Chrysler Says Ram May Add Heavy Truck to Portfolio as Part of Branding Strategy

This story appears in the Nov. 23 print edition of Transport Topics. Click here to subscribe today.

A Chrysler LLC executive said the company is establishing the Ram name as a separate brand apart from Dodge and may add a Class 8 truck to its portfolio.

Fred Diaz Jr., CEO of Ram, said  that Chrysler wanted to create a unique brand that would emphasize its focus on trucks as the company expands its commercial vehicle lineup.

“We’re giving serious consideration to entering the heavy truck segment, which includes the 18-wheelers you see out on the road today,” Diaz said during a presentation on the truck brand’s future plans.

Chrysler currently offers light-medium commercial trucks, which includes heavy-duty pickups and Classes 3-5 chassis cabs, under the Dodge Ram brand.

Diaz’ comments were part of a five-year business plan that Chrysler officials unveiled earlier this month, laying out the steps the resuscitated company will undertake through 2014 to become profitable.

Chrysler, Auburn Hills, Mich., emerged from bankruptcy in June after receiving more than $7 billion in loans and financial support from the U.S. government and with the condition that Italian vehicle maker Fiat SpA become the managing partner.

Many of the actions outlined in the business plan rely on blending technologies and vehicles from its Italian partner, including commercial trucks.

While neither Diaz nor Chrysler has offered additional details about the heavy-duty truck plans, the company could look at Iveco, one of Fiat’s truck-making subsidiaries, for a heavy-duty model.

Iveco makes a range of medium- and heavy-duty trucks for use in Europe, Australia and other countries. Iveco’s European trucks, however, are cabover-engine models, a style that has all but disappeared from U.S. highways.

Diaz also said the company would consider adding a large commercial van and a small commercial van built by Fiat, to be introduced in 2012. The large van will replace Daimler-built Sprinter van, which Dodge currently sells. Dodge’s contract with Daimler to sell the Sprinter ends Dec. 31. In the future, the Sprinter will be sold by Mercedes-Benz and Freightliner Trucks dealers.