The pickup market is getting bigger every year. So, it’s no wonder that even manufacturers that are well-established in this segment are about to expand their offer. For example, for is about to introduce a couple of brand-new unibody pickups, after a very long period. So, there is no reason why we shouldn’t see something similar from FCA. In the past, Dodge wasn’t particularly successful in this segment. Moreover, Ford and Chevy ruled the class of coupe utes with models like Ranchero and El Camino. However, that probably won’t stop FCA from using a nameplate that was in production for just a couple of years. Of course, we are talking about the 2021 Dodge Rampage, which would come back after nearly four decades.
The original Rampage was in production between 1982 and 1984 and it wasn’t particularly successful. However, things are a little bit different these days and the new iteration may come with a fairly different design approach, reports say. Therefore, we will consider some of the possibilities for the 2021 Dodge Rampage comeback.
2021 Dodge Rampage Design
While the new 2021 Dodge Rampage may go in different directions, one thing about it is certain. Yes, it will feature a unibody platform. A BoF layout will remain reserved for Ram trucks and new Dakota. This particular model will be based on a passenger car.
One of the possibilities is to see a classic coupe ute layout. Such vehicles have vanished from the U.S. market decades ago, but we feel there is a lot of potential for them these days. Moreover, we already saw several rendering photos that show such a design approach and the common thing for all of them is a Challenger-based design. The famous pony coupe seems like a perfect basis for the new model. So, it’s no wonder that rendering photos show pretty much the same look, with the exception of a cargo bed at the back end, typical for these vehicles. Also, the look may be muscled up with the front face that borrows some details from the Ram 1500.
The second option, which sounds more likely to us, is to see a relatively typical pickup design, but with a unibody platform underneath. Such an approach has been practiced by Honda for more than 15 years and it definitely has some pretty obvious advantages compared to traditional BoF pickup trucks. This particularly refers to the ride quality, as such a vehicle would act more like a crossover. Visuall, we presume that some of the inspiration would be taken from the 2006 concept, which features a quite bulky and muscular appearance.
Interior
The interior layout would depend on many things, but mostly on the exterior design. As we’ve just mentioned, the 2021 Dodge Rampage could come either as a unibody pickup or as a coupe ute. Differences in terms of the cabin design would be significant, considering that the approach that considers a Ridgeline-like design would definitely mean a crew cab cabin style, with two spacious and comfortable rows of seats. On the other side, the coupe ute layout usually means just a single row of seats, which may seem a little bit handicapping by the modern industry standards.
In any case, the cabin would need to feature high overall quality in order to be competitive in the segment. So, the dashboard would be built with precision, and it would utilize loads of quality materials. Of course, attractive aesthetics seem natural, while we also count on loads of standard and available equipment, both in terms of infotainment and safety features.
2021 Dodge Rampage Engine
This aspect shouldn’t bring bigger surprises. We count on familiar engines from FCA’s lineup and the offer would probably start with a familiar V6 engine. Of course, we are talking about a 3.6-liter Pentastar, which would probably be tuned to 285 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. Another expected engine is a 2.0-liter turbo-four, which is similarly powered but significantly more efficient.
Speaking of fuel efficiency, we don’t expect a diesel option in the offer. Instead, the new plug-in hybrid system sounds far more likely. It is based on a 2.0-liter turbo-four engine and delivers a combined output of 375 horsepower. Besides great fuel economy, we also count on a decent all-electric autonomy.
Finally, we could see a hi-performance version with a V8 engine under the hood. This has become a so typical thing among models from FCA Group.
2021 Dodge Rampage Release Date and Price
The 2021 Dodge Rampage is still just a rumor, so it’s hard to talk about some more precise launch date. On the other side, rumors suggest it could come already in this year, with the starting price of around 30.000 dollars. In any case, more details should come in the near future.