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Dodge Ram

By Jim Henry

Dodge Ram

Sales first half, 2008: 128,944
Sales first half, 2007: 185,257
Percent change: -30.4%

Dodge Ram sales have fallen so far, so fast, that Chrysler announced on June 30 that on Sept. 2 it will cut from two shifts to one at one of the three plants that build it. An all-new 2009 Dodge Ram makes its debut this fall, but the timing of the factory cutback seems to imply that Chrysler does not expect the new model to generate much of an increase. The current model gets an EPA-estimated 16 mpg city and 21 mpg highway, with the base V-6 engine and manual transmission, vs. 14 mpg city and 19 mpg highway with the optional V-8.