Ram Ponders Dakota Replacement

[William Maley]

Ram Ponders Dakota Replacement

William Maley - Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com

August 24, 2011

Related: Chrysler Ending Dakota Production Tomorrow

The last Ram Dakota rolling off the assembly line yesterday, but Chrysler isn't resting on their laurels. The company is already talking about a replacement for the 24-year veteran. Inside Line asked Chrysler about if there was an upcoming replacement.

"As the truck phases out of its planned lifecycle, we're exploring plans for an affordable replacement that meets the work-hard, play-hard needs of our customers," wrote Nick Cappa, a Chrysler spokesman in an e-mail "Although the Dakota is a great truck, there just isn't a big enough gap between it and the (full-size) Ram 1500. We believe there is still a substantial market for small pickups. We're studying the demographics and business case for a small Ram pickup, but there's nothing to announce at this time."

The possible replacement could be a lifestyle truck based on Chrysler's minivan platform.

Source: Inside Line

[daves87rs]

Makes me wonder if it is going to happen....

[Drew Dowdell]

It sounds like the "lifestyle" truck would be a mid-size suburbia cruiser while a much smaller Dakota is worked on.

[z28luvr01]

What about building an El Ramino on LY? It's big enough for the task, and AWD ready.

Then of course there's the possibility of a SRT-8 version

I honestly don't see the need for a Ridgeline competitor when Honda has trouble selling 20,000 of them a year. Chevy sells more Colorados than that.

[Robert Hall]

I've read that the 'lifestyle' vehicle could be based on the GC/Durango, so that is promising...

For a compact truck, how about a rebadged, federalized version of the Fiat Strada? (which is currently sold in S. America in regular and extended cab versions)?

Edited August 25, 2011 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[ocnblu]

Whoa, these new clues are scrambling my radar! Could there be room for a Ridgeline clone AND a true compact truck? Not sher what to make of this.

[GMTruckGuy74]

I've read that the 'lifestyle' vehicle could be based on the GC/Durango, so that is promising...

For a compact truck, how about a rebadged, federalized version of the Fiat Strada? (which is currently sold in S. America in regular and extended cab versions)?

Oh hell NO! If they bring that here as a branded RAM vehicle, and it sells well, GM will bring the hideous Chevrolet Montana from South America as a competitor and that will spell the end of the Ute ever making its presence here.

Whoa, these new clues are scrambling my radar! Could there be room for a Ridgeline clone AND a true compact truck? Not sher what to make of this.

I still think Dodge/RAM should seriously reconsider the Dodge M80 concept pickup:

I still like that a lot, all these years later...

[Drew Dowdell]

I can certainly see the argument that the Dakota was too close to the Ram in price and size.

What about a new Dakota off the Wrangler platform since they won't give us that hot Jeep truck we all want?

[Robert Hall]

I can certainly see the argument that the Dakota was too close to the Ram in price and size.

What about a new Dakota off the Wrangler platform since they won't give us that hot Jeep truck we all want?

That M-80 looks like something that could be built off the Wrangler platform. Front end looks a lot like the Ntro, actually.

Or they could do something like Jeep did long ago w/ the Comanche..share the Cherokee (Liberty) platform..

Edited August 25, 2011 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[ZL-1]

So how did this work so far, naming-wise? Ram Dakota and the big one is the Ram Ram? Or the Ram 1500, for example?... =/

[Robert Hall]

So how did this work so far, naming-wise? Ram Dakota and the big one is the Ram Ram? Or the Ram 1500, for example?... =/

Yes. Ram Dakota, Ram 1500, Ram 2500, Ram 3500, Ram Outdoorsman, Ram Laramie Longhorn (according to the Ram website)...

[ZL-1]

So how did this work so far, naming-wise? Ram Dakota and the big one is the Ram Ram? Or the Ram 1500, for example?... =/

Yes. Ram Dakota, Ram 1500, Ram 2500, Ram 3500, Ram Outdoorsman, Ram Laramie Longhorn (according to the Ram website)...

Thanks. Ram Ram would be funny though... Ram Squared