Ram has brought more luxury to the pickup scene to go along with towing prowess. Its strategy has reordered the profitable pickup race, with Ram overtaking the Chevrolet Silverado this year for second place behind the Ford F series.
While Ram charges ahead with a slate of fresh products, it isn't ready to say goodbye to its past just yet. The last-generation Classic model, which received a special Warlock edition this year, is still being produced for commercial customers and buyers looking for a deal. Ram will look to continue its momentum as a rumored midsize option looms.
Midsize pickup: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles sees an opening in the midsize pickup segment that the rugged Jeep Gladiator can't fill. It'll be up to Ram to close that hole with a new model. Ram's last midsize pickup, the Dakota, was dropped in 2011 after a 25-year run. CEO Mike Manley said in May that the Ram team is "focused on solving a metric ton midsize truck solution for us because it's a big part of the portfolio and growth we want to achieve." Suppliers told Automotive News last year that the midsize Ram pickup would be built in Toledo, Ohio, at the same plant where the Gladiator is produced. A release timeline is still uncertain.
1500: The redesigned pickup hit the market in 2018. The 2020 1500 EcoDiesel arrives in the fourth quarter with a new twist: The Rebel variant gets a diesel engine for the first time. Down the line, FCA said, it plans to deliver an edgy, off-road TRX iteration of the 1500 in 2022. The updated 1500 is sold alongside its previous-generation counterpart, the Classic.
FCA said the older model is aimed at value shoppers and the new version is for those looking for technology features. Even though the Classic lacks some of the bells and whistles of its successor, dealers have said it retains wide appeal among consumers not ready to absorb the higher payments of the new model and commercial clients who need basic work vehicles. FCA hasn't indicated when it plans to discontinue production of the Classic.
2500/3500: The redesigned heavy-duty lineup, loaded with premium interiors and the latest infotainment technology, joined the recently revamped 1500 in the lineup this year as the last piece of its "three-pronged truck selling strategy," FCA said. The luxurious cabin options of the 1500 have migrated to the more powerful work trucks. The redesigned models are coming in 2022, according to FCA.
