Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is going to be well-represented at Super Bowl LIII with three commercials from its three major brands: Dodge, Jeep, and RAM. The commercials, which range from 45 seconds to 90 seconds, are all promoting tasty machinery, including two all-new models from Jeep and RAM, specifically the Gladiator pickup and the RAM Heavy Duty pickup, respectively. The Dodge commercial, on the other hand, is promoting its SRT lineup, headlined by the Challenger SRT. The Dodge Charger SRT and the Dodge Durango SRT also feature prominently in the commercial in the 45-second spot.

If there’s one thing you can count on Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, it’s that it can roll out a memorable Super Bowl commercial. This is, after all, the same company that gave us Eminem’s “Imported from Detroit” spot and Clint Eastwood’s “It’s Halftime in America” series of commercials. Olivier Francois, FCA's Chief Marketing Officer, is doing his best to hype up the ads, too, saying that FCA has something special in store for us with these ads. “We have something new up our sleeve leading up to the big game this year,” Francois said in a statement. “We launched these three videos today to give our fans a taste of what’s to come. As for what's next, everyone will just have to wait and see.”

Unfortunately, a high E.Q. is something I don’t have at my disposal these days, so let’s dive in and look at each of three ads to see what we can glean from each one of them.

Dodge - The Devil Went Down to Georgia

Typical Dodge, right? The automaker has never been bashful about showcasing revving engines, burning rubber, and smoke-filled drifts. We get the trifecta in this 45-second teaser as all SRT variants of the Challenger, Charger, and Durango run roughshod over the streets of Atlanta, Georgia. The Challenger, in particular, looks like the SRT Hellcat Redeye based on the pair of new air scoops on the hood that it introduced when it made its debut last year. If that’s the case, you’re looking at muscle-flexing 797 horsepower of output in that machine. The Charger and the Durango don’t get as many close-ups, but it is pretty obvious that both are SRT variants, as well. If that’s the case, you’ve got the 707-horsepower Charger SRT Hellcat and the 475-horsepower Durango SRT tussling it out with the 797-horsepower Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye. That’s 1,979 total horsepower in this commercial. No wonder it’s loud. For those interested in who made this commercial, it’s apparently a collaborative effort between Doner Agency and Racing Cowboys.

2018 Dodge Durango SRT drivetrain specifications

Jeep - Crusher

Judging by Jeep’s 55-second spot for the Gladiator, it looks like this is the most straight-forward commercial of the three ads that FCA is rolling out for Super Bowl LIII. Ok, so it features a classic J300 Jeep Gladiator from the early 60s — shout out to that BMW-looking twin-kidney grille, Jeep! — getting loaded up into the jaws of a metal crusher at a junkyard. The teaser ends with a simple “Gladiator is Back” tag just as The Heavy’s “How Do You Like Me Now?” blares in the background. To answer that question, we like the Jeep Gladiator a lot. Not only is it a return to form for one of Jeep’s old models, but it’s also a model that looks like a million bucks and is equipped with a lot of FCA’s new tech offerings. Oh, did I mention that it’s also powered by a number of engine options, specifically a 3.0-liter turbodiesel that produces 260 horsepower and 440 pound-feet of torque and a 3.6-liter V-6 engine that produces 285 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque? Best of all, the Gladiator will arrive with best-in-class towing capacity amounting to 7,650 pounds. No wonder it was able to brush aside that metal crusher so easily. The Jeep Gladiator is going to crush its segment when it arrives later this year. FCA created this specific commercial in partnership with DDB.

2020 Jeep Gladiator drivetrain specifications

RAM - Can’t Remember

The RAM commercial is the longest one of the three, clocking in at a stout 91 seconds.One of the cowboys said it best when he told his partner that all the companies need to do is show what they’re selling. As soon as he gets inside his pickup, the ad reveals it as the new 2019 Ram 3500 Heavy Duty. The ad itself doesn’t have the spectacle of Dodge’s commercial or the Gladiator-coming-alive phenomenon of the Jeep commercial. It’s just a pair of ranchers talking shop about past Super Bowl commercials they barely remember. A lot of it has a tongue-in-cheek part to it, and it’s that element in the commercial that actually makes it the best one for me, at least for now. The ad was created in partnership with The Richards Group.

In the end, all three commercials offer something different to the table. The tone and mood of the commercials also reflect the model, or in Dodge’s case, models, that feature in these ads. For Dodge, it’s all about loud engines and burning tires. For Jeep, it’s all about all-world capability. For RAM, it’s all about no-frills straightforward work. I know these are just teasers, but the quality of each teaser has me excited to see the full-blown ads this coming Sunday.

FCA hasn’t said at what points in the game these ads will air. That’s not a big deal, really. The surprise of waiting for them to air is a thrill in it of itself.

2019 Ram 2500 Power Wagon drivetrain specifications

Further reading

Read our full review on the 2020 Jeep Gladiator.

Read our full review on the 2019 Ram 2500 Power Wagon.

Read our full review on the 2018 Dodge Durango SRT.