New York Auto Show: 2013 Ram 1500 Introduced on Thursday, April 5: 2013 Ram 1500. The 2013 Ram 1500 may be the aggressive, steely face of Chrysler's truck brand, but it's a sure sign of the times when a Detroit automaker produces a big, bad pickup truck and emphasizes its fuel efficiency. What was intended to be a minor refresh became a major overhaul of Ram architecture, brand representatives said. What they said: Triumphing in the lucrative pickup-truck wars is no longer just a matter of torque and towing. "It all starts with what's on every consumer's mind: best-in-class fuel economy," Fred Diaz, president and chief executive of the Ram brand, said here. Efficiency-boosting technologies like engine stop-start, as well as weight-trimming from the hood, transmission and frame, improved fuel economy of the V-6 1500 by 20 percent, and 10 percent over the previous Hemi V-8. "Inside out, nothing's left unchanged," Mr. Diaz said. What they didn't say: Chrysler was startlingly unambiguous about who would bring home the bacon in a gleaming 1500. "Dinner's in the oven; I know you'll be working late," the wife of the blue-collar protagonist sympathetically cooed to her hard-working hubby's voice mail in a promo video that aired during the truck's introduction. Fuel efficiency may be a new consideration for Detroit, but some things remain unchanged. The Ram has three engines: a 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 producing 305 horsepower and 269 pound-feet of torque; a 4.7-liter V-8 with 310 horsepower and 330 pound-feet of torque; and a 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 generating 395 horsepower and 407 pound-feet of torque. All but the Hemi can run on E85 fuel. No pricing was announced, but the truck goes on sale this fall. The ram's head appears in the familiar grille crosshairs - a vestige of Ram's former status as a model within the Dodge line. The grille has the quality of chain-link fencing, an aesthetic consideration as well as a functional one, to increase airflow. The steel running boards and commanding down-the-road visibility from the driver's seat communicate one thing: Watch out for the fella with the big rig.