Dodge Ram Dakota SRT Comes Back With Hellcat Mill in Charged Rendering

While mid-size trucks are not as important as the full-size models in the United States, they still represent a relevant segment of buyers (alongside the resurging pocket-sized unibody compacts) across the American automotive market. For example, in 2022, the affordable and electrified Ford Maverick sold over 74k units, while the eternal Toyota Tacoma was again crowned as leader of the mid-size pack with 237k deliveries. But the competition is getting stiffer by the day.

For instance, the rumor mill is riddled with faint whispers that the Japanese automaker is considering a potential Toyota Scout revival to give the Maverick and Hyundai’s Santa Cruz some unibody compact headaches. Alternatively, the Tacoma must endure the assault from cool new models like the standalone D41 Nissan Frontier (third generation, now exclusive to North America) or the upcoming Ford Ranger, among others – like the fresh 2023 Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon.

But what if Stellantis decided to join the mid-size pickup truck party, as well? And if that does not happen soon in the real world, we can at least say that it already occurred across the imaginative realm of digital car content creators. So, here is Dimas Ramadhan, the virtual automotive artist behind the Digimods DESIGN channel on YouTube, who has taken up the task of revealing an all-new 2024 or 2025 (Dodge) Ram Dakota - in CGI.

The nameplate – initially titled under Dodge and then known as the Ram Dakota during its final couple of production years – has been around from 1986 to 2011 as Chrysler’s show of force above the more compact Ford Ranger and Chevrolet S-10 but still below the full-size Dodge Ram. It was a traditional body-on-frame pickup truck with a classic (leaf spring/live axle) rear design and remains known for being the first mid-size model offered with an optional V8 engine.

Well, that heritage is quite enticing for anyone trying to envision a return to CGI life, right? And the pixel master takes full advantage of the shared Dodge and Ram connections, making this 2024 or 2025 reinvention a proper SRT with lots of Dodge inspiration. The Charger styling is pretty obvious, and so is the SRT Hellcat V8 engine tucked under the hood – 6.2 liters of supercharged goodness with at least 707 ponies in the bay.

But can we also dare for extra greatness and hope this was imagined with the Hellcat Redeye standard of 797 hp? That would certainly teach any Tacoma its rightful place! Anyway, also, what is up with the continued Nissan Frontier Pro-4X obsession?