Ram Rampage Is Officially Among Us With 268 HP and a Top Speed of 137 MPH

Predictably, the Rampage's proportions have more to do with the Fiat Toro than with the Ram 1500 that inspired it. That does not prevent the new pickup truck from having its own styling signature. After all, Stellantis invested R$1.3 billion ($248.5 million at the current exchange rate) to develop the new vehicle. Considering some of these projects can cost more than $1 billion, it was a bargain. The automaker also said that a team of more than 800 engineers and technicians employed 1.2 million hours to develop the Rampage.

With the premiere, we now have the exact dimensions of the new pickup truck. The Rampage is 5.03 meters (198 inches) long, 1.89 m (74.4 in) wide, 1.78 m (70.1 in) tall, and has a wheelbase of 2.99 m (117.7 in). These numbers are slightly different from those obtained by Autos Segredos, apart from the ground clearance, which the Brazilian website did not have: it is 264 millimeters (10.4 in). The good news is that Autos Segredos hit the nail on the head regarding the engines and transmission.

There are two powertrain options. One is a 2-liter turbodiesel that delivers 168 hp (125 kW) and 280 pound-feet (380 Nm). The other is the 2-liter GME – or Hurricane 4 among those more familiar with it. It will first burn only gasoline, delivering 200 kW (268 hp) and 400 Nm (295 pound-feet). Stellantis should make it burn ethanol in the future. A 9-speed automatic transmission and power on all four wheels are standard.

The Rampage will indeed have only three derivatives, but they are not exactly those Autos Segredos said we would see. The entry-level is the Rebel, which starts at R$ 239,990 ($45,866) with its turbodiesel mill. Previously, it seemed it would be the most expensive one. The Big Horn may eventually emerge, but it does not do that right now. The price jumps to $249,990 ($47,777) for the Rebel with the gasoline engine. That's the same price tag the Laramie turbodiesel version charges from its customers. The Hurricane 4 mill makes the Laramie cost $259,990 ($49,689).

The top-of-the-line derivative is the R/T, sold for R$ 269,990 ($51,600). With a different suspension setup, the Rampage R/T can reach a top speed of 220 kph (137 mph), which makes it the fastest pickup truck for sale in Brazil. Optionally, buyers may select the Pack Elite, which adds ambient light, a Harman Kardon sound system, and the driver seat with electric adjustments. It costs R$6,000 ($1,147).

The turbodiesel derivatives can carry up to 1,015 kilograms (2,237.7 pounds) of cargo, while the gasoline versions have a 750-kg (1,653.5-lb) limit. The bed has a volumetric capacity of 980 liters (34.6 cubic feet). Pre-sales will start on June 22, but deliveries are only expected to begin in August – more than a month of wait.

The journalists that have already driven it said it is surprisingly luxurious inside and lively during accelerations. Some of them stated that the Rampage was the fastest Ram truck in the world, but I did not get enough time to check if that was true, so I'll stick with what Stellantis cared to say: that it is the fastest pickup in Brazil, the first market where it will be sold. Other Latin American countries will also get it, and there are rumors even the US may get Rampage units. We're yet to learn where it will be made for the American market, but the only choice it may have to dodge the Chicken Tax is the US.

In Brazil, the Rampage will compete against the Fiat Toro, Ford Maverick, and Chevrolet Montana. Some of my colleagues there bet that the new unibody pickup truck may even beat entry-level derivatives of the Toyota Hilux, Ford Ranger, Chevrolet S10, Nissan Frontier, and Mitsubishi Triton. Although the truck market in that country is pretty far from that in the US, it is gaining importance and volumes, something the Ram Rampage should help Stellantis achieve in that segment – even if it is not exactly affordable.

One thing is for sure: the new Rampage should last much longer in the market than its Dodge predecessor and sell in much bigger numbers as well. As I wrote before, Brazil was the country that developed it and which will produce it first. Still, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, and several other South American countries should have access to the new pickup truck. Include Mexico on that list. The remaining doubt is if it will get the Rampage from Brazil or if it will make it for its internal market and also for the US.