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• Just introduced for South America, the Ram Rampage compact pickup us reportedly also earmarked for the North American market, starting this year.
Ram, the truck division of Stellantis, has been considering introducing a smaller pickup to the North American market for some time now. Speculation has been steady and varied in recent months, but a credible new report surfaced this week.
Media outlet The Drive reports that the Rampage model, unveiled a few days ago and announced for the South American market, will be sold here. This would give the company a direct rival to Ford and its popular Maverick.
According to The Drive, the pickup will be integrated into Ram's US lineup before the end of the year. Two heavily camouflaged Rampage prototypes have reportedly been spotted on Colorado roads. Speculation is that the pickup will be built in Mexico.
2024 Ram Rampage: what we know
The new Rampage takes its design cues from the Ram 1500. And if the name rings a bell, that’s because it was used to designate a compact pickup produced in the early 1980s. That earlier model was based on a car, the Dodge Omni.
As it so happens, one of the images of the new Rampage shared by Ram shows the American flag on the taillight. Are we being told something?
Mechanically, we know that the powertrains offered in South America are often different from those marketed here. In Brazil, a diesel engine will be introduced initially, and later joined by a 2.0L turbocharged 4-cylinder. We can imagine the latter powering the North American models.
The Rampage's structure is also said to be derived from the new Dodge Hornet and Alfa Romeo Tonale. This opens the door to the plug-in hybrid configuration offered in those models. An all-electric version would follow, according to reports.
This model would benefit from a front-wheel drive configuration and offer all-wheel drive. That's why we're identifying its rival as the Ford Maverick, and not the Chevrolet Colorado, GMC Canyon, Nissan F and others.
