Ram: "Let's Get Small(er)"

Ram midsize pickup from Stellantis' EV Day in 2021

There's been a lot of discussion over the past couple of weeks about Stellantis confirming a new midsize Ram pickup going into their Belvidere plant (home of the cancelled-last-year Jeep Cherokee) in 2027. And while it marks a return to this segment for Ram (formerly known as Dodge Trucks) after 16 years, it's actually an idea that's been gestating for about six years.

THE STORY SO FAR

Let's turn back time to 2018, back when Sergio Marchionne was running Chrysler Group's previous owner, FCA. As part of a five-year business plan rollout (and after broaching the idea two years earlier), FCA announced a new midsize truck to be launched in 2021. It would be sold as a Ram in the US, be exported to other markets (where it might also wear a Fiat badge), and be a traditional body-on-frame truck. Unfortunately, like many of Sergio's promises, it never came to pass.

Three years later, at new parent company Stellantis' EV Day in the summer of 2021, we saw a vision for a portfolio of new multi-energy platforms, reportedly capable of supporting EV, hybrid, or plain old internal combustion power. These included small, medium, and large BFI platforms (cleverly named STLA Small, STLA Medium, and STLA Large) and a body-on-frame platform for large trucks (STLA Frame, of course). Buried in the deck is a phantom cutaway (see the image up top) of what looks like a BFI midsize truck off STLA Large. That generated a lot of speculation online--but, alas, no real announcement.

The fall of 2023 brought more news, of a sort. The UAW's new contract with Stellantis included a number of new product initiatives designed to maintain jobs. One particular item of note was a new Ram midsize truck intended to go into the Belvidere plant in 2027. But, again, while there was even more speculation online, there was no official statement from Stellantis.

Excerpt from the UAW/Stellantis contract (source: uaw.org)

By the end of 2024, Ram had started talking again about the truck, more or less confirming it would happen and indicating it would "surprise" us. And, now, of course, we have a confirmed launch date--but not much else.

TWO SCENARIOS

What could this new truck be? The first scenario is pretty obvious: a midsize BFI entry off STLA Large. This the same platform underpinning the new Dodge Charger and Jeep Wagoneer S (and upcoming Jeep Recon), meaning it's rear-wheel-drive (or all-wheel-drive) with internal combustion or electric power available. The RWD would likely allow this vehicle to match the existing high-volume players--Tacoma, Frontier, Ranger, and Colorado/Canyon--in towing, but the BFI construction might limit the offroad capability. But there are still likely a large number of truck owners with no interest in going offroad, so an aggressively-styled, street-oriented crewcab with strong performance and towing capability might be just what Ram needs.

The Ram Rampage

An interesting alternative is the Ram Rampage, which launched in South America in June, 2023. It's built and sold only in South America, based on the older Fiat "Small US Wide" platform underpinning the current Jeep Compass. So, that makes it front-wheel-drive (or all-wheel-drive), with either diesel or a 272hp 2.0L turbo L4. Could it be built in Belvidere? Possibly; the old Cherokee used the somewhat larger "Compact US Wide" architecture, which was also BFI and fwd/awd. But the Rampage is more compact than midsize; this comparison (it's in Portuguese, so use a translator) notes the Rampage is taller, wider, shorter, and a bit less roomy than Maverick. It seems to offer a bit more carrying capability than Maverick, but would likely not meet the needs of someone shopping for a more traditional midsize truck.

All this suggests a STLA Large-based entry is the better strategic choice for Ram--and something that better fits the promise of a "surprise" for buyers.

WHY THIS MATTERS

Stellantis' sole midsize truck entry the US, the Jeep Gladiator, has been in trouble for some time now (due in part to pricing issues). While that's been going on, Ford, GM and Nissan all saw sales gains in their midsize truck lines; sales leader Toyota saw a drop, although that could be attributed to a delayed model changeover. But Stellantis is clearly missing out on an opportunity here given the relative strength of the Ram brand. It appears STLA Large is designed to be a fairly flexible platform--if it can source a large muscle sedan/coupe and a premium two-row crossover, why not a midsize urban truck? And leveraging the availability of the new, sweet, Hurricane L6 or pure EV--and perhaps an L4 turbo for an entry-level model--offers more choice than either GM or Nissan at this point.

So, although a STLA Large-based Ram pickup might not be as capable as a Ranger Raptor or Colorado Z71, it might be appealing enough to convince buyers looking at Toyota, Ford, and GM to consider a new option. Of course, we are still about two years away from launch, and the as-yet-unknown incoming Stellantis CEO could throw a monkey-wrench into everything, so stay tuned as this story develops...