This week Ram announced it will more than double its lineup of half-ton trucks in the Middle Eastern market while adding a completely new one: the Ram 1200. It’s a rebadged Mitsubishi L200/Triton Ram’s calling “a metric ton” pickup truck. Mitsubishi and (Fiat) Chrysler are at it again!
Mitsubishi and Ram (well, when it was Dodge) have traded truck platforms before. The excellent 1980s Mitsubishi Montero SUV was also sold as the Dodge Raider. And of course a decade later Mitsubishi borrowed the Dodge Dakota pickup truck platform to make “its own” pickup that was also called the Raider, somewhat weirdly.
Today Mitsubishi has its own pickup truck called the L200, also known as the Triton, which is sold in almost every market but the United States. This vehicle is what the Ram 1200, and its stablemate the Fiat Fullback, are built on.
Ram says the 1200 will be sold in the Middle East with single and double-cab configurations, 2WD and 4WD, gas and diesel, with automatic and manual transmission options. Ram claims a 2,568 pound payload capacity (1.16 metric tons) and a 6,600 pound towing max.
The truck in general is pretty basic: the diesel engine options are a modest 2.5-liter with 126 or 134 horsepower, and the 2.4-liter gas is rated to 130 hp. Standard gearbox on both is a manual transmission, the way God intended.
Prices haven’t been announced, but the model is slated to go on sale for 2017.
Ram also stated it will increase the number of Ram 1500 half-ton truck trims for sale in the region from 8 to 17, including introducing the off-roady Ram Rebel and luxury-trim Limited spec trucks, next year.
There is little to no chance the Ram 1200 will make an appearance in the U.S. market, but it’s an interesting development in Fiat Chrysler Automobile’s scheme of global domination.
Think Ram should give something like this a shot to go up against Toyota’s Tacoma, GM’s Colorado/Canyon and the possible Ford Ranger?