Ram Considers Bringing Back a More Affordable Pickup

Stellantis is looking to reintroduce a more budget-friendly version of its Ram pickup truck following the discontinuation of the Ram 1500 Classic (DS) last year. The move comes as the company aims to regain market share and appeal to cost-conscious buyers who still want a capable full-size truck.

“We need to introduce kind of a lower-end trim of the new pickup to fill that gap,” Stellantis Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Doug Ostermann said during a Wolfe Research conference. However, he cautioned that such a model “would not come to market immediately.”

The decision to bring back a more affordable truck reverses a move made under former Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares, who ended the entry-level Ram Classic production in 2024. That move led to around 1,100 layoffs at Michigan’s Warren Truck Assembly Plant (WTAP).

Ram’s U.S. pickup sales dropped by 16% last year, contributing to a 15% decline in total vehicle deliveries for Stellantis. The automaker has been working to recover by slashing prices, offering bigger incentives, and broadening its product lineup, which had suffered from a lack of investment under Tavares’ leadership.

Stellantis, like its competitors, faces increasing political pressure from the U.S. government to bring more vehicle production back to American soil. Ostermann noted that the company has already moved additional parts supply across the Canadian and Mexican borders to mitigate the effects of potential new tariffs. He also mentioned that if trade levies are imposed, Stellantis could shift some Ram 1500 (DT) from Mexico back to Detroit.

Meanwhile, Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis has expressed a strong desire to expand the brand’s lineup of sub-$50,000 trucks, hinting at future offerings that cater to more price-sensitive buyers. “We see an opportunity to grow Ram in this space,” Kuniskis said, reinforcing the brand’s commitment to affordability while maintaining capability.

Ram recently lowered the price of its off-road-oriented Ram 1500 Warlock Crew Cab 4×4 to $50,000. It joins other sub-$50k Ram 1500 Tradesman pickups, like the Tradesman Sport and Tradesman Night Edition, offering sporty offerings under the $50,000 price mark.

Source: Bloomberg