Ram Future Plans: Dakota, Rampage, Ramcharger, and More

Ram has its sights set on becoming the No. 2 truck brand in North America by refreshing its entire lineup and adding smaller pickups and more vans to fill the gaps.

That includes the long-awaited return of the Dakota midsize pickup, coming in 2028 and riding on the Jeep Gladiator platform which will give it some Jeep DNA and capability, says Stellantis head of design Ralph Gilles. He showed a Rebel edition of the truck in Auburn Hills as part of Investor Day presentations. The aggressive styling with new grille, S-Duct on the hood (Ram version of the Dodge R-wing?) is a sign of Ram design going forward. The goal is to price it below $40,000.

North America also gets a version of the Rampage compact pickup which has been a hit in South America. It will be homologated for the U.S. with little change. It is also due in 2028. Head of North America Brands Tim Kuniskis said he wanted the Rampage for his market since he first set eyes on it but engineering it to meet regulations posed a challenge and the focus was on Dakota. Then attention reverted to the smaller truck and plans to add it for North America were fast forwarded. The bones are done now, he says. It would have to be priced below the Dakota but Kuniskis would not say if the goal is to sell it below $30,000. The Rampage is built in Brazil. Kuniskis would not say if there were plans to also make it in the U.S.

Future product plan for Ram.

The two trucks fill a gap in the lineup since the discontinuation of the Dodge Dakota in 2011. For years the automaker said it will return to the segment, as it struggled to decide what it should like look like, whether it should be body-on-frame like the Dakota, or a unibody lifestyle-oriented truck. That would determine what platform would be best. It looks like the final decision to go with one of each.

The Ram family also expands with the Ramcharger three-row SUV, an aggressively styled performance-oriented model and first SUV for the brand in about 35 years.

By 2030 Ram will also introduce next generations of its 1500 fullsize pickups and heavy-dutly trucks. There is also the REV extended-range hybrid coming.

And Ram is adding a full line of Rumble Bee muscle trucks.

On the van side, the division adopts the Pro One name used in Europe. A new fullsize commercial van, the next-generation ProMaster, will be followed by a midsize van that brings back the ProMaster City name. An autonomous delivery van based on the Box On Wheels concept is also in development.

Ram is the automaker’s fastest-growing brand, said Kuniskis. The company has been rebuilding its positioning and portfolio as it prepares for growth in an industry where sales are expected to remain flat.

Ram only has three products now yet the roughly half million trucks and commercial vans generate 40 percent of profits. They punch above their weight. The thinking is that expanding into new segments will drive additional profit, says Kuniskis. Ram will have a much broader lineup by 2030 and the entire lineup will be all-new or refreshed.

North America offers the biggest opportunity for growth, says Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa. By expanding market coverage, the goal is to increase revenue by 25 percent while reducing cost with new platforms and optimizing production at its plants. Stellantis will go from covering 60 percent the market to 90 percent by the end of the decade.