We break down the future model strategy for Ram – FCA’s pickup truck brand was spun off from Dodge in 2010 and now offers a range of pickups and could soon expand into SUVs.
Pickup trucks
Go deeper with GlobalData
While the Ram 700 bears the same name as its larger American siblings, it’s actually a rebadged version of the compact Fiat Strada pickup, aimed at global markets outside North America. The 700 gained Ram branding in 2014 but the model it’s based on has been produced at Fiat’s Betim factory in Brazil since 1996. It has received a series of wide-ranging redesigns over its life to keep it as up to date as possible.
The 700 is available as a two-door, two-seat pickup or with an additional pair of small rear-opening doors giving access to a second row of seats. Sales of the current model are expected to finish in the second half of 2019 and, while a replacement hasn’t been officially confirmed, rumours have circulated that a new model could appear around 2020.
Speaking at the 2018 Detroit auto show, FCA’s late CEO Sergio Marchionne told the media that Ram “needs a metric-ton truck”. While he gave no further details, it’s likely that the new truck could be called the Ram 1000 to fit with the brand’s current naming system, or possibly the Dakota in reference an older Ram pickup.
If it gets the green light, the 1000 will go up against other mid-size pickups such as the Toyota Tacoma, Ford Ranger and Chevrolet Colorado. That segment is seeing something of a renaissance in North America as full-size pick-ups get ever larger and more expensive. Production could take place at FCA’s plant in Toledo, Ohio from 2020 alongside the newly released Jeep Gladiator, and continue until 2030.
How well do you really know your competitors?
Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.
Thank you!
Your download email will arrive shortly
Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample
We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form
By GlobalDataThe Ram 1500 is arguably the most recognisable model from the brand. It features an imposing grille, squared-off proportions and, on higher trim levels, as much on-board technology as many premium passenger cars. The latest model is the first to use FCA’s DT platform, which is expected to be shared with the upcoming Jeep Grand Wagoneer.
It’s built at the firm’s Sterling Heights plant in Michigan with capacity for 325,000 units in 2018, rising to 400,000 this year. Production should continue until at least 2027 with a facelift sometime in 2022. It’s the first Ram truck to be offered with a mild-hybrid system – dubbed eTorque, it features a belt-mounted starter generator powered by a 48V electrical system.
In response to Ford’s announcement that it’s working on an electrified F-150s, FCA is said to be working on an Ram 1500 EV and possibly a Ram 1500 plug-in hybrid. These are not expected to appear until 2021 or 2022, possibly in line with the conventional model’s predicted facelift. In addition to Ford, these electrified trucks will also face off against new rivals such as Rivian’s R1T or Tesla’s long-hinted-at pick-up.
While Sterling Heights is focused on the new 1500, FCA’s facilities in Saltillo, Mexico and Warren Truck Assembly in Michigan continue to produce the old model under the name Ram 1500 Classic. This serves as a low-price offering below the latest version and is primarily aimed at commercial customers.
Between the two factories, they had production capacity of 200,000 units for 2018 but this drops to 65,000 as we get deeper into 2019. Production will cease by 2020 when those plants are retooled for other vehicles. The 1500 Classic remains one of the few full-size pickups on sale in the US with a manual transmission – something both GM and Ford have ceased offering.
If the 1500 still isn’t burly enough for the job, the Ram HD 2500 and HD 3500 are the largest models in the range. Like the 1500, these models can be ordered with a wealth of on-board luxuries but are generally used as commercial vehicles. Production takes place in Saltillo, although the brand initially suggested the trucks would be built at Sterling Heights alongside the 1500.
Considering heavy duty trucks are often used for towing heavy loads, Ram opted to offer a new Cummins-built 6.7-litre inline-six-cylinder diesel engine. With a block built from compacted graphite iron, the new engine makes a significant 1,000lb ft of torque when fitted to HD 3500 models. FCA also offers heavy duty Ram trucks in various chassis cab forms for commercial buyers, including the GVW-rated class 3 3500, class 4 4500 and class 5 5500.
SUVs
Rumours have suggested FCA is working on a large SUV based on the Ram 1500’s platform to rival the Chevrolet Suburban. No official name has been given but calling it the Ram Ramcharger seems possible following the example of an earlier pickup-based SUV from Dodge. If production is confirmed, it’ll probably be built at Sterling Heights on the same line as the Ram 1500 from late 2019 until 2027.
While FCA already offers a range of SUVs, it would probably promote the Ramcharger as an especially rugged model that’s well suited to off-road driving thanks to its pickup-derived ladder-frame chassis. The interior and front-end design is unlikely to deviate much from those already found on the new Ram 1500 to establish a clear brand identity and save development costs.
Reports for many other manufacturers’ future models are grouped in the OEM product strategy summaries section of just-auto.com.
Future product program intelligence
More detail on past, current and forthcoming models can be found in PLDB, the future vehicles database which is part of QUBE.
Fiat was the first, then came Abarth, Lancia, Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Maserati, Chrysler/Dodge, with this being the eighth of nine features in a series covering current and future passenger vehicles made by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. The final instalment will cover Jeep.
