Ram‘s financial officer, Doug Ostermann, recently highlighted the need for a vehicle similar to the 1500 Classic to revive the struggling brand, while admitting this solution won’t be available in the short term. Ram pickup sales fell 16% in 2024, reaching 373,120 units compared to 444,926 the previous year. The discontinuation of the 1500 Classic and the elimination of the 5.7-liter HEMI engine from the 1500 lineup have pushed many customers toward competitors.
Ram needs a new affordable pickup, though it won’t arrive soon
These questionable decisions were approved by Carlos Tavares, former CEO of Stellantis. The 1500 Classic (DS generation) represented an ideal complement to the more recent 1500 (DT generation). Additionally, the reduction in engine options eliminated the traditional naturally aspirated V8s, which have always been a benchmark in this segment.
The 5.7-liter HEMI has been replaced by the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 eTorque or the 3.0-liter Hurricane twin-turbo inline-six. Despite initially superior performance, turbocharging involves greater mechanical stress compared to the previous HEMI.
The responsibility for the current situation doesn’t fall solely on Tavares and Stellantis management. FCA already had the appropriate platform and components to develop an economical successor to the mid-size Dakota. If Stellantis had used the Jeep Gladiator as a base for relaunching the Dakota, the impact of canceling the 1500 Classic and the 5.7-liter HEMI would have been less dramatic.
The Dakota’s successor, still without an official name, will enter production in 2027 in Belvidere, Illinois. Likely based on the STLA Frame platform (like the Ram 1500 Ramcharger) or STLA Large (like Jeep Recon and the new Dodge Charger), it will offer traditional, hybrid, and electric powertrains. Currently, the most affordable Ram pickup for 2025 is the 1500 DT generation, with a base price of $40,275 for the Tradesman version with Pentastar engine, 4×2 drive, quad cab, and 1,930 mm bed.
Competitors offer more competitive prices: the Ford F-150 starts at $38,810, while the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 starts at $37,000. Ford also offers the Maverick, the most economical pickup in the American market ($26,995 for 2025), which totaled 131,142 deliveries last year, including 68,752 with the 2.5-liter hybrid powertrain.