Editor's note: This story is part of the WardsAuto digital archive, which may include content that was first published in print, or in different web layouts.
A North American-market version of the Iveco Daily fullsize commercial van appears large on the drawing board of Chrysler’s Ram truck brand, while visions of a Dakota pickup successor seem fuzzy.
Ram President and CEO Fred Diaz suggests as much today in a Web chat with journalists from the State Fair of Texas where the truck maker unveils three new fullsize pickup models and announces expanded availability of its unique RamBox storage feature.
As the 2012 commercial-van launch looms, according to the 5-year product plan Chrysler divulged in 2009, Diaz says only the auto maker continues “to evaluate the market opportunities to deliver on customer needs in the Class 2, 3 and 4 commercial van segments.”
This points squarely at the prospect of a Daily-inspired Ram.
While the front-wheel-drive Fiat Ducato has been mentioned most frequently as a possible Ram van progenitor, its 8,818-lb. (4,000-kg) gross-vehicle-weight rating falls short of Class 3. But the rear-wheel-drive Daily, a product of Fiat’s thriving Iveco heavy-duty truck brand, spans Class 3 and tiptoes into Class 4 with its 15,000-lb. (6,804-kg) GVWR.
Ram product marketing director Bob Hegbloom told WardsAuto in July that Chrysler was pondering a 2-model strategy to attack the fullsize-van segment, even though the 5-year plan shows just one vehicle.
But on a volume basis, Class 2, the Ducato’s domain, shows considerably more promise than Classes 3 and 4, Hegbloom added.
Through August, sales of Class 2 trucks – which include pickups – totaled 1,077,065, according to WardsAuto data. That’s more than eight times the tallies of Class 3 and 4 combined.
Related document: Ward’s U.S. Truck Sales by Weight Class August 2011
“We are bullish on the commercial-van segment,” Diaz says today, adding the recently launched minivan-based Class 1 Ram CV is beginning to resonate in the market. “We have already received more dealer orders in one month than all of last year.”
