Ram said to be readying first 1200 for November debut

Ram’s forging ahead with two distinct versions of its all-new 1200 bakkie has taken its largest step towards completion by way of a reported launch month for one derivative.

Unibody first

On the drawing board for over four years as the long overdue replacement for the Dakota that ended production in 2011, the same year in which the Ram brand was established as a separate commercial marque from Dodge, the latest report from Brazil suggests the unibody model will debut first followed later by the body-on-frame.

According to Auto+, the former 1200 will be unveiled in the second week of November followed by the commencing of production at the Goiânia Plant soon after.

Set to be positioned above the Fiat Strada/Ram 700 and Fiat Toro/Ram 1000, but below the Peugeot Landtrak in Stellantis’ global bakkie line-up, the 1200 is expected to bear a close resemblance to the full-size Ram 1500, but will remain exclusive to South America.

Power of four only

While its remains to be seen whether the 1200 name, currently used on a rebadged version of the Mitsubishi Triton in the Middle East, receives actual approval, what is known is that the newcomer will have an all-four-cylinder engine line-up consisting of a 2.0-litre Tigershark turbo-petrol and a 2.2-litre turbodiesel once used in the European-spec Jeep Cherokee.

ALSO READ: Ram not backing down from pair of new 1200 models

By contrast, the body-on-frame 1200, which was reported in September as having been seen by a select number of dealers in North America, is also set to only offer a selection of four-cylinder engines unlike the six- and eight-cylinder unit the Dakota offered throughout its 25 year production run.

Body-on-frame following

Whereas the South American model will take aim at the Hyundai Santa Cruz, Ford Maverick and Honda Ridgeline, the body-on-frame will target the Toyota Hilux, Ford Ranger, Isuzu D-Max, Volkswagen Amarok, Nissan Navara, Mitsubishi Triton and Mazda BT-50.

In the United States, competition will stem from the Ranger and Toyota Tacoma, as well as the Nissan Frontier, Chevrolet Colorado, GMC Canyon and to a lesser extent, the Jeep Gladiator.

Systemically ruled out from happening last year only, for the decision to be reversed less than a month later, chances are that details could become more apparent should the second week of November reveal be accurate.

On the other hand, the Hilux-rivalling model looks destined for a 2023 premiere, though nothing has been confirmed outright. Also unknown is the prospect of right-hand drive availability, however, expect details to emerge heading into the new year.