Tale of two Rams: CEO confirms two different models being made

Ram’s announcement that it is indeed working on two different bakkies under two apparent separate names will happen in stages and not follow each other in a short space of time.

Last week, Ram boss, Mike Koval, confirmed reports dating back over a year about the marque developing two distinct models were indeed true and not condensed into one as alleged last month.

South America’s unibody 1200

Addressing the recent online leaks in South America and Europe, Koval told Australia’s drive.com.au that the prototype in question is indeed the latter market exclusive that will ride on a unibody platform similar to the Ford Maverick, Fiat Toro and Chevrolet Montana.

Reportedly, this model will bear the Ram 1200 designation and although positioned between the Toro and Ram 1500, will have the same architecture as the former, namely the Small Wide 4×4 platform used by the Jeep Renegade, Commander and Compass, Fiat 500X, Toro, Alfa Romeo Tonale and Dodge Hornet.

Tipped to have the same dimensions as the Toyota Hilux, Ford Ranger, Volkswagen Amarok, Nissan Frontier (Navara) and the South American-twin of the Isuzu D-Max, the Chevrolet S-10, the 1200 will solely be powered by two four-cylinders engines and won’t be made available with right-hand-drive.

Return of Dakota

Of more interest is the second model that will ride on a traditional body-on-frame model and revive the Dakota name last used in 2011.

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Set to directly rival the Hilux, Ranger, D-Max, Amarok, Navara, Mitsubishi Triton, Mazda BT-50 and GWM P-Series, and in the States, the Ranger, Frontier, Toyota Tacoma, Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon, the Dakota will also take-up station below the 1500, but according to Koval, while indeed ready, production is still some way off.

“I’m not going to say ‘yes’ because it is not at this point in time, because it’s just in concept phase,” Koval told drive.com.au at the recent New York International Auto Show where Ram showcased the all-electric 1500 REV.

“We’ve been talking about (the return of a Ram mid-size pick-up) forever and I have committed to myself and to my team… this is the leadership team that is going to execute (bring the vehicle to production). We will be the team that delivers this.”

World model?

Despite remaining mum on the timeframe of when the Dakota actually arrives, Koval hinted it could be made with right-hand-drive, before stopping short of confirming it outright.

“Every new vehicle, starting with the (next-generation Ram 1500), and everything beyond it… will have an international scope. Or I will try to,” he said.

“[Right-hand-drive] would always be the idea… [but it is still] too early to tell. More to follow as we get a little bit closer.”

Right-hand-drive production has reportedly attracted significance for the brand in recent months as evident by sales of the Australian converted 1500 breaching sales of 20 000 units in February despite prices starting from just under R1.2-million.

“If you were in my shoes and I think about… growing the brand globally… I want to be able to sell everywhere. That’s just an honest statement,” Koval said in reference to a factory-made right-hand-drive Ram 1500.

A role for South Africa?

Back in 2018, former Ram boss Mike Manley admitted that interest for a right-hooking Ram had also come from South Africa, where examples of the 1500 are converted and sold with the steering gear on the right, albeit without any factory backing, by US Truck Sales in Richard’s Bay.

As is known by now, Ram parent company, Stellantis, last month inked a deal with the Department of Trade and Industry for the possible production of a vehicle in South Africa in 2025.

No further about the location of the factory or indeed the planned vehicle were revealed, however, given Korval’s latest remarks, plus the importance of bakkies in South Africa, the likelihood of Ram production on local soil could potentially become a reality.

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