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Ram studying factory right-hand-drive plans as Aussie sales soar
Ram's former boss admitted as far back as 2018 that interest had been expressed not only from Australia, but also South Africa.
Both variants of the Ram 1500, the previous DT and current DS depicted, are sold in Australia with right-hand-drive. Image: Ram Trucks Australia.
Reports dating back five years alluding to Ram possibly entering right-hand-drive markets without third party involvement has taken another step towards becoming reality, according to new claims from Australia.
In 2018, former Ram and Jeep boss, Mike Manley, admitted that demand for the Ram 1500 had reached an all time high following the decision to have the Ford F-150 and Chevrolet Silverado rival converted Down Under by former Holden associate, Walkinshaw Automotive.
Aussie success
At the time, Walkinshaw, as part of a joint venture with Ateco Automotive under the American Special Vehicles banner, had recorded strong sales despite launching the previous DT generation first, followed by the current DS iteration a while later.
As it stands, prices Down Under range from $98 950 to $109 950 (R1 193 282 to R1 325 936) for the DT, and from $129 950 to $219 950 (R1 567 125 to R2 652 475) for the DS, the latter figure applying to the 523kW/880Nm 6.2-litre supercharged V8 1500 TRX that rivals the Ford F-150 Raptor not offered in Australia.
In addition to the 1500, Walkinshaw also converters the Silverado to right-hand-drive with approval from General Motors, with sales taking place under the General Motors Special Vehicles banner after the discontinuing of the Holden Special Vehicles (HSV) marque three years ago.
South Africa named
Besides Australia, Manley also admitted that interest had been high from South Africa, where Ram 1500s are imported and converted to right-hand-drive by Richard’s Bay based US Truck Sales, albeit without any backing from parent company Stellantis Walkinshaw enjoys.
“It’s not just Australia you know. [There’s] South Africa as well … some of the mines use right-hand drive too. It’s something we continue to look at. We’re very closely tied to those guys in those markets,” Manley was quoted by motoring.com.au as saying at the time.
Sales haul that could lead to RHD
In the latest development, current Ram boss, Mike Koval, remarked at a media briefing on the side-lines of the New York International Auto Show this week that it was considering factory-made right-hand-drive examples of the Ram bakkie, before stopping short of confirming the programme having already received the go-ahead.
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“These are just ideas, whiteboard-type things. Obviously if we were to do right-hand-drive from the factory – which I can’t do today – that might change certain things of course, to state the obvious,” drive.com.au quoted him as saying.
Since it’s launch Down Under, Ram sales have ballooned from over 1 000 units, to 6 000 in 2022 alone, with February this year marking complete sales of 20 000.
Asked about the likelihood of Stellantis approving a right-hand-drive programme, Koval remarked, “that’s what we’re studying right now, to be honest. And probably not. It might not be.
“If you were in my shoes and I think about… growing the brand globally … I want to be able to sell everywhere. That’s just an honest statement. I want to grow the brand like Jeep. I look at Jeep and what they’ve been able to do and I use that as my (goal),” he said.
Ram 1200 conundrum
At the same, Koval added that the smaller Ram 1200, currently being tested in Brazil, will be a South American market exclusive model, only to confirm that Ram is indeed working on a second model aimed at the Toyota Hilux, Isuzu D-Max, Ford Ranger, Volkswagen Amarok, Mitsubishi Triton, Nissan Navara and Mazda BT-50.
Reportedly, this model will revive the Dakota nameplate last used on the junior sibling of the Ram 1500 in 2011.
Until last month following the emergence of spy images of the 1200, it was believed that Ram had in fact abandoned its decision of developing two different bakkies; the first being the South American only unibody model and the second a traditional body-on-frame.
According to motor1.com Brazil, the former will have similar dimensions to the Hilux, Ranger and twin of the D-Max, the Chevrolet S-10, but ride on the Small Wide 4×4 platform that underpins the Jeep Renegade, Commander, Compass, Fiat 500X, Toro, Alfa Romeo Tonale and Dodge Hornet.
It will, therefore, rival the likes of the Ford Maverick, Chevrolet Montana and higher spec versions of the Toro when production commences.
South Africa’s likely role
For now, it details regarding the Dakota remains unknown, though rumours have already started that it, and potentially also the 1500, could be considered for production in South Africa if right-hand-drive approval is given, following Stellantis’ confirmation last month that assembly of a new vehicle is being looked into come 2025.
As it stands, nothing else about the deal is known and while assembly of a Ram model appears the most logical given South Africa’s strong bakkie market and cachet associated with the marque, for now, nothing has been set in stone.
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