The Dodge/Ram Dakota stopped production in 2011. Since then, the mid-size pickup segment has gained great popularity, but Stellantis has not been able to join in on the fun. Finally, though, Ram works on a file New medium sizeAs part of a $13 billion investment in the US, the automaker has confirmed that the pickup truck will begin production in 2028.
Better late than never.
Stellantis confirmed that it will manufacture the mid-size pickup truck at its factory in Toledo, Ohio, where it currently manufactures the Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator. This seems to confirm that the new pickup will be a body-on-frame, rather than a more lifestyle-oriented unibody like the Honda Ridgeline or Hyundai Santa Cruz. Ram targets the heart of the segment – the Ford Ranger, Chevrolet Colorado/GMC Canyon, and Toyota Tacoma.
The automaker initially planned to manufacture this midsize pickup at its recently closed Belvidere, Illinois, plant. Instead, Stellantis will reopen the plant in 2027 for construction New Jeep Cherokee And the compass, the last of which It was not initially confirmed for America. Stellantis also announced today that it will build a new full-size, internal-combustion-powered, extended-range SUV in Warren, Michigan, and that it will begin construction New Durango in Detroit in 2029.
Photo by: Dodge
“This investment in the U.S. — the largest in the company’s history — will drive our growth, strengthen our manufacturing footprint and bring more American jobs to the states we call home,” Stellantis CEO Antonio Velosa said in a statement. “As we embark on the next 100 years, we are putting the customer at the heart of our strategy, expanding our automotive offerings, and giving them the freedom to choose the products they want and love.”
It’s all part of Velosa’s plan to undo years of mistakes on Stellantis. Under his predecessor, Carlos Tavares, Stellantis eliminated customer-favorite V-8 models, launched lackluster electric cars, and failed to move luxury Jeeps. It seems to be making all the right moves, and the reintroduction of the Ram 1500 V-8 and the upcoming Cherokee and Compass are great, immediate moves.
But the fact that the midsize pickup isn’t coming until 2028 and that a new Durango is so far away just shows how far behind this company is. It’s a long way forward.
