Dodge: Dakota News
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01-31-2004, 11:05 AM
#8
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01-31-2004, 10:34 PM
#12
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The Taco is being released wed, but right now the Colorado does look better. I remember an article being posted a little while back, where Crysler said it was too expensive to build it on the new durango platform so its still on the old dakota platfrom, weak.
02-04-2004, 06:15 PM
#13
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New Dakota emphasizes heft
Dakota pitch emphasizes heft
Bulked up mid-size pickup seeks piece of full-size trend
By Brett Clanton / The Detroit News
Are compact and mid-size pickups ready for a comeback?
If recent sales trends are any indication, the answer is no.
Sales in the segment peaked at 1.4 million units in the late 1980s and sunk to less than half that level last year.
The decline hasn’t stopped automakers from coming to market with new or redesigned pickups. DaimlerChrysler AG’s Dodge unit is the latest to join the fray, following Chevrolet and Nissan. At the Chicago Auto Show today, Dodge will unveil an all-new 2005 Dodge Dakota — a longer, wider and mightier version of the original.
Aware that the full-size truck segment is where the sales growth has been in recent years, Dodge, like its competitors, is pitching Dakota as a big truck in a small body.
The 2005 Dakota goes on sale this fall with the only V-8 engine in its class and more towing capacity than competitors. Dodge ditched a puny two-seat cab in favor of roomier crew and quad-cab options.
Dodge officials say the new Dakota is closer to the brand’s popular full-size Ram pickup — Ram sales rose 13 percent last year compared with a 15 percent drop for Dakota — than it is to its predecessor. The new Dakota even looks more like the Ram.
“We certainly wanted to bring some of that Ram DNA down to Dakota, so you’d recognize it as part of the Ram family,” said Joe Veltri, director of Dodge product marketing and planning.
But whether the new Dakota, Chevy’s all-new 2004 Colorado or Nissan’s 2005 Frontier will be enough to resuscitate the mid-sized truck segment remains to be seen.
Mid-size and compact truck sales reached 632,000 units last year. With new product, the segment could grow 4 percent to 684,000 units by 2005, Magliano said, but should dip to 2003 levels by decade’s end and is unlikely to ever hit past peaks again.
At the same time, full-size pickup purchases are soaring — claiming the top three spots in U.S. vehicle sales last year. Updated models have spurred demand and foreign automakers, including Toyota and Nissan, have also turned their attention to the big-truck niche.
Even so, John Smith, group vice president of General Motors Corp.’s North American sales, service and marketing arm, says it’s a good time to return to the mid-sized truck segment.
You can reach Brett Clanton at (313) 222-2612 or bclanton@detnews.com.
Picture at:
http://www.detnews.com/2004/autosins.../b01-54998.htm
Bulked up mid-size pickup seeks piece of full-size trend
By Brett Clanton / The Detroit News
Are compact and mid-size pickups ready for a comeback?
If recent sales trends are any indication, the answer is no.
Sales in the segment peaked at 1.4 million units in the late 1980s and sunk to less than half that level last year.
The decline hasn’t stopped automakers from coming to market with new or redesigned pickups. DaimlerChrysler AG’s Dodge unit is the latest to join the fray, following Chevrolet and Nissan. At the Chicago Auto Show today, Dodge will unveil an all-new 2005 Dodge Dakota — a longer, wider and mightier version of the original.
Aware that the full-size truck segment is where the sales growth has been in recent years, Dodge, like its competitors, is pitching Dakota as a big truck in a small body.
The 2005 Dakota goes on sale this fall with the only V-8 engine in its class and more towing capacity than competitors. Dodge ditched a puny two-seat cab in favor of roomier crew and quad-cab options.
Dodge officials say the new Dakota is closer to the brand’s popular full-size Ram pickup — Ram sales rose 13 percent last year compared with a 15 percent drop for Dakota — than it is to its predecessor. The new Dakota even looks more like the Ram.
“We certainly wanted to bring some of that Ram DNA down to Dakota, so you’d recognize it as part of the Ram family,” said Joe Veltri, director of Dodge product marketing and planning.
But whether the new Dakota, Chevy’s all-new 2004 Colorado or Nissan’s 2005 Frontier will be enough to resuscitate the mid-sized truck segment remains to be seen.
Mid-size and compact truck sales reached 632,000 units last year. With new product, the segment could grow 4 percent to 684,000 units by 2005, Magliano said, but should dip to 2003 levels by decade’s end and is unlikely to ever hit past peaks again.
At the same time, full-size pickup purchases are soaring — claiming the top three spots in U.S. vehicle sales last year. Updated models have spurred demand and foreign automakers, including Toyota and Nissan, have also turned their attention to the big-truck niche.
Even so, John Smith, group vice president of General Motors Corp.’s North American sales, service and marketing arm, says it’s a good time to return to the mid-sized truck segment.
You can reach Brett Clanton at (313) 222-2612 or bclanton@detnews.com.
Picture at:
http://www.detnews.com/2004/autosins.../b01-54998.htm
02-06-2004, 03:01 PM
#22
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has an underbite with the front bumper.
interesting design, i like it.
interesting design, i like it.
07-14-2004, 09:22 AM
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2005 Dodge Dakota: V8 Power, low price
DaimlerChrysler banks on Dodge Dakota V-8, low price
By Brett Clanton / The Detroit News
With a host of new mid-sized trucks hitting the market this year and next, DaimlerChrysler AG’s Chrysler Group unit will try to set apart its 2005 Dodge Dakota pickup on power and price.
The Auburn Hills automaker will offer the all-new Dakota, landing in dealerships this fall, with the only V-8 engine in its class and will price some models below $20,000.
Chrysler is rolling out new nine new vehicles this year and is pricing them lower than competitors as part of an effort to move away from profit-eroding rebates.
The strategy has helped lift Chrysler to a 2.8 percent sales gain this year and outpace hometown rivals General Motors Corp. and Ford Motor Co.
Company officials hope the Dakota continues the momentum even as competition in the mid-size truck market increases.
“If you look at the overall segment, there has been virtually no activity in the last five years,” said Bob Hegbloom, senior manager of Dodge truck marketing. But new entries will soon account for about 65 percent of the category’s sales, he said.
GM introduced the new Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon in December. New versions of the Nissan Frontier pickup and Toyota Tacoma arrive later this year, and Mitsubishi and Honda roll out new mid-sized trucks next year.
“It’s a very competitive segment, and it’s only going to get hotter in the coming months,” said Joseph Barker, an automotive analyst with CSM Worldwide in Farmington Hills.
Annual sales of small trucks have plummeted from more than 1 million in 1999 to about 750,000 last year.
Barker said new entries should boost sales during the next two years but then come back to current levels.
Dakota sales have fallen for the last four years and are down 6.4 percent this year, according to Autodata Corp. Chrysler is now offering 2004 Dakota trucks with $4,500 in discounts.
But Chrysler believes the 2005 model — which boasts best-in-class horsepower, torque and towing, offers a four-door cab on all models and is priced $1,000 less than its predecessor — should turn things around.
Prices for the 2005 Dodge Dakota, available in three trim levels, will range from $19,210 to $29,324.
The automaker also announced pricing for all-wheel-drive versions of its 2005 Chrysler 300 sedan and Dodge Magnum wagon, due out late this year. Sticker prices for the updates to the rear-wheel-drive cars will range from $27,900 to $31,370 on Magnum and from $29,370 to $34,195 on the 300.
Pic at: (check out that grill)
http://www.detnews.com/2004/autosins...b01-211959.htm
09-21-2011, 06:00 AM
#26
Race Director
http://content.usatoday.com/communit...own-the-line/1
There was a somber moment at the fast-paced Warren Truck Assembly Plant a few weeks ago, as the final Dodge, um, make that Ram Dakota rolled off the assembly line, Ramzone.com reports
Almost 3 million units of the hard-working midsize truck were built at the Michigan plant from February 1986 to August 2011. Many of the first- and second-generation models are still on the road today, we're told.
The Dakota was the original midsize truck that had all the capability of a light-duty truck in a smaller package. The ride quality and handling was very nimble, thanks in part to its rack-and-pinion steering.
For more than two decades, the Dakota came in many shapes and sizes. The most notable was the somewhat unorthodox and rare Dakota Sport convertible. That's right, someone thought it would be cool to haul your stuff with the top down.
Almost 3 million units of the hard-working midsize truck were built at the Michigan plant from February 1986 to August 2011. Many of the first- and second-generation models are still on the road today, we're told.
The Dakota was the original midsize truck that had all the capability of a light-duty truck in a smaller package. The ride quality and handling was very nimble, thanks in part to its rack-and-pinion steering.
For more than two decades, the Dakota came in many shapes and sizes. The most notable was the somewhat unorthodox and rare Dakota Sport convertible. That's right, someone thought it would be cool to haul your stuff with the top down.
09-24-2011, 10:48 PM
#27
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This segment is being given to the japanese on a platter.
09-25-2011, 12:34 AM
#28
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^ Can't think of a better small-mid size truck then a Taco.
09-25-2011, 12:48 AM
#29
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They are great little trucks. I happen to like the frontier a lot as well.
With the strives the big 3 have been making, it would have been nice to see what they would come up with for this platform rather than throw in the towel.
With the strives the big 3 have been making, it would have been nice to see what they would come up with for this platform rather than throw in the towel.
09-25-2011, 12:58 AM
#30
אני עומד עם ישראל
Frontiers aren't bad at all just getting long in the tooth. I'm anxious to see the next gen Frontier and Titan.
The Colorado is a joke, I felt like the S-10 as old as it was is a better truck. No plans from Ford for a new Ranger IIRC?
The Colorado is a joke, I felt like the S-10 as old as it was is a better truck. No plans from Ford for a new Ranger IIRC?
09-25-2011, 10:57 AM
#31
^ new Ranger but not for US market, see the Ranger thread
09-17-2018, 03:53 PM
#32
Moderator
https://www.autoblog.com/2018/09/17/...eep-scrambler/
Ram's still far-off midsize pickup is shaping up to be a rugged body-on-frame pickup if this report from Automotive News is correct. We would assume that because its supplier sources claim the smaller Ram will be built at the same Toledo plant as the current JL Wrangler and upcoming Wrangler pickup, aka Scrambler.
It's already been a long road of back and forth about whether or not Ram would build the small pickup. Mike Manley, now the CEO of FCA following Sergio Marchionne's passing, confirmed the brand's intentions of bringing a midsize truck to market when explaining the company's five-year plan a few months back. At the time, rumors pointed to a unibody construction with production taking place in Mexico. The possibility of Ram bringing a version of the 1200 pickup here has been tossed around, but we doubt Ram would come to market with a rebadged Mitsubishi against the developing stiff competition.
That segment is quickly becoming crowded with the impending arrival of the Ford Ranger and the already successful Colorado/Canyon twins and venerable Toyota Tacoma. Ram could try using the Dakota name to jumpstart sales, but it looks like it'll be last to the party in this midsize truck renaissance. Its Jeep cousin is expected to be revealed later this year and on the market in 2019, and we've already seen a lot of it in spy shots, and even on the Rubicon Trail. The report predicts we'll see a midsize Ram as a 2021 model, going on sale sometime in 2020. However, back in June this year, FCA's presentation pegged the smaller Ram's arrival for 2022. It's a long ways out either way, so we'll keep you up to date as the small Ram saga continues.
It's already been a long road of back and forth about whether or not Ram would build the small pickup. Mike Manley, now the CEO of FCA following Sergio Marchionne's passing, confirmed the brand's intentions of bringing a midsize truck to market when explaining the company's five-year plan a few months back. At the time, rumors pointed to a unibody construction with production taking place in Mexico. The possibility of Ram bringing a version of the 1200 pickup here has been tossed around, but we doubt Ram would come to market with a rebadged Mitsubishi against the developing stiff competition.
That segment is quickly becoming crowded with the impending arrival of the Ford Ranger and the already successful Colorado/Canyon twins and venerable Toyota Tacoma. Ram could try using the Dakota name to jumpstart sales, but it looks like it'll be last to the party in this midsize truck renaissance. Its Jeep cousin is expected to be revealed later this year and on the market in 2019, and we've already seen a lot of it in spy shots, and even on the Rubicon Trail. The report predicts we'll see a midsize Ram as a 2021 model, going on sale sometime in 2020. However, back in June this year, FCA's presentation pegged the smaller Ram's arrival for 2022. It's a long ways out either way, so we'll keep you up to date as the small Ram saga continues.
02-22-2021, 06:03 AM
#33
Race Director
As you hopefully know by now, GM Authority obsessively covers General Motors. But on occasion, we learn exclusive information about The General’s competitors, which is the case today. Specifically, the Ram Dakota project has been cancelled, GM Authority has learned from sources within Stallantis.
For those readers who may not know, Stellantis is a new automotive company formed by the merger of Fiat Chrysler and French automotive giant Groupe PSA. It was originally believed that the new company would introduce a fresh midsize truck with the Ram Dakota nameplate, which was discontinued following the 2011 model year.
The new Ram Dakota was believed to be based around the Jeep Gladiator, with a 3.6L V6 gasoline engine under the hood connecting to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Both rear-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive would have been on the table, with an optional 3.0L V6 diesel powerplant also a possibility. An off-roader-spec Rebel trim also wasn’t out of the question, offering upgraded suspension, underbody protection, off-road-spec tires, and more aggressive styling.
For now, the exact motivation behind Stellantis’ decision to cancel the new Ram Dakota project is unclear.Jeep Gladiator
For those readers who may not know, Stellantis is a new automotive company formed by the merger of Fiat Chrysler and French automotive giant Groupe PSA. It was originally believed that the new company would introduce a fresh midsize truck with the Ram Dakota nameplate, which was discontinued following the 2011 model year.
The new Ram Dakota was believed to be based around the Jeep Gladiator, with a 3.6L V6 gasoline engine under the hood connecting to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Both rear-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive would have been on the table, with an optional 3.0L V6 diesel powerplant also a possibility. An off-roader-spec Rebel trim also wasn’t out of the question, offering upgraded suspension, underbody protection, off-road-spec tires, and more aggressive styling.
For now, the exact motivation behind Stellantis’ decision to cancel the new Ram Dakota project is unclear.Jeep Gladiator
However, the Jeep Gladiator made great strides in the segment throughout 2020. Despite being priced higher than its competition, it accounted for 13 percent of the segment. Hence, it could be that the company is satisfied with the performance of the Jeep Gladiator, reasoning that another midsize pickup wasn’t necessary.
Had Stellantis followed through with a new Ram Dakota, the resulting pickup would have served as a direct rival to the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon.
For their part, GM’s Colorado and Canyon accounted for 21 percent share of the midsize truck segment in 2020, down 4 percentage points from 25 percent in 2019. The Jeep Gladiator, along with the Ford Ranger, were the only two vehicles that saw segment share growth during the year.
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