The mid-size pickup market has been surging but while Ford, Toyota, Nissan, Chevrolet (and brand buddy GMC) and others have also feasted on their slice of the sales pie, the notable absence has been Ram. The brand has not had a mid-size entry since the long-axed Dakota and has paid the price in terms of a missed sales opportunity.

However, Ram is finally embracing the times with Stellantis confirming that the brand will finally be getting a new mid-size pickup as part of a broader plan to boost production

Investment signals shift in strategy for Ram

The announcement came as part of a broader announcement Stellantis released saying it will be building a new mid-size Ram model at Jeep’s Toledo Assembly plant. The move would bring the first non-Jeep badged vehicle into the plant since 2007 when the Dodge Nitro was produced alongside the Jeep Liberty and it would also be the second time a Ram mid-size truck has been built there with the Dakota having a brief run on the lines from 1994 to 1996.

“This investment in the US—the single largest in the Company’s history – will drive our growth, strengthen our manufacturing footprint and bring more American jobs to the states we call home,” said Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa in a statement. “As we begin our next 100 years, we are putting the customer at the center of our strategy, expanding our vehicle offerings, and giving them the freedom to choose the products they want and love.”

The new model was originally supposed to be built at the Belvidire Assembly Plant in Illinois. But those plans changed when the plant was reopened to produce the revived Jeep Cherokee and the slightly smaller Compass.

Jeep Gladiator would get some back up in sales

The appearance of this truck would mean that it would be based on a body-on frame layout and this could mean it would share its platform with the Jeep Gladiator. The Gladiator has been taking it to the chin when it comes to sales in recent years with the truck seeing sales slide due to its high price tag and its strong emphasis on trail ready capability (at the expense of the finer things like comfort.)

This new Ram model would allow Stellantis another opportunity to make more on their investment in the Gladiator’s platform and allow the truck to have a partner in showrooms that can lure in comfort and tech focused buyers into showrooms and even excel in areas where the Gladiator is weak in. This would allow the Gladiator to focus more on its core audience and fully embrace its personality.

Fixing mistakes

This latest move is part of a broader effort by new CEO Antonio Filosa to fix many of the mistakes that defined the tenure of his predecessor Carlos Tavares. Tavares was responsible for not only canceling V8 offering sin the U.S. market but also a lukewarm push into EVs that saw dealerships and customers become frustrated with the latter group leaving in droves.

The new CEO has made bold moves to bring these consumers back with Ram not only bringing the V8 back into the Ram 1500, but Jeep also shoring up its entry-level lineup of vehicles with the Cherokee and Compass.

The lone catch here is in regards to the mid-size truck with Filosa saying it won’t be coming until 2028. That’s a long way away and it would give rivals ample time to update their entries for the next generation of young buyers. Ram could be at an early disadvantage as a result, but if it leverages the truck’s design and tech correctly it could help overcome this to an extent.