2013 Ram 1500, Jeep Grand Cherokee dominate TAWA awards

The Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) has completed
their testing procedures for the 2013 model year and the big winners are the
Ram and Jeep brands – with the refreshed Ram 1500 taking home a trio of major
awards while the Grand Cherokee and Wrangler claimed three awards of their own. 

“Automotive reporters have reacted extremely favorably to
the new 2013 Ram 1500, and our research tells us that resonates with truck
buyers,” said Fred Diaz, a San Antonio, Texas native and President and CEO–Ram
Truck Brand and Chrysler de Mexico, Chrysler Group LLC. “Texas is Ram’s biggest
market and we’ve worked relentlessly to build powerful trucks with
best-in-class fuel economy and capability for our customers. The pickup market
is fiercely competitive and we are proud the Texas Auto Writers have awarded
Ram trucks with these coveted titles.”

Each year, TAWA holds their “Texas Truck Rodeo” where 50
members of the association put more than 60 trucks, crossovers and SUVs through
a grueling testing procedure that includes comprehensive on- and off-road
driving situations over the course of two days…making the TAWA truck awards
among the most legitimate and important in the industry.  Unlike some awards (like the North American
Truck of the Year), the TAWA awards aren’t about what automaker spends the most
money – TAWA is all about picking the trucks and SUVs that are truly the best
in every way.  Also, considering that the
state of Texas accounts for roughly 20% of the new trucks sold in the US, Texas
is a major battle field for truck segment sales.

The 2013 Ram 1500 was named the “Full-size Pickup Truck of
Texas” along with being named the 2013 Truck of Texas which is TAWA’s top
honor.  Also, the Ram 1500 Laramie was
named the Luxury Pickup Truck of Texas while the entire Ram Truck Brand was
voted the Truck Line of Texas.  As the
annual TAWA testing awards go, the 2013 Ram was the big winner this year although
the Toyota Tacoma took Mid Size Pickup Truck of Texas while Ford took Heavy Duty
Truck of Texas with the Super Duty and the Raptor claimed the title of Off-Road
Truck of Texas.   The Ford F150 took the truck honors last year.

“Our members overwhelmingly chose the 2013 Ram 1500 as the
Truck of Texas and the truck for Texans. The new Ram 1500 is amazing,” said
Michael Herzing, Texas Auto Writers Association President. “The new
technologies in this truck are true game changers and raise the bar for the
competition. You’ve got to love how tough, capable, comfortable, and fuel
efficient this new truck is, especially for Texans who frequently drive long
distances. Until we drove it, we couldn’t believe a truck this nice and capable
could achieve 25 miles to a gallon like the Ram does. It blew our members
away.”

Over in the SUV judging, the 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee took
top honors for the third straight year in being named the SUV of Texas.  The Grand Cherokee also took the title of
being the Full Size SUV of Texas while the Grand Cherokee Overland was named
the top Luxury Full Size SUV of Texas. 
Finally, the Jeep Wrangler was named the Mid Size SUV of Texas.  The Ford Escape claimed the title of Compact
SUV of Texas while the Ford Explorer Sport was named the Mid Size SUV of Texas
to round out the SUV judging.

There were no Chrysler Group products in the crossover
category.

Click here to head into the DodgeForum.com Ram section to talk about that awesome new 2013 Ram!

Patrick Rall

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

Rall can be contacted at QuickMirada@Yahoo.com

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