FCA Boss Hints Dodge Dakota Return More Likely than Ever
Growth of the midsized truck segment is going steady and if we take Mike Manley’s words to heart, Ram may focus on a modern-day Dakota.
The Dodge Dakota was last offered for the 2011 model year under the Ram brand moniker, but a report by the Detroit Free Press suggests that FCA is working on a return to the midsized truck segment. This would be a great move, as Dodge and Ram fans have been calling for a new, midsized pickup for years now and with the boom in the segment, this would be the perfect time for the Dakota to roar back onto the scene.
The truck was discontinued back in 2011 at a point when all of the American automakers were focusing entirely on full-sized pickups. Ford and Ram both dropped their smaller trucks while GM battled the Japanese automakers alone, but with sales of all trucks on the rise over the past few years, everyone is getting back into the midsized game.
Hole in the Lineup
Back on May 3, FCA CEO Mike Manley was speaking during the company’s first quarter when he pointed out that the lack of a midsized pickup is a “clear hole in our portfolio”. He would also explain that the company is focused on bringing a midsized truck to market and while we don’t know what that pickup would be called, it would make sense to reincarnate the Dakota name.
While the Dakota is best known as a Dodge, when the Dodge Ram split off to create the Ram brand, the Dakota came with it. At that point, the midsized truck became known as the Ram Dakota, but it was the exact same truck that was sold by Dodge. Not everyone loved the sound of “Ram Dakota”, but it seems that bringing back the name of the popular midsized Dodge truck makes better business sense than coming up with a new name.
What Chassis?
From time to time, pictures of a small Ram truck pop up on social media, leading many people to wonder if this is the next Dakota. That truck, shown below, is the Ram 700. This truck was previously known as the Fiat Strada, and it still is in many markets around the world. It is a bit smaller than the rest of the current midsized trucks sold in the United States, so it is highly unlikely that it would lend itself to the new Dakota. Click here for a closer look at the Ram 700 on the brand’s website for the Mexican market.
The more logical option is that the next Dakota would be built on the same underpinnings as the new Jeep Gladiator. While the Gladiator competes in the midsized segment, it is considered more of a niche vehicle than a volume model, whereas a new midsized Ram would be intended to be sold in large quantities. The Gladiator is built at the company Toledo Assembly Plant, so if Ram relied on the same chassis as the new Jeep pickup, the Dakota replacement would be made in America; a key marketing piece for truck sales.
The only downside to the new, smaller Ram using the Jeep pickup chassis is that FCA will likely give the Gladiator some time alone in the market before building what will be viewed by some as a direct competitor. However, with the company spending the money to develop the Jeep’s midsized pickup chassis, it is unlikely that it will only be used on the Gladiator.
In any case, we aren’t likely to see any new Ram midsized truck before 2021 at the sooner, but the chances are better now than ever that the Dakota will make a comeback.
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