Photo Source/Copyright: Stellantis Brazil
The automotive world is fueled by new rumors every single day, and this includes rumors within the Dodge Ram world. Rumor has it that a Ram 1200 is on its way to battle Ford for midsize pickup supremacy. Antonio Filosa, president of South America’s Stellantis, confirmed to a Brazilian outlet that the Ram 1200 could hit the U.S. market. Initially destined for the South American market (and planned to be assembled in Brazil), the new Ram vehicle is on its way to rival the Ford Maverick. Filosa told the publication that “the pickup will also be sold in the American market to face the Ford Maverick.” If the rumor is true, this means there would be an addition to the Rams truck lineup overall, with a specific focus on the midsize pickup segment where the brand has no current footing.
Details as to what this midsize pickup will look like are scarce as it caters to the U.S. market, but sister brand Jeep currently takes up a space within the same segment with its Gladiator model. The upcoming Ram truck could very well borrow features from the Gladiator, specifically when it comes to its powertrain. Some believe the vehicle in question could borrow from the Stellantis Small Wide 4×4 platform that currently underpins models including the Alfa Romeo Tonale and Jeep Renegade.
The underpinning structure will be resized in Brazil to perfectly suit a midsize pickup to compete directly with the Chevrolet S10, which is still in production in Brazil, the Toyota Hilux, and the Ford Ranger. In America, the Ram 1200 will likely be much better suited to fight in a growing class, that of compact pickup trucks–a class currently overtaken by the brand new Ford Maverick.
“In the US, there are plans for the Ram 1200 to have a chassis-mounted version,” said Filosa. While this detail is a bit murky and quite confusing due to poor translation, Filosa could simply be referring to a unibody, midsize Ram pickup truck destined for Brazil, while a compact body-on-frame truck is what’s destined to land in the U.S. instead. Some typical traits between the two variants of the Ram 1200 include a nine-speed automatic transmission and four-wheel drive, helping break into a segment it has long ignored. Engine options may range from a 2.0-liter Tigershark engine or a bigger 2.2-liter Multijet turbo Diesel engine—two engines that are currently unavailable in the US. Many believe there may be a 1.5-liter three-cylinder turbo Diesel engine underneath the hood, but as it currently stands, Stellantis does not have any engines with displacement in its portfolio.
If this happens, Ram will not only increase its lineup, but it will also enter an area where it is desperately lacking. The rumor mill used to spin with expectations that the Dakota nameplate would come back. In any case, it’s realistic to expect that Ram will ultimately produce a pickup that slots below its entry-level Ram 1500.
In the meantime, explore the current Ram Trucks lineup here at University Dodge. Be sure to follow University Dodge on social media to stay up to date with the latest Ram Truck news and offers.
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Terry is an avid Nascar fan who grew up attending races at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina, just down the road from his hometown of China Grove, NC. Terry currently resides in Wellington and has been writing for 15 years. He also enjoys watching the Road Runner Looney Tunes cartoon with his two sons in his spare time.