Heavily camouflaged Ram Rampage spotted on U.S. soil

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The last new Dodge Dakota rolled off the assembly line back in 2011. Roughly a week later, rumours of its return began, or at least it seems that way. Talk of the resurrection of the “Dakota” or “Rampage” nameplate has picked up steam of late, as what could be a heavily camouflaged Fiat Toro has been spotted driving about in Michigan.

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First, a few words about Ram’s brilliant plan to “replace” its midsize truck. Simply, it was to carry on production of the full-size fourth-generation 1500 as the Classic for the price of a midsize pickup, to be sold alongside the new fifth-generation Ram 1500. To be fair, that plan worked impossibly well, despite competition from the return of the Ford Ranger and an updated Nissan Frontier.

But as we know, nothing lasts forever, and, as such, odds are that the Ram 1500 Classic will shortly run its course and will need to be replaced. And this is where we think this Ram Rampage or Dakota (technically designated Project 291, interally) steps in. The “1000” is another possible name.

Based on the Toro, we can surmise that the next smaller Ram pickup will be powered by an updated version of the 2.0-liter Tigershark inline-four-cylinder engine with a turbocharger, good for over 200 hp. Completing the drivetrain should be a ZF-sourced nine-speed automatic transmission, as well as 4WD.

There’s a strong possibility that Stellantis will also offer electrified versions of the new Rampage or Dakota. It would be based on the Stellantis STLA frame (less likely) or STLA Large platforms (unibody construction) and therefore potentially offer hybrid, PHEV, and even fully electric powertrain options.

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Our best guess is that the new truck’s footprint will resemble the Toyota Tacoma’s, rather than the Ford Maverick’s. In fact, it looks considerably bigger than the recently-updated-for-2022 Fiat Toro, if mostly because it stands quite tall, with loads of ground clearance. Finally, what’s visible of the headlights serves as the best hint that this is a Ram, as they are very similar in design to the 1500’s.

The new Ram Rampage-Dakota should make an official debut later this year. We’ll find out more about it between now and then. Finally, it’s expected that the new truck will be built at the Jeep plant in Pernambuco, Brazil.

Now, about the name. As much as we love “Rampage,” we have to admit that “Ram Dakota” sounds better than “Ram Rampage”—