The distinction between brands in the Stellantis portfolio is about to become even fuzzier, with Ram set to encroach on Jeep’s SUV territory.
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The American pick-up truck division of Stellantis is set to expand into a new market for the first time.
Stellantis confirmed the new product line as part of a $US13 billion ($AU19.8 billion) investment into its operations in the United States.
The new product line is slated for a 2028 launch and broadens the appeal of the Ram brand beyond its current range of pick-up trucks.
While much of Ram’s marketing and brand positioning is built around its reputation for dependable, work-capable vehicles, the move echoes that of General Motors’ GMC division, which markets itself under the “professional grade” tagline, while still offering a range of SUVs alongside pick-up trucks.
Stellantis didn’t reveal details of the size or market positioning expected for the new SUV, but confirmed that two powertrains are being developed, with both a petrol-only version and a range-extender hybrid in development.
Among the Stellantis brands in the US, the market is mostly divided between SUVs from Jeep, utes from Ram, performance-skewed passenger cars from Dodge and, for the moment at least, people movers from Chrysler.
Some overlap occurs with the Jeep Gladiator pick-up encroaching on Ram’s market, and the Dodge Durango SUV competing with Jeep’s range.
Those market divisions are set to overlap further, with a Ram SUV likely squaring off against one of Jeep’s existing products.
Stellantis confirmed that the new Ram SUV will be built at its Warren, Michigan, factory. The Warren site already builds the Jeep Wagoneer full-size body-on-frame three-row SUV.
While it’s possible the future SUV may not be related to the Wagoneer, the Ram 1500-derived ladder frame chassis of the Wagoneer could provide a hint at what Ram has in store for its SUV, with the Grand Wagoneer in line to add a range-extender plug-in hybrid powertrain in 2026.
Stellantis also has a replacement for the Dodge Durango due in 2029, which could also tie into the Ram SUV plans to amortise development costs.
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Kez Casey migrated from behind spare parts counters to writing about cars over ten years ago. Raised by a family of automotive workers, Kez grew up in workshops and panel shops before making the switch to reviews and road tests for The Motor Report, Drive and CarAdvice.
