of torque.

The new V90 is 4 inches longer in overall length than the long-used XC70 Cross Country wagon, though, like the XC70, it is a five-passenger with two rows of seats. For a seven-passenger, three-row, a Volvo client must buy the XC90 SUV.

The wagon is 194.4 inches long on a wheelbase of 115.8 inches and curb weight of 4,221 pounds. It has a bold look up front and, like the S90 sedan, features sweeping headlights with T-shaped LEDs which Volvo has christened Thor’s Hammer.

The supercharge/turbocharge pair kick in early and gain strength through midrange, depending on the driver’s choice of modes among eco, comfort, offroad, dynamic and individual. Overall fuel mileage average was 24.4; EPA estimate is 22/30.

The Volvo’s stop/start system, which shuts down at stoplights, restarts in different manner than most others. Normally the engine restarts instantly upon the slightest easing of pressure on the brake. For the Volvo, the driver may fully remove foot from the brake pedal, the engine won’t restart until the accelerator is engaged.

A 360-degree camera lends a bird’s-eye view of the area surrounding the wagon, and among added safety innovations are blind-spot warnings and steering assistance, and park-assist pilot which can guide the V90 into parking space. The V90 rivals the 2017 Audi Q7 for ability to guide the car back into the driving lane when it wanders toward roadway edge.

Bowers and Wilkins premium sound is an interior highlight. Rear-seat outboard positions feature built-in integrated booster cushions for child seating.

Sticker price on the V90 Cross Country, built in Gothenberg, Sweden, is $64,640.

Showing up in my neighborhood recently was Dodge’s Hellcat, America’s most powerful muscle car.

The 2017 Challenger SRT Hellcat coupe, which performs with 707 horsepower, highlighted the weekend.

Seeking a relatively quiet roadway for the ‘Cat, Jan and I drove out to Stoneham on a Saturday evening for dinner at Dewey’s Bar and Grill. That was the only direction that would steer us away from the busy, congested traffic of the Front Range.

From the time we hit Colo. 14 at Briggsdale and along the 40 miles eastward to Stoneham, few cars were traveling either direction. We passe

d only four cars, and no one passed us.

In custom, sport or track mode, tested on our run to Stoneham, the Dodge with a full accelerator depression will jump from 65 miles per hour to 100 in barely more than a blink or two of an eye.

These performance capabilities are countered with the largest front brakes ever offered in a vehicle produced by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles – 15.4-inch Brembo rotors and six-piston calipers (red in color). Stopping power from high speeds is impressively secure.

To reach the 707-hp level, the 6.2-liter Hemi Hellcat V-8 is supercharged and linked to a TorqueFlite 8-speed automatic transmission with manual mode and paddle shifters.

In a return to more heavily traveled highways, Jan and I drove to Parker Sunday morning to meet our newest great-grandson, Brooks, born to Kara and Daniel Hansen.

The rear-wheel-drive Challenger coupe is the second Hellcat I’ve driven. Two years ago, it was the 2015 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat, a four-door sedan, that came my way. It boasted the same 707-hp engine, while offering smoother ride, more comfort and roominess.

The Challenger Hellcat isn’t sold for comfort, though, and it is a blast to drive. The Challenger’s performance-tuned suspension, lending outstanding handling at higher speeds, includes SLA (short-long arm) front setup, upper A arm, coil springs, stabilizer bar and lateral and diagonal lower links. At the rear are five-link independent suspension, with coil springs, gas-charged monotube shocks (like the front), stabilizer bar and isolated suspension cradle. It rides on Pirelli PZero 275/40ZR20 tires.

The Hellcat came with two key pods, one red and the other black. The red key allows use of full power in the Dodge, including tuned steering, shifting and suspension. It permits launch-control starts from rpm levels of 1800 to 3500. The SRT Hellcat will clip off the 0 to 60 sprint in 3.5 seconds, and is rated at top speed of 184 miles per hour.

With the black key, the Challenger operates only in Eco mode, which means rpm level is lowered and starts are in 2^nd gear. Even at that lower output, though, the Hellcat performs with amazing power. The lowered rpm cuts horsepower to something around 500.

The Hellcat, even in its destroyer gray exterior finish, draws attention wherever it is driven. On startup, the roar is muscle-car-level at its greatest.

A $62,495 base price for the Challenger SRT Hellcat jumps to $71,790 with the supercharged package, the transmission upgrades, a power sunroof and dual carbon stripes on the hood. It also includes UConnect navigation, integrated voice command with Bluetooth, 16-speaker Harman Kardon sound system with subwoofer in trunk, Apple CarPlay capability, backup camera, heated and cooled leather seats, blind-spot and rear cross-path detection.

And when the power runs are concluded, SRT individual performance pages will be displayed at the push of a button.

The Challenger Hellcat weighs in around 4,500 pounds on a wheelbase of 116 inches; it is larger than its chief rivals, the Chevy Camaro and Ford Mustang.

As well-mannered as ever, the 2017 Honda CR-V has grown a bit and, for the first time, has embraced a turbocharged power source.

A bigger stance and wraparound grille/headlights assembly lends a more aggressive look to the new CR-V. The ’17 redesign is 1 ½ inches longer, wider and taller than last year’s model, yet the new one has shed 100 pounds of heft. A wider track lends improved handling.

Complementing the lighter weight is a new, direct-injection turbocharged engine with a continuously variable transmission generating 190 horsepower. The small, 1.5-liter power source produces an EPA estimate of 27/33 miles per gallon for the compact SUV crossover.

The all-wheel-drive review model’s dark olive metallic finish looks almost black in a shaded parking position; in the bright sunlight, though, it takes on an interesting tint of green.

The CR-V carried Jan and me through Lyons and over Colo. 7’s twists and turns to Colo. 72 at Raymond and Peaceful Valley and on to Nederland. The roadway was more lightly traveled than we would have imagined for a Sunday holiday.

Mother’s Day dinner was German fare at the Black Forest restaurant in Nederland, where longtime owners and operators Bill and Kay Lorenz were busy, not only helping to serve but mingling and visiting with the diners. Jan and I have enjoyed their friendliness on a number of occasions in the 17 years of their operation there.

My style of descent from Nederland to Boulder through Boulder Canyon is best served by a traditional transmission with manual mode and paddle shifters; dropping into 4^th or 3^rd or 2^nd gear and maintaining safe speed and secure cornering without touching the brakes. This, of course, isn’t accommodated with Honda’s CVT transmission, so brake use was more prevalent.

The continuously variable transmission is all in the name of improved miles per gallon, and the CR-V delivered an average of 29 for the Sunday drive and some stop-and-go in-town driving.

The redesign for ’17 included the CR-V’s interior, which is more upscale, with softer materials trimmed with imitation wood. High-tech features have been added to the 7-inch touch-screen infotainment system.

The roomy compact crossover offers plenty of rear-seat legroom and 39 cubic feet of cargo space, served by a power liftgate. It’s a hands-free operation at the rear, and by swinging a foot beneath the rear bumper, access is gained.

The new CR-V Touring review model, assembled in Alliston, Ontario, Canada, carries a sticker price of $34,595, including leather seats, premium audio with nine speakers and subwoofer, navigation, Bluetooth and Pandora, adaptive cruise and power moonroof.

Lane-keeping assist, which nudges the vehicles back toward its driving lane, is among new safety features for the CR-V.

CR-V pricing for a base LX model with AWD begins about $26,300. Base engine is a naturally aspirated 2.4-liter, 4-cylinder.

The CR-V is locked in a tight sales race this year with the Nissan Rogue compact crossover. The only vehicles outselling the CR-V and Rogue thus far this year are the Ford F150, Chevy Silverado and Ram pickups.

Recently off the assembly line in Hiroshima, Japan, the RF launch edition of the 2017 Mazda MX-5 Miata hit town recently.

It’s like no other Miata. Only 1,000 were built for the U.S., and all are sold.

Finished in machine gray metallic paint, its racy lines rival those of European sports cars.

Most prominent among changes are rear pillars which remain in place with the top up or down.

Unlike the regular Miata in which the entire soft top folds out of sight, the RF’s rear pillars lift while the metal targa-type top is dropped, then they all lower into place. The upright C pillars lend a new look to the Miata RF, whether the top is open or closed.

The retractable performance is precise and show-worthy, as the rear lifts while the middle of the roof and rear window slip backward beneath the pillars, then the layers drop into place, all this consuming 13 seconds. The top opens or closes at the touch of a switch.

Of course, the pillars block rearward vision and there is no backup camera for the Miata, so the sideview mirrors are important in backing and for blind-spot situations.

Mazda’s SkyActiv 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder engine and 6-speed manual transmission provide the get-up-and-go for the RF. Horsepower and torque are rated at a mild level of 155 and 148 lb.-ft., respectively; yet, the little sports car weighs in at a light 2,445 pounds. The low-slung car is nimble and sporty. As the revs go high, stay a notch lower with the gears, ignore the noisy engine output and enjoy the drive.

The RF performed very impressively through some rural roadways west of Greeley, before Jan and I rolled into Windsor from the west. I parked outside the new Robin’s Nest at House of Windsor on Main Street, and we joined Keith Brumley inside for coffee. Robin Netzel was formerly associated with Rocky Mountain Redline, one of three agencies which provide new cars from U.S. manufacturers to me and others for review. During our stop on Wednesday, we visited with Robin’s mother, Nancy, and her mother-in-law, Lisa, both of whom work with Robin in the business.

Most of my driving with the RF was down the highway and over rural roadways; the result was a high fuel-mileage average of 32.5. EPA estimate for the little car is 26 in town and 33 on the highway. The two-door rode on Bridgestone Potenza 205/45R17 tires.

The driver sits secure and comfortable in the leather-trimmed sport seats. Space is so tight, the cupholders are positioned far back between the seatbacks. To reach one, I stretched my left arm around my body and beneath my right arm. Trunk space is only 4 ½ cubic feet.

Wheelbase for the Miata is a short 90.9 inches, with overall length of 154.1 inches.

Sticker price on the Miata RF, including a Bose audio system with nine speakers, Bluetooth hands-free phone and audio, navigation and 7-inch color touchscreen display, is $33,885.

With the gray launch edition models sold out, a regular RF is being produced and sold in a variety of colors – red, white, white pearl, ceramic, blue and black, in addition to gray.

The popular, little Miata has been part of the U.S. automotive scene since 1990.

From its small center grille all the way back to its floating roof at the rear, the 2017 Nissan Murano is one of the most pleasant in appearance of all midsize SUV/crossovers in the country.

The impressive treatment at the rear pillars, introduced for the ’16 model year, helped the Murano establish a personal best in sales last year.

Yet, even with that spur and the continued styling flair, the Murano falls far down the list in sales of competitive makes. It trails, among others, the Ford Explorer, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Toyota Highlander and 4Runner, Ford Edge, GMC Acadia, Hyundai Santa Fe, Honda Pilot and Kia Sorento.

On its introduction in 2003, the Murano surprised the industry with two innovations – futuristic styling and use of a continuously variable transmission in a vehicle of that size.

With a 260-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 engine and a much improved CVT tranny, the Murano is a smooth operator. The Explorer and Grand Cherokee with their 6-speed and 8-speed automatic transmissions, respectively, perform better.

Nissan has designed one of the finest interiors of all midsize crossovers for the Murano. The soft, upscale look is nice and bright.

The Murano averaged 23.5 miles per gallon; its EPA estimate is 21/28. It rides on Bridgestone Dueler 235/55R20 tires.

The Platinum all-wheel-drive review model carried a hefty price tag of $44,165, including a technology package of power panoramic moonroof, intelligent cruise control, forward collision warning and forward emergency braking.

Here are the specifications for the 2017 Nissan Murano Platinum AWD:

• Capacity 5-passenger crossover SUV
• Wheelbase 111.2 inches
• Length 192.4 inches
• Width 75.4 inches
• Height 66.6 inches
• Curb Weight 4,017 pounds
• Track 64.6 inches front, rear
• Ground Clearance 6.9 inches
• Turn Circle 38.7 feet
• Drivetrain All-wheel-drive
• Engine 3.5-liter V-6
• Horsepower/Torque 260/240
• Transmission continuously variable
• Steering rack-and-pinion power
• Suspension strut front, multilink rear
• Fuel mileage estimate 21/28
• Fuel mileage average 23.5
• Fuel Tank 19 gallons, regular
• Wheels 20-inch
• Tires Bridgestone Dueler 235/55R20
• Cargo Volume 32.1 cubic feet

Warranty 3 years/36,000 miles basic, 5/60,000 powertrain

Competitors Jeep Grand Chereokee, Ford Edge, Ford Explorer, Dodge Durango, Toyota Highlander, Honda Pilot

Assembly Plant Canton, Miss.

Parts Content N.A.

Base Price of Lowest Model $31,160; Base Price of Review Model $40,780; Destination Charge $900; Sticker Price $44,165.

No sooner had I lauded the Ram Rebel 1500 pickup in the Denver Post and Greeley Tribune than showing up out front of my home was a competitor from Ford, the revived 2017 F-150 Raptor.

To say the Ford boys take their truck business seriously is a serious understatement. Soon after the F-link word (F-series) was first uttered in 1948, trucks became the foundation of Ford’s success. “The American Big Three build great trucks, and we’re No. 1,” Ford people like to say.

The Raptor SuperCab is the second muscle-bound Ford I’ve received in the past three weeks; previously was the King Ranch edition of the F-250 Super Duty 4X4 with turbodiesel.

In addition to the Ram Rebel last week, I’ve also driven recently the Ram 3500 Crew Cab 4X4 dually with turbodiesel and the Ram Power Wagon. And I’ve been told that GMC is soon sending my way a Sierra Denali 1500 pickup.

These truly are truck days, and Colorado is truck country.

The Raptor was produced from 2010 through 2014 as an extreme offroad pickup, with V-8 power. On its return as a ’17 model, it performs with a 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 engine and 10-speed automatic transmission. Six cylinders and 10 speeds mean lots of downshifting and upshifting. I found myself occasionally attempting to track where the Ford was on the gear scale. Paddle shifters allow better control, including a lighted 1-through-10 ladder-type indicator on the instrument panel.

Ford’s twin-turbo V-6 is rated at 450 horsepower and 510 lb.-ft. of torque, a step above the Ram Rebel’s 395 horsepower and 410 lb.-ft. of torque for its Hemi V-8 and 8-speed automatic.

Four hundred fifty horses are amazing output for a V-6 and the Raptor offers the driver a choice of terrain setting – normal, sport, weather, mud/sand, Baja or rock/crawl – by simply pushing a button on the steering wheel.

The Raptor has a 7-inch wide running board on each side; Jan said it is too high, though. I measured it at 17 inches, rather high. I called Dale and Sandy Wells, vacationing in Scottsdale with their new Ram Rebel, asked what the rail-step height is for their pickup. With the air suspension lowered, it is only 12 inches, Dale said, and with the Rebel raised to highest level, the rail is 18 inches from the ground..

Pricing for the Raptor SuperCab 4X4 begins a bit above $50,000; the loaded-up review model carries a sticker price of $63,245.

The Raptor is aluminum-bodied, as F-150s have been the past two years. Its overall fuel mileage was just above 17 miles per gallon.

My drive of the Ford F250 Super Duty King Ranch Crew Cab was through the foothills near Masonville and over some of the Green Ridge roads north of the Big Thompson Canyon in Larimer County.

As big as it is, and its wheelbase is nearly 160 inches, it is a nimble performer. It, too, is aluminum-bodied, an intended improvement made for this model year in the heavier-duty pickups.

The turbodiesel with the 6-speed automatic transmission is a strong hill-climber in the lower gears. It will cruise a rolling highway at 18 miles per gallon of diesel fuel (34-gallon tank); in the city and up and down hills, the average will fall noticeably. My overall average with the truck was 15.9 mpg.

Base price on the Crew Cab King Ranch is $57,455.  Add the turbodiesel at $8,595 and other options, such as chrome package, 20-inch aluminum wheels, lane-keeping alert and spray-in bedliner, and the sticker price reaches $76,275.

Fast moving into a popular role among the Ram’s wide lineup of light-duty 1500 trucks is the Rebel.

The sturdy-looking crew cab with a 5-foot-7 bed delivers a comfortable ride, while building a strong offroad reputation.

Highlighting the Rebel’s second year on the Colorado scene is one finished in Mojave sand exterior color; the earliest of only 1,500 to be built in that paint scheme began arriving three months ago.

With the limited run of those of Mojave sand, few will have an opportunity to own one. Never fear, the Rebel is being sold in six other colors, too.

One of the rare Rebels, Mojave sand, was delivered to me a few days ago. I’d already driven one – my son and daughter-in-law, Dale and Sandy Wells, purchased one several weeks ago.

RAM lettering across the front of the Rebel’s huge nose is along the lines of the FORD lettering out front of the big, tough Raptor, for which the Rebel has become chief rival.

Optional features that lend appeal, making the Rebel competitive with the tough Ford Raptor, include:

• Its 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 with 8-speed automatic transmission turns out 395 horsepower and 410 lb.-ft. of torque.
• Push-buttons on the dash engage four-wheel-lock and four-wheel-low-range, or move the drive back to rear-wheel.
• With its four-corner air suspension and coil springs, the Rebel may outride its competition.
• The height of the truck can be raised or lowered 3 inches with push of a button. The lower level will aid entry and exit; the upper may be appropriate in offroading.
• An Alpine premium sound system lends pleasant entertainment, including integrated voice command with Bluetooth, SiriusXM satellite radio, nine speakers with subwoofer.
• And, getting down to ground-level basics, the fabric on the interior seats displays the tread pattern of the big Toyo Open Country LT285/70R17 tires.

The Rebel, on a wheelbase of 140 inches, is 229 inches in overall length and its curb weight is approximately 5,400 pounds. The power range of the Hemi V-8 and 8-speed transmission is smooth; it carries an EPA fuel estimate of 15/21 miles per gallon. My overall average was 17.3. I failed to approach 21 mpg on level highway runs.

In place of paddle shifters to do a manual-mode upshift and downshift of the gears are two buttons within reach of the driver’s right thumb on the front of the steering wheel.

Front and rear skid plates offer protection of the undercarriage’s valuable works.

Inside, along with lots of storage compartments are two deep bins, one on each side of the rear-seat floor beneath the floor mats.

Helping to push the Rebel’s price from a base of $47,095 to sticker of $56,250 are RamBox cargo areas built into the bed sides. Also included are spray-in bedliner and tonneau cover, step rails, dual rear exhaust, navigation, rearview camera, power-folding side mirrors, speed control and remote start.

Base engine is a 305-hp, 3.6-liter V-6. The Hemi, though, seems better suited to the Rebel, considering its size and performance expectations.

With dual rear wheels and turbodiesel engine, 2017 Ram 3500 4X4 is up for towing or hauling. (Bud Wells photo)I slowed the big, black truck down for a turnaround in the rural road, with the engine singing, n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n, nice and low and so much quieter than just a few years back. Even with a wide turnout, I came close to the opposite fenceline in circling around the other direction. “That was close,” said Jan, though I had half-a-foot to spare.

The truck’s turn path was at least 50 feet wide. Wow.

It’s the 2017 Ram 3500 Crew Cab 4X4 Long Box, measuring 259 inches from front bumper to rear; more than 21 ½ feet, almost 4 feet longer than the old Lincoln Town Car. Its dual rear wheels measure slightly more than 8 feet wide from outside wheel to outside wheel.

Under the hood is the 6.7-liter Cummins turbodiesel inline-6-cylinder that produces an amazing 900 lb.-ft. of torque at 1,700 rpm and 385 horsepower, with an Aisin 6-speed automatic transmission. Add an optional 4:10 rear axle ratio and the Ram’s tow capacity climbs into the 30,000-pound rate.

The 900 torque mark lifts the Ram right up there in one of the most competitive markets among U.S. manufacturers, the heavy-duty pickups. Ford claims 925 torque with its Power Stroke 6.7-liter V-8 turbodiesel and Chevy and GMC are at 910 torque with their Duramax 6.6-liter V-8 turbodiesel.

They’ve all gotten much quieter; still heard, but the clatter is gone.

The bed of the Ram dually’s 8-foot box is set up for gooseneck ball and safety chain anchor kit. It is also equipped with leaf springs and self-leveling rear air suspension. Tires are Nexen Roadian LT235/80R17.

Push the starter button in the Ram and, unless it has been running recently, the turbodiesel will hesitate two or three seconds to heat the air in the cylinders, then start. If the engine is still warm from running, it will start immediately with touch of the starter.

Lift the edge of the floor mat on either side of the truck’s rear seating area and, surprisingly, there is a lid which opens to a deep bin for a variety of storage possibilities, even room for a six-pack of Coca-Cola. In addition, there are six cupholders in the front seat, and upper and lower glove box, two center console bins and a covered compartment, and saddle bags on the rear of the front seatbacks. Adding luxury are leather-covered grab handles.

Curb weight of the dually diesel is over 7,000 pounds, which helps to explain the Ram’s overall fuel mileage average of only 13.1 miles per gallon.

Base price is $58,395 for the Ram 3500 Limited Crew Cab 4X4 with the 8-foot long box. Add $13,000 for the diesel/Aisin tranny/dual rear wheels, $1,595 for auto level rear suspension, $1,095 for sunroof and $3,200 for a Limited package of automatic high-beam headlamps, heated steering wheel, cooled and heated front seats and heated second-row seats; all this pushes the sticker price to $79,965, or rounded out – $80,000.

The Cummins turbodiesel is an $8,700 option; base is the 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 gasoline engine with 383 horsepower and 400 lb.-ft. of torque. Pricing for a gasoline-version Ram 3500 with single-rear wheels begins at $37,000.