The end is near...
#1
11-29-2010, 12:17 PM
The end is near...
I know everyone already knows this. 2011 is the last year of the Dakota TRUCK, as we know it. 
I was talking to the local dealer, as I was trying to trade my negative equity Dakota in on a 2010 Ram 1500 and he mentioned that the Dakota in 2012 will be built on the Caravan chassis. They truly are making a car out of the truck...
Oh well, to all good things, and end must come... Some where there must be a weeping emoicon....
I was talking to the local dealer, as I was trying to trade my negative equity Dakota in on a 2010 Ram 1500 and he mentioned that the Dakota in 2012 will be built on the Caravan chassis. They truly are making a car out of the truck...
Oh well, to all good things, and end must come... Some where there must be a weeping emoicon....
#2
11-29-2010, 12:44 PM
Record Breaker
#5
11-29-2010, 01:21 PM
Well, they have to do SOMETHING, after a high of nearly 150,000 units sold in 2002, sales in '09 bottomed out to around 10,000 units.
It was thought for a while that the 2012 would be based on the Jeep Wrangler frame, since it was the only body on frame style Chrysler still would have in it's arsenal after the demise of the existing Dakota (except for the Ram, of course).
But Ram CEO Fred Diaz has denied this, stating that the Wrangler frame is built to take a pounding off-road and as a result, would be too heavy for what they would be looking at for a new "Lifestyle Truck". Instead, the 2012 Dakota (and yes jkeaton, last I heard, it will still be called a Dakota) will be based off of the Fiat Ducato frame.
Rear wheel drive will be retained, but towing/hauling capacity will be diminished, or be about on par with the Ridgeline and slightly higher than front wheel drive, car frame based SUVs like the Hyundai Santa Fe.
Although they are still being rather tight lipped about the final product, PR people have used comparisons to the classic El Camino more than once when describing it...
It was thought for a while that the 2012 would be based on the Jeep Wrangler frame, since it was the only body on frame style Chrysler still would have in it's arsenal after the demise of the existing Dakota (except for the Ram, of course).
But Ram CEO Fred Diaz has denied this, stating that the Wrangler frame is built to take a pounding off-road and as a result, would be too heavy for what they would be looking at for a new "Lifestyle Truck". Instead, the 2012 Dakota (and yes jkeaton, last I heard, it will still be called a Dakota) will be based off of the Fiat Ducato frame.
Rear wheel drive will be retained, but towing/hauling capacity will be diminished, or be about on par with the Ridgeline and slightly higher than front wheel drive, car frame based SUVs like the Hyundai Santa Fe.
Although they are still being rather tight lipped about the final product, PR people have used comparisons to the classic El Camino more than once when describing it...
Last edited by HammerZ71; 11-29-2010 at 01:24 PM.
#7
11-29-2010, 03:47 PM
Grand Champion
It not so much that they are being tight lipped about it as they are pushing the new Challenger, Charger, Durango, and the new Ram trims. Oddly enough, the line between a 1500 and a 1/4 ton truck is becoming blurred like crazy. Love it or hate it, it is indeed where the market is heading.
If I thought for one minute that I would be using the bed of my new ram as a medium to haul with, I would have either gone to Chevy or looked at a 2500.
If I thought for one minute that I would be using the bed of my new ram as a medium to haul with, I would have either gone to Chevy or looked at a 2500.
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#10
11-29-2010, 07:23 PM
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