American brand Ram previews Hilux rival - here’s how it could come to South Africa

Ram is one of the top producers of pick-up trucks in the US, or bakkies as we prefer to call them. 

The Ram 1500 is their big seller Stateside - Chuck Norris even drove one while attempting to intimidate us all as Walker, Texas Ranger in the 1990s - but due to its left-hand-drive configuration, this Ford F150 rival was never an option for South Africa.

Today, Ram is owned by global auto giant Stellantis, and although there has been no indication that the American brand will be introduced to South Africa, a recent development appears to make it more plausible.

Ram has just revealed its Dakota Nightfall Concept, which closely previews a new one-tonne bakkie for South American markets, which will rival the Toyota Hilux and Ford Ranger.

But look closer, particularly at its bodyshell, and the new Ram appears to be based on the Peugeot Landtrek, which is derived from the Changan F70 from China.

With Stellantis planning to build the Peugeot Landtrek in South Africa once its Coega plant in the Eastern Cape is up and running, is it really such a stretch to speculate that the Ram Dakota production model could also be built alongside it? This is assuming they’re as closely related as they appear.

No technical information on the Dakota has been released, but we do know that it will launch in 2026 in South American markets and will be built in Argentina.

“The new Ram Dakota will be the second product to emerge from our Stellantis pickup hub in Córdoba, Argentina. The brand is strategic for the company globally and in our region. It's a benchmark in the segment, capable of offering the most luxurious, powerful, and robust pickups on the market,” said Emanuele Cappellano, president of Stellantis South America.

The Ram Dakota will likely adopt the new 2.2-litre turbodiesel engine that’s being fitted to facelifted Landtrek models abroad, with outputs listed at 147kW and 450Nm. The current 1.9-litre turbodiesel could also be offered as an entry option.

While any potential Ram introduction to South Africa is no more than speculation, Stellantis is forging ahead with its new plant in Coega, with the earthworks now completed.

The company’s managing director for South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa, Mike Whitfield, recently revealed that Stellantis had scaled down its initial ambition to build 50,000 Landtreks per year locally for export into Africa.

However, the bakkie will remain a core product for the plant, and two other products will be added, including a new energy vehicle. These additional product plans will be revealed at a later date, he said.

IOL Motoring