2024 Ram Rampage Is a Small Truck for Brazil and Maybe the U.S.

• The 2024 Ram Rampage has debuted in Brazil, and clues such as a report by the Brazilian website, Auto Segredos, suggest the new small truck is coming to the States.

• The Rampage is offered in Laramie, R/T, and Rebel trims, with standard all-wheel drive and the brand's Hurricane turbo four; a diesel four-cylinder is also available in Brazil.

• The Rampage isn't confirmed for the U.S., but it was designed in collaboration with Stellantis's North American arm and has an American flag motif in the taillights.

Ram has sat on the sidelines while "little" trucks have made a comeback. The pickup-centric brand hasn't offered anything smaller than the half-ton 1500 model in the U.S. since the mid-size Dakota was dropped after 2011. Meanwhile, Ford has released the unibody Maverick to great success, and even Hyundai has entered the fray with the Santa Cruz. With the 2023 Ram Rampage launching in Brazil, there are clues the new small truck could come to our shores and help the brand cash in on an untapped segment.

Back in March, the Brazilian automotive website, Auto Segredos, reported that Antonio Filosa, president of Stellantis South America, told a group of reporters a version of the Ram 1200 (a.k.a. the Rampage) would be sold in the U.S. to compete with the Ford Maverick. The report also references plans for a smaller body-on-frame truck, which may or may not have something to do with the long-rumored Dakota revival. Keep in mind this is all speculation right now, but it's worth considering nonetheless.

The Brazilian Rampage

It's possible the Rampage that's set to go on sale in Brazil provides a preview of a potential U.S. version. The unibody truck measures approximately 198.0 inches long, 74.3 inches wide, and 70.1 inches tall. That makes the Ram roughly 1.7 inches shorter from stem to stern but about 1.5 inches taller than the Maverick. The Rampage's 117.9-inch wheelbase is also more than 3 inches shorter. The truck has a crew-cab body style, but there aren't any specifics on bed length. It does have a power-opening tailgate, though.

Ram's mini truck resembles its bigger siblings, specifically up front where the grille shape and headlights have a clear visual connection to the larger 1500, 2500, and 3500 models. Although it's the first Ram vehicle designed and developed in Brazil, North American designers also collaborated on the styling. That along with the U.S. flag motif in the taillights are a couple of hints about the Rampage possibly making it to our shores.

Expected to be built on a stretched version of Stellantis's Small Wide platform that also underpins the Alfa Romeo Tonale, the Dodge Hornet, and the Jeep Compass SUVs, the Rampage's suspension features McPherson struts up front and a multilink rear setup. The truck's max payload is approximately 2238 pounds, however, that's the rating for the 170-hp diesel 2.0-liter four-cylinder powertrain that likely won't be offered on our shores.