Mike Manley knows trucks, as his company owes its profitability to the vehicle type. Speaking this week during a fourth-quarter earnings call, the Fiat Chrysler CEO said his team learned its lesson on how to launch the things, with the botched roll-out of the 2019 Ram 1500 providing a valuable lesson on what not to do with the 2019 Ram HD.

Manley had plenty to say about those lessons, as well as the upcoming Jeep Gladiator and a yet-unrealized vehicle he’s pushing to build.

When asked about a now-glaring absence in the FCA lineup — a midsize pickup — Manley responded by saying the Gladiator is just such a vehicle, and will soon offer a unique alternative to the likes of the Toyota Tacoma, GM’s Colorado/Canyon twins, Ford’s new Ranger, and the ancient-but-popular Nissan Frontier. It is, however, a less-than-conventional choice.

While the Gladiator is an exciting addition to the Jeep brand, what about a normcore midsizer bearing the Ram badge? One analyst on the call pointedly asked about the chances of a modern-day Dakota.

“Where we sit today, the only vehicle missing in our portfolio is metric tonne pickup, which is midsize pickup in the U.S.,” Manley said. “I am working hard with a team to try and solve that. Haven’t solved it yet, but if that gets solved, it will give us the opportunity to bring a midsize truck in the marketplace.”