Revenge of the Dakota? Ram may get a new midsize truck

By Stephen Edelstein March 28, 2016

2011 Ram Dakota — Image used with permission by copyright holder

It was dead a few years ago, but now the midsize truck segment is quite lively indeed. The recently redesigned Toyota Tacoma, Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon twins, and upcoming 2017 Honda Ridgeline are all competing for buyers carmakers didn’t seem to know existed even a short while ago.

Noticeably absent from the party is Ram, the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles brand that sells nothing but trucks. Ram hasn’t offered a midsize truck since the Dakota was discontinued in 2011, but now the brand sees an “opportunity” in that field again, Mike Manley, boss of both Ram and Jeep, said in an interview with The Detroit News at the 2016 New York Auto Show.

Manley wouldn’t confirm a smaller Ram pickup, but said the model could generate sales both here and abroad. In the U.S., it could get Ram a slice of the reanimated midsize truck market, and it could also help the brand fulfill orders from FCA management to concentrate on overseas expansion. Smaller trucks are more popular in markets that Ram is trying to expand in, such as South America.

Bob Hegbloom, former head of Ram and now boss of Ram International, is heading to Brazil to discuss cooperation with Fiat, which already sells small trucks there and in other markets. Manley said one possibility is that Ram will sell a truck based on a Fiat platform. Ram already sells Fiat-based ProMaster and ProMaster City vans in the U.S., so why not import a truck too?

One of the main obstacles to a new Ram midsize truck might actually be internal. Jeep is expected to launch a Wrangler-based pickup truck in the near future that would be close in size to a potential smaller Ram truck. Recently, FCA has tried to keep its many brands from overlapping too much, as there’s always the possibility that duplicate models will steal sales from each other.

On the other hand, FCA seems to have gone truck crazy with recent revisions to its current five-year plan. The company looks set to focus more on trucks and SUVs, and in that climate it’s possible a Ram midsize truck will indeed get the green light.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Stephen Edelstein

Contributing Editor

Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…

Cars

The most fuel-efficient trucks

2020 Chevrolet Silverado Diesel

Judging from ads, you’d think the life of every pickup truck owner is all about towing huge trailers and going on off-road adventures. Yet many owners now use their pickup trucks as daily drivers, so fuel economy is more important than ever. Stricter emissions standards have also put more pressure on truck makers to improve mpg.

The result is that trucks from the Detroit Three automakers are now surprisingly fuel-efficient. When equipped with available diesel engines, the full-size pickup trucks from Ford, General Motors, and Ram actually outclass their smaller midsize counterparts. Ford has an F-150 hybrid on the way, and several automakers are developing electric trucks, but for now, diesel dominates if your main priority is fuel economy.

Gaming

Fortnite gets spooky with the new Midas’ Revenge Halloween event

fortnite halloween even midas revenge 14br fortnitemares blogheader 1900x600 321442824 1

Fortnitemares 2020 Midas' Revenge Gameplay Trailer - Fortnite

Halloween is almost upon us, and that means one thing for Fortnite fans: The return of Fortnitemares, the annual spooky October event. This year's event is called Midas' Revenge and revolves around a ghoulish theme of the undead. The event is available on all platforms and, as expected, there are a bunch of new challenges and rewards.

Cars

Ram 1500 TRX vs. Ford F-150 Raptor

ram trx vs ford f 150 raptor 2021 launch edition jpg image 2880

Trucks are big, powerful, and capable. But the Ram 1500 TRX and Ford F-150 Raptor are bigger, more powerful, and more capable. These aren't normal trucks. When Ram revealed the insane off-road-specced 1500 TRX, comparing it Ford's Raptor was an easy given. The F-150 Raptor has been the champion of full-size off-road trucks since its release for the 2010 model year. Ram wants that title and is using 702 horsepower to claim it. But power isn't everything for these types of trucks; they have to crawl through rocks, jump sand dunes, traverse mud pits, creep through high water, and plow through snowbanks. It takes a lot of engineering to make a 3-ton truck do that. Below, we compare both crazy trucks. Is the TRX the new champ? Decide for yourself.
Power, acceleration, and towing
Ford F-150 Raptor

Ford’s Raptor is powered by a twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6 engine that churns out an impressive 450 hp and 510 pound-feet of torque. A 10-speed automatic backs the engine. According to Car and Driver, the big truck will hit 60mph in 5.1 seconds on its way to a quarter-mile time of 13.9 seconds at 99mph. If you have towing or hauling duties, the Raptor can tow up to 8,000 pounds and has a payload capacity of up to 1,200 pounds. However, all that can soon change if the rumors of the upcoming Raptor getting the Mustang Shelby GT500’s supercharged V8 are true.
Ram 1500 TRX