For several years, many mid-size trucks disappeared from the U.S. market, though that segment has enjoyed a tremendous rebirth as of late. Thus, it wasn’t terribly surprising to learn that Stellantis planned on creating its own new mid-size pickup for that market to compete with vehicles like the ever-popular Ford Ranger, Toyota Tacoma, Chevy Colorado, Jeep Gladiator, GMC Canyon, and Nissan Frontier. However, Stellantis nixed those plans back in 2021, only to rejuvenate them and subsequently move to cancel them yet again last year. Now, in this non-stop game of on again and off again, it seems as if a new Stellantis mid-size pickup is once again back on the menu.
This news comes to us from the United Auto Workers (UAW) union, which has been battling Stellantis for some time over the automaker’s decision to backtrack on a commitment to reopen its Belvidere Assembly plant in Illinois as part of the new master contract agreement forged between the two in 2023. According to the UAW, “Stellantis has committed to build the next generation Dodge Durango at the Detroit Assembly Complex and to reopen the Belvidere Assembly Plant in 2027 and allocate a new midsize truck, as agreed to in the union’s 2023 contract.”
Last year was a rather chaotic one for Stellantis, as soaring inventory levels, declining sales, and plummeting profits had the automaker’s dealers quite literally up in arms, with many calling for CEO Carlos Tavares to resign – as well as questioning some of the curious moves the company made under his tenure. Those entities got their wish when Tavares opted to resign early last month, and a lot has changed since then.
Aside from recommitting to the Belvidere Assembly Plant, new leadership at Stellantis has also put a production version of the all-electric Chrysler Airflow Concept on ice for now, and is also holding off in terms of executing some planned layoffs, all while mulling the potential return of V8 power to its Ram 1500 lineup.
Comments
The truck pictured in this article is the unibody Ram Rampage, a compact truck, which is for South American markets like Brazil and Argentina.
Correct
Which I really don’t understand… I mean Ford can sell as many Mav’s as they can build. Chrysler has a product that could very easily be modified for the American market.
Strange that GM, Toyota, Chrysler seem content to let Ford have the sub-compact pickup market to themselves.
(I don’t consider the Santa Cruz competition for a multitude of reasons – from their sales volume, neither do buyers)
Every automaker can get back to building vehicles that people actually want now that Trump is rooting out and firing all the Obama/Biden/Harris Administration communists!
Any vehicle made in the USA will be to expensive thanks to the UAW.
WOW! Your a piece of work.
That thing got a HEMI?
Fine, but the mid-size truck market is saturated. Lead with a compact: only the Maverick and Santa Cruz are contenders.
…And the Honda Ridgeline.
Not really. Former Ridgeline owner here. It’s actually larger than a Ranger, Tacoma, etc. especially in width.
Ridgeline is not in the same arena. I just priced out a new one equipped the same as my Maverick and it was $43K. My Maverick was $25K. Biggest difference was the Honda has a thirsty V6 while my mav is a hybrid.
Yes, to a midsize or even a small truck. No to unibody.
GM needs too bring back the S 10. With a large enough engine not a 3 cylinder turbo.
It’s refreshing to have a president once again who doesn’t put China, Ukraine, and North Korea ahead of his own country.
Except when it comes to his own products. But some choose to believe everything he ssys!