Try our newest merchandise
Full-size American pickup truck model Ram has formally confirmed it would introduce its long-awaited world mid-size pickup – which may very well be known as the Dakota, might borrow design cues from the Ram Rampage dual-cab offered in South American markets, and will do battle with the top-selling Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux in Australia – however not till 2028.
Antonio Filosa, the CEO of Stellantis – which owns the Ram, Jeep, Chrysler, Alfa Romeo and Maserati model, amongst others – stated in September that the ‘Dakota’ could be launched in 2027, and senior Ram executives beforehand stated the all-new dual-cab could be offered in Australia ‘a technique or one other’.
The announcement was made in a single day as a part of the biggest single funding within the 100-year historical past of Ram mother or father Stellantis, which features a spend of almost US$400 million (A$611m) to provide “an all-new midsize truck” alongside the Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator on the firm’s Toledo Meeting Complicated in Ohio – fairly than its Belvidere, Illinois plant, which is able to as an alternative be re-opened to fabricate two new Jeep fashions.
CarExpert can prevent 1000’s on a brand new automobile. Click on right here to get an incredible deal.
In an effort to counter import tariffs set down by the US authorities in April 2025, which noticed it pause imports to North America earlier this yr, Stellantis stated it will make investments $US13 billion ($A19.96bn) in US manufacturing.
Stellantis stated it will expands its US manufacturing by 50 per cent and introduce 5 new fashions and 19 ‘product actions’ over the subsequent 4 years.
It stated that may embody a new-generation Dodge Durango to be in-built Detroit, and an all-new extended-range electrical car (EREV) and a combustion-powered giant SUV to be in-built Warren, Michigan – creating greater than 5000 new jobs at its factories in Illinois, Ohio, Michigan and Indiana.
“This funding within the US – the one largest within the firm’s historical past – will drive our progress, strengthen our manufacturing footprint and produce extra American jobs to the states we name dwelling,” stated Mr Filosa in a press release.
“As we start our subsequent 100 years, we’re placing the client on the middle of our technique, increasing our car choices and giving them the liberty to decide on the merchandise they need and love.
“Accelerating progress within the US has been a high precedence since my first day. Success in America is not only good for Stellantis within the US – it makes us stronger all over the place,” he stated.
Doubtlessly reviving the Dakota nameplate beforehand provided by each Dodge and Ram, the brand new mid-size ute will likely be Ram’s first direct rival for among the world’s (and Australia’s) hottest dual-cabs, positioned beneath the Ram 1500 pickup.
Like its rivals, it’s anticipated to be underpinned by a standard ladder-frame chassis, and the actual fact it would now be produced in the identical manufacturing facility because the Wrangler and Gladiator suggests it would share its underpinnings with these hardcore off-road automobiles.
The Dodge Dakota, which has by no means been formally offered right here, was final produced in 2011 and was marginally bigger than the US-market Ranger, sitting on a 3355mm wheelbase with an general size of 5558mm.
The Ranger dual-cab has a 3270mm wheelbase, with the volume-selling XLT variant measuring 5370mm lengthy. That makes it shorter than the Ram 1500 dual-cab, which has a 3672mm wheelbase and measures 5916mm in its shortest type.
The final Dakota was obtainable with V6 and V8 petrol engines, however there’s no phrase on what’s going to energy the brand new Ram mid-sizer.
Within the US, the Wrangler and Gladiator are provided with turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder and naturally aspirated V6 petrol engines (and a plug-in hybrid powertrain for the previous), however no diesel engines like nearly all of utes offered in Australia.
Nevertheless, Stellantis gives a spread of hybrid and electrical powertrains within the US, the place its well-known Hemi V8 has returned to the Ram pickup vary.
Australian-market Rams are now not obtainable with a V8, following the discharge of the facelifted MY25 Ram 1500 earlier this yr with the extra highly effective Hurricane twin-turbo inline six-cylinder engine. There’s no affirmation on whether or not the V8 will make its approach again to Australian showrooms.
As a part of the announcement, Stellantis additionally confirmed it would produce a brand new four-cylinder internal-combustion engine (ICE) in Michigan.
The funding announcement comes after Stellantis suffered important gross sales and revenue slides, together with a US$2.7 billion ($A4.15bn) loss within the first half of 2025.
Mr Filosa took excessive job at Stellantis in June after Carlos Tavares resigned from the position in December 2024 forward of his deliberate 2026 retirement.
“That’s now a product for ’27,” stated Mr Filosa on the Kepler Cheuvreux Autumn Convention final month, when requested when Ram would introduce its long-promised world mid-size ‘metric-ton’ pickup.
“Two weeks in the past I used to be in our design centre in Detroit and I noticed the automobile itself – not solely the sketches and the design however the clay mannequin – and it’s simply lovely.
“And all of the specs that we’re imagining within the product briefing are excellent within the phase, in order that’s why 2027 we’ll have a really sturdy Ram supply in that phase.”
MORE: Discover the Ram showroom
