The year 1981 proved significant for the little D-50, which was renamed the Ram 50. That same year, a four-wheel drive version was introduced, called the Power Ram 50. The Ram 50 received some unwelcome competition in 1982 when Mitsubishi itself decided to sell vehicles directly to the American market and wouldn’t you know, one of its first products was the “Mighty Max” pickup, a virtual twin to the Ram 50. To differentiate the two trucks, Dodge gave the Ram a mild facelift with quad headlights for 1983, versus the Mitsubishi’s two single headlights. Besides a new fascia, 1983 also introduced a new but somewhat underwhelming turbocharged diesel powerplant.
When Dodge unveiled a midsize pickup of its own design called the Dakota in 1987, many automotive insiders thought that might spell the end for the Ram 50, but quite the opposite happened. Smaller than the new Dakota and apparently worth keeping in the product lineup, the Ram 50 was completely restyled with new chunky, muscular lines. In 1988, an extended cab (“sports cab” in Dodge speak) was made available, with additional storage space or small jump seats behind the front seats, and in 1990, an optional V6 engine was introduced, producing a respectable 142 horsepower.
Following a longer production run than many thought possible, the Ram 50 was finally axed after 1993. Some enthusiasts speculate that the cancelation had more to do with Chrysler’s independence from relying on Mitsubishi than an overlap in product between the full-size, midsize, and compact trucks. Nowadays, even a single choice more diminutive than the Ram 1500 sounds like a recipe for success.
[Featured image by dave_7 from Lethbridge, Canada via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY 2.0]
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