Dakota Rides Again?

[Motorpsychology]

https://fordauthority.com/2025/01/stellantis-puts-ford-ranger-rival-back-on-the-menu/
Could be a tough sell, it's a crowded segment. Tacoma has had the momentum for years and Ranger has proven that when you discontinue the #1 selling midsize truck for 7 model years, it is a steep uphill climb back into the market. Now there is also the unibody trucks: Maverick, Ridgeline and Santa Cruz, so a Stellantis entry in this segment could be the wallflower, too.

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[AzScorpion]

It was a decent mid size truck back in the day and I had a few friends that owned them and all loved them. I'll be interested to see the new Dakota and what price point it comes out as and I think competition is great for this mod size market. It just makes all the others up their game to keep that slice pf pie in fear of losing out to its competition. By that rendering it is nice looking and personally I think it's better looking than the new 6G. Can't wait to see the final product.

I hope they make it really interesting and throw a Hemi in it for an option! ?

 

[Bob902]

Toss a hemi in it and I might be interested

 

[Dr. Zaius]

That rendering is the Rampage for the South American market

At one point it was rumored to come here but Stellantis nixed that among their other screwups.

It's a unibody truck like the Maverick and Santa Cruz.

 

[AzScorpion]

Toss a hemi in it and I might be interested

Maybe then the Ranger will get a Coyote motor! ?

 

[got3fords]

Motor Trend says it is intended as a bridge between compacts like the Maverick and the mid-size market.
https://www.motortrend.com/news/2026-ram-dakota-pickup-truck-future-cars/

 

[got3fords]

This was just posted yesterday.
https://www.autoevolution.com/news/the-dodge-dakota-s-revival-is-back-on-track-for-2027-245902.html

 

[DukeCanBuildit]

Rampage: Wasn’t a truck then, isn’t one now.

A true midsize Dakota would certainly get some attention. A Power Wagon package could be bundled to compete with Tremors, TRDs, etc. and a Hemi would fit in nicely with the Mopar reputation. Hmmmm, what would a Hemi Dakota-Raptor-ZR2 shootout look like?

It will be interesting to see if one ever comes to market.

 

[MXGOLF]

Another 4 door pickup! We need more SCAB's. I sure don't and will never need a 4 door pickup truck. I guess technically my SCAB is 4 doors but still count me out.

 

[Big Blue]

If people will remember, when DODGE first brought out the Dakota in '87, it was the first and only mid-size truck. The Ranger, S10 and the rest were all compact trucks. I had a '92 2WD with the 3.9 V6 and the 5 speed. 6.5 ft box. I had tried the Ranger and S10, but they were just too small with our two young kids. Really liked that truck.

After the Dakota was a succession of Ford Aerostars and GM SUVs.

By the time I was looking for a truck again the Dakota was gone and the Ranger had grown a bit, so the 2011 XLT was a good fit.

When Ford brought back the Ranger in 2019 it was a better fit for towing our RV than the manual 4.0 V6 2011 with extended cab.

As far as a HEMI in the new Dakota, good luck with that. I thought I heard Stellantis was ditching the big V8s. Maybe they'll do a V6 HEMI.

 

[AzScorpion]

If people will remember, when DODGE first brought out the Dakota in '87, it was the first and only mid-size truck. The Ranger, S10 and the rest were all compact trucks. I had a '92 2WD with the 3.9 V6 and the 5 speed. 6.5 ft box. I had tried the Ranger and S10, but they were just too small with our two young kids. Really liked that truck.

After the Dakota was a succession of Ford Aerostars and GM SUVs.

By the time I was looking for a truck again the Dakota was gone and the Ranger had grown a bit, so the 2011 XLT was a good fit.

When Ford brought back the Ranger in 2019 it was a better fit for towing our RV than the manual 4.0 V6 2011 with extended cab.

As far as a HEMI in the new Dakota, good luck with that. I thought I heard Stellantis was ditching the big V8s. Maybe they'll do a V6 HEMI.

Not so fast. lol

https://fordauthority.com/2025/01/ford-rival-stellantis-may-put-hemi-v8-back-into-ram-trucks/

However, a lot has changed for Stellantis over the past year or so, and it now seems as if the Hemi V8 may not be totally gone just yet. Rather, according to The Autopian, Stellantis is reportedly planning on bringing the Hemi back for the 2026 model year, with the good old fashioned V8 apparently slated to start “coming together” as early as Q2 of this year. It’s a pretty tight timeline, particularly when we consider that production of the 5.7L Hemi V8 at the Saltillo Engine plant in Ramos Arizpe, Mexico, has since been replaced by the new Hurricane I-6, albeit with some Hemis still rolling off the line for the Dodge Durango. Regardless, there are a lot of moving parts to consider, such as securing the needed parts to reboot Hemi production from various suppliers.

 

[shovelhd]

That rendering is the Rampage for the South American market

At one point it was rumored to come here but Stellantis nixed that among their other screwups.

It's a unibody truck like the Maverick and Santa Cruz.

Looks just like a Ridgeline with a RAM badge.

 

[Motorpsychology]

Stellantis is in chaos right now. They have one mothballed plant (Belvedere, IL.) and others are underutilized. The UAW is holding Stellantis' corporate feet to the fire over not starting new products and reopening Belvedere. Programs are canceled on Monday and revived on Friday, and cancelled again on the following Monday.

 

[Motorpsychology]

If people will remember, when DODGE first brought out the Dakota in '87, it was the first and only mid-size truck. The Ranger, S10 and the rest were all compact trucks. I had a '92 2WD with the 3.9 V6 and the 5 speed. 6.5 ft box. I had tried the Ranger and S10, but they were just too small with our two young kids. Really liked that truck.

After the Dakota was a succession of Ford Aerostars and GM SUVs.

By the time I was looking for a truck again the Dakota was gone and the Ranger had grown a bit, so the 2011 XLT was a good fit.

When Ford brought back the Ranger in 2019 it was a better fit for towing our RV than the manual 4.0 V6 2011 with extended cab.

As far as a HEMI in the new Dakota, good luck with that. I thought I heard Stellantis was ditching the big V8s. Maybe they'll do a V6 HEMI.

They do have the 3.0L twin turbo inline six which might fit. The 6.4L "392 Hemi" V8 is still in production...for now

 

[5thranger]

If people will remember, when DODGE first brought out the Dakota in '87, it was the first and only mid-size truck. The Ranger, S10 and the rest were all compact trucks. I had a '92 2WD with the 3.9 V6 and the 5 speed. 6.5 ft box. I had tried the Ranger and S10, but they were just too small with our two young kids. Really liked that truck.

After the Dakota was a succession of Ford Aerostars and GM SUVs.

By the time I was looking for a truck again the Dakota was gone and the Ranger had grown a bit, so the 2011 XLT was a good fit.

When Ford brought back the Ranger in 2019 it was a better fit for towing our RV than the manual 4.0 V6 2011 with extended cab.

As far as a HEMI in the new Dakota, good luck with that. I thought I heard Stellantis was ditching the big V8s. Maybe they'll do a V6 HEMI.

The board at Stellantis relieved the CEO last month of his duties and now they are talking of the HEMI again and that is why this new truck is coming on, will be built at the shuttered plant in Belvidere, Il sounds like he really messed up stuff.

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