Chrysler’s Ram Commercial Truck division is to rebadge Fiat’s Doblo small van for North America, launching it as a 2015 model.
The Ram ProMaster City – a rival for the Ford Transit Connect – will supplement the larger Ram ProMaster, also based on a Fiat design, and built in a new US$1.085bn factory in Saltillo, Mexico.
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The deal for the smaller van was first announced by Turkey’s TOFAS back in September 2011.
A letter of intent was signed between Fiat Group Automobiles and its Turkish joint-venture partner TOFAS for the supply of the Doblò to Chrysler.
The seven-year supply agreement called for TOFAS to export 190,000 units from its Bursa facility – Turkey’s largest automobile production plant.
TOFAS would spend aboutUS$160m for the necessary US and Canadian homologation and customer requirement modifications. These are expected to include a conventional automatic transmission rather than the automated manual type of gearbox more common in Europe.
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By GlobalData“The Ram ProMaster City further expands the Ram Commercial truck lineup, which includes everything from vans to pickups to Class Four and Five trucks,” said Reid Bigland, president and CEO of Ram.
“As Ram Commercial continues to gain share and grow sales in the market, we will be aggressive in our goal of expanding our commercial vehicle offerings.”
“Our successful relationship with Fiat Professional, one of the world’s foremost commercial truck manufacturers, gives Ram a competitive advantage with access to proven products and technology that will resonate with our US and Canadian customers,” added Bigland.
The Doblo is a two-time International Van of the Year winner with more than 1.3m units sold.
Chrylser said the Ram ProMaster City “will encompass familiar Ram Truck styling cues and offer features and powertrains preferred by North American commercial customers”.
