Stellantis is getting close to the reveal date of the Ram Rampage. You probably only heard that name related to Dodge, with the 1982 unibody pickup truck sold with that badge until 1984 and the 2006 concept. However, Project 291 – as it was known until very recently – was meant to wear the RAM badge from the very beginning. American brand fans may start complaining right now: the US is not among the markets that will get it, but not because Stellantis does not want that.
The new Rampage uses the SUSW platform, now called only Small Wide 4x4. It is probably one of the last new products to have these underpinnings and not the STLA Small. A possible new generation of this unibody pickup truck may even receive an upgrade and get the STLA Medium, but that will take at least six years to happen.
Although it may seem that the new Ram is closely related to the Fiat Toro that also uses that platform, the Rampage is more related to the Jeep Commander made in Goiana, Brazil. Autos Segredos broke the news about the new pickup truck in March 2021 and revealed its name on April 1 – but swore it was not a prank. According to the Brazilian website, the Rampage will get the brake system and electronic and safety architectures from the SUV. The suspension is basically the same one used by the Toro, apart from different springs and dampers due to its higher weight.
Photo: Stellantis
Just like the Renegade and the Commander, the SUSW platform and the suspension are all that the Fiat pickup truck and the Rampage have in common. The new Ram will be a larger vehicle than the Toro. Its length will be above 5 meters (196.9 inches), with a width similar to that of the Commander: 1.85 m (73.8 in). The Rampage will also be quite tall, with a height of around 1.80 m (70.9 in).
All engines for the new unibody pickup truck will be turbocharged. The main one will be a 2-liter turbodiesel that also equips the Toro and the Commander, delivering 168 hp (125 kW). The main difference will be related to torque. While the Multijet turbodiesel produces 280 pound-feet (380 Nm), Stellantis should increase that in the Rampage to more than 288 lb-ft (390 Nm). The new Ram will have a 9-speed automatic transmission and power on all four wheels.
Photo: Stellantis
The second engine option will be a 2-liter GME. It will first burn only gasoline and deliver the same torque (more than 288 lb-ft or 390 Nm). However, the gasoline derivative will have much more power, around 260 hp (191 kW). Eventually, this engine will also burn ethanol, which is pretty common in Brazil. This is probably why the 2-liter Multijet will be replaced by a 2.4-liter turbodiesel in 2024. That's a bit too early, especially considering the pickup truck will initially reach the market only with the 2-liter option. As usual, early adopters always pay a high price to be the first ones driving anything. God bless their vanity.
Still, according to Autos Segredos, the Ram Rampage will have three trim options: Big Horn, Laramie, and Rebel, in that order. The new unibody pickup truck will be the first Ram produced in Brazil – also by the Goiana plant. Curiously, Dodge also made the Durango in that country, but it was a short-lived vehicle there with its thirsty engines and the high fuel prices that are still common there. The Rampage will use the same seats as the Toro, a dashboard that will be very similar to that on the Commander, and a massive vertical infotainment screen.
Photo: Stellantis
While that may only be attractive for American customers with a low price tag, they are out of the equation due to the Chicken Tax. Pickup trucks are only competitive in the US if they are made locally: imported units would pay an absurd tax that would make them much more expensive. The SUSW platform is not present in any American factory, only in Italy, Brazil, and China. It would make no sense to invest in producing it there now, especially if such investments are for a single vehicle. That said, Americans will only get to see the new Rampage when traveling abroad or when Mexicans cross the border driving them. Canadians may also receive some export units.
If there is anyone to blame for that, it is the US legislation. Stellantis, Ford, and General Motors will not complain. The Chicken Tax has ensured they are practically alone in one of the largest car markets in the world to sell as many trucks as they can manufacture. Toyota, Nissan, Honda, and Hyundai are trying to get a piece of that pie, but it has proven to be a difficult task. Ironically, what protects American carmakers also prevents them from making more money.
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