When Autos Segredos said Stellantis would name its new unibody pickup truck Rampage, I had no doubt that would indeed be the case. Anyway, it is always good to have the official confirmation, and it arrived this June 5. Luckily, there are only a few pieces of information that we still lack about it – including price.
Stellantis released a video that explains why it chose the name Rampage for it. Breno Kamei, Ram's vice president for South America, mentions that it was a name the brand already used, which is not entirely true. The 1982 unibody pickup truck that American customers and pickup truck fans remember was actually a Dodge. Ram was still the name of another pickup truck released in October 1980. It only became a subbrand in 2010.
For the Brazilian public, it was necessary to translate what Rampage means, which is why you can see the name in the video and the explanations about it in Portuguese. According to the Stellantis executives that talk about the new vehicle, Rampage is a strong name, just like the customers should expect the new unibody pickup truck. Stellantis should not have a problem with convincing the public the new Ram is robust: the Fiat Toro, built over the same Small Wide 4x4 (SUSW) platform, leads sales in Brazil. It was after a slice of the market the Toro blazed that GM created the new Montana.
Photo: Ram
After a prototype of the Rampage was photographed in Michigan, rumors started about a possible production in the US. What the people that started talking about that missed is that the vehicle was probably there for Ram's American engineering team to give it their blessings or even help with its development. For local production to make sense, the SUSW platform would need to be in one of the US factories, but it isn't. That's why the Renegade and the Compass are imported. A pickup truck would have to deal with the Chicken Tax, so the Rampage's only chance to reach American customers would be to be made by American workers. Mexican customers should have it.
As Autos Segredos revealed, having the same architecture does not mean that the Rampage is Ram's derivative for the Toro. It is actually more related to the Jeep Commander than to Fiat's pickup truck. The only common parts the vehicles should have are the suspension, diesel engine, and seats. Even so, the Rampage will have new springs and dampers to deal with its heavier body. The new Ram truck is a bigger vehicle than the Toro, with more than 5 meters (196.9 inches) in length. Autos Segredos also expect it to present a 1.85-m (73.8-in) width and a 1.80-m (70.9-in) height. Considering how often they get things right, I'd bet on that without hesitation.
Photo: Ram
The first images released by Stellantis show the Rampage in its Rebel version. It is natural for the first vehicles to appear to be the fully-loaded derivatives: they are the ones that will drive customers to showrooms. If the pricing for it is too steep, they may prefer the Laramie (with a chromed front grille) or even the Big Horn (the most affordable version, with a black front grille).
The Project 291 will be an all-wheel drive pickup truck with two engine options, both turbocharged. The 2-liter GME gasoline engine will deliver 260 hp (191 kW) and 288 pound-feet (390 Nm). In 2024, it should be replaced by a 2.4-liter that burns ethanol or gasoline in any proportion. The diesel mill is also a 2-liter that pumps out 168 hp (125 kW) and 280 lb-ft (380 Nm). The gearbox will always be a 9-speed automatic unit.
Photo: Ram
As Autos Segredos said, the Rampage will look like a smaller Ram 1500, which is why the first rumors about its name were that it would be called 1200. The Fiat Strada is rebadged and sold in other South American markets as the Ram 700, which would make the 1200 nameplate pretty coherent with those of the other products from the brand. The new name should not be a problem for its sales, especially in Brazil.
Pickup trucks have become increasingly more popular in that country, and Ram is doing so well that it decided it needed a local product. The public responsible for that sudden surge is mainly composed of agribusiness entrepreneurs. On a smaller scale, you also have those who love outdoor activities, but they are far from everyone who is doing well with crops and cattle.
Photo: Ram
With 14 brands in its portfolio and a sharp sense of new market opportunities, Stellantis is doing a great job in South America and Europe. The new Ram Rampage is just the latest example of how agile the company is proving to be. Depending on how well the new unibody pickup truck sells in the countries where it is headed, the carmaker will have a lot to celebrate.
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