New RAM Dakota ute coming to Oz

Australia’s two dual-cab 4x4 ute heavyweights, the Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger, could have a serious new contender to face up to within three years.

The all-new RAM Dakota.

carsales sources both here and overseas are confident the new American pick-up is a go project despite speculation earlier this year it had been canned.

And they are just as confident some form of right-hand drive program is in the works as RAM’s parent, the Stellantis automotive mega-group, eyes off the genuinely attractive profits that mid-size one-tonne 4x4 utes generate from ever-growing Australian sales.

Originally known as the Dodge Dakota, the last generation of the mid-size pick-up changed its name to RAM Dakota in the final two years before its expiry in 2011.

A ‘metric one-tonne pick-up’ has been a serious part of the conversation since it was confirmed in an investor presentation by the old Fiat Chrysler Automobiles group in 2018. It later emerged that the RAM Dakota badge would be coming out of mothballs for it.

After FCA and PSA merged to form Stellantis last January, reports emerged in February the Dakota had been canned. But in March, authoritative US automotive trade journal Automotive News reported it was still an ongoing program.

Details remain scarce but carsales understands the target is to deliver a dual-cab 4x4 ute with a metric tonne payload and a full 3500kg braked towing capacity – just like the HiLux and Ranger, but unlike the Jeep Gladiator novelty pick-up.

Drivetrain opportunities abound, with diesel, petrol, plug-in hybrid and battery-electric powertrains all potentially available. Underpinning the new ute is likely to be one of the many FCA ladder frames used by Jeep and RAM.

The EV version would be based on the new STLA-Large chassis announced at the Stellantis EV Day last month, incorporating a battery pack into the unibody construction.

“A new mid-size truck” was briefly referenced by Stellantis North American design chief Ralph Gilles during the presentation.

There’s no doubt exterior styling would be at the macho end of the scale. Inspired by the RAM 1500, an extreme version could even ape the high-performance TRX.

Timing has been an ongoing discussion in the US automotive media. But a 2024 launch is being consistently referred to.

Launching the RAM Dakota in Australia would not be a venture into the unknown.

The RAM brand has been strongly established here in recent years thanks to the work put in by Ateco Group subsidiary RAM Trucks Australia.

With the full backing of the old FCA, RAM Trucks Australia funded the right-hand drive local conversion of a family of previous-generation DS-series RAM 1500, 2500 and 3500 pick-up models by the Walkinshaw Automotive Group starting in 2016. Total Australian sales are now headed toward 10,000.

It’s been so successful that the General Motors subsidiary that replaced Holden locally, GM Specialty Vehicles, and also converts the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 at WAG is now expanding to add a second model, the Trail Boss.

The new-generation (DT-series) RAM 1500 has only just rolled off the production line and gone on sale. We’ve driven the top-spec Limited and already compared it against the Silverado.

While the RAM and Silverado can absorb the added cost of local conversion – helped by the fact trucks don’t cop luxury tax like SUVs and passenger cars do – a locally converted mid-size truck has a much lower dollar ceiling to work with.

Which means a factory right-hand drive program for Dakota. According to one source, who didn’t want to be quoted let alone identified, that’s what is expected to happen.

Another anonymous source was just as adamant that a Dakota right-hand drive program would have to be localised out of Australia.

So let’s wait and see.

But whichever way RHD is done, what an Aussie-bound Dakota does raise is the potential for a change in the way RAMs are distributed in Australia.

Ateco, led by the shrewd New Zealand businessman Neville Crichton, could well be offered a deal too good to refuse by Stellantis to hand back the Australian distribution rights to RAM, step out of the process altogether or become the contracted supplier of 1500s and 2500s.

Crichton has strong ties into Stellantis and plenty of negotiating ammunition. Ateco distributes Stellantis sports car brand Maserati in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, and Jeep, Fiat and RAM in New Zealand.

Stellantis no doubt sees the good money not going into its coffers that is being made out of full-size trucks here. It’s doubtful it’s supportive of a right-hand drive program for Dakota just to hand it over to an independent distributor in what would be the vehicle’s biggest and most lucrative RHD market.

There’s evidence that Stellantis is already looking down this path. RAM and Jeep are being paired in Australia as its primary sales opportunities.

A new corporate identity (CI) design for showrooms shows Jeep and RAM together with no sign of Chrysler. As we reported recently, the luxury brand has no future in Australia.

Carsales is being told the Stellantis plan is for RAM and Jeep to be always in dealerships together in the future.

Of course, Jeep and RAM dealers are subject to separate agreements in Australia with separate businesses at the moment. But this move of RAM back to the Stellantis mothership will take time – if it happens.

The impact on RAM customers won’t be obvious or significant. The 1500 and 2500 will still be converted locally for some time at least.

Ateco Group was approached for comment on all of this, but declined.

Stellantis Australia said: “FCA Australia, a Stellantis Group entity, is responsible for the business operations and performance of all brands in Australia. 

“Stellantis, in Australia, has distribution channels for Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Fiat, Fiat Professional, Alfa Romeo, RAM, Peugeot and Citroen. FCA Australia holds the distribution rights to the Chrysler (and Dodge) brands and remain focused on fulfilling their commitment to the brands and their customers.”

There are no changes to the current distributor partnerships for these brands, with each distributor continuing to hold responsibility for their respective brands and the relationships with their dealer networks.