Photo: wb.artist20/Instagram
Introduced in 1957, the Ford Ranchero kickstarted the coupe utility segment in the U.S. And while Chevrolet joined the market with the El Camino in 1959, Dodge did not offer a similar product.
It was only in 1982 that Dodge jumped on the coupe utility bandwagon with the Rampage. Based on the Dodge Omni compact, it remained in showrooms only until 1984. And alongside its Plymouth Scamp twin, it was Chrysler's only car-based pickup. But what if the Rampage would return in 2022 as a two-door Charger with a bed?
Well, this rendering proves that it would be downright awesome (albeit not necessarily practical), especially in SRT Hellcat trim. Yeah, the heavily chromed wheels are a bit too much for this pickup, but I wouldn't care about that with a supercharged, 6.2-liter V8 engine rated at 707 horsepower and 650 pound-feet (880 Nm) of torque under the hood.
Or maybe is it a Hellcat Redeye with 797 horses and 707 pound-feet (959 Nm) of twist? Either way, it would be the most powerful factory ute ever created. Because the Hellcat mill is notably more potent than the HSV Maloo, the high-performance version of the Holden Commodore Ute, which delivered 577 horsepower while still in production in the 2010s.
But the Holden Commodore Ute and the HSV Maloo are no longer around for a reason. There's no demand for car-based pickups nowadays. And that's exactly why Dodge will never make a Charger with a bed. Or a Challenger in a similar setup, because we've seen quite a few of them in digital form in recent months.
Yes, it would be cool to get both of them, but let's face it, the coupe utility segment has been dead since the 1980s. Ford discontinued the Ranchero in 1979, while Chevrolet gave up on the El Camino in 1987. And most pickups based on compact cars were also phased out by 1990.
Well, this rendering proves that it would be downright awesome (albeit not necessarily practical), especially in SRT Hellcat trim. Yeah, the heavily chromed wheels are a bit too much for this pickup, but I wouldn't care about that with a supercharged, 6.2-liter V8 engine rated at 707 horsepower and 650 pound-feet (880 Nm) of torque under the hood.
Or maybe is it a Hellcat Redeye with 797 horses and 707 pound-feet (959 Nm) of twist? Either way, it would be the most powerful factory ute ever created. Because the Hellcat mill is notably more potent than the HSV Maloo, the high-performance version of the Holden Commodore Ute, which delivered 577 horsepower while still in production in the 2010s.
But the Holden Commodore Ute and the HSV Maloo are no longer around for a reason. There's no demand for car-based pickups nowadays. And that's exactly why Dodge will never make a Charger with a bed. Or a Challenger in a similar setup, because we've seen quite a few of them in digital form in recent months.
Yes, it would be cool to get both of them, but let's face it, the coupe utility segment has been dead since the 1980s. Ford discontinued the Ranchero in 1979, while Chevrolet gave up on the El Camino in 1987. And most pickups based on compact cars were also phased out by 1990.
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