They were talking about a 3rd Ram Plant. I know that was Mainly for the 1500 to 3500s but Warren use to build Rams and Dakotas. So with flex manufacturing as good as it is. I could see a possibility. What about the use of an Iveco Acco with a Ram face on it? If the juice is worth the squeeze see if it was possible to legalize the Cummins motor in it.

 

I thought sm a few months back stated the customer base for 4500/5500 were quite different from the 6500/7500 customer base and hence they would not pursue that market. But if .... if....how about a 6500 and 7500 ???

 

It occurs to me, the 4500 and 5500 came about in conjunction with a version for Sterling in the daimler days. (Before Sterling disapeared).
Of course, it at the time would have had duplication. These days, there is nothing offering by Fiat or Fiat industrial in the US above the 5500, right?

With Iveco not in this market, I wonder if there is some joint effort that would make a 6500 / 7500 more feasable.

 

It occurs to me, the 4500 and 5500 came about in conjunction with a version for Sterling in the daimler days. (Before Sterling disapeared).
Of course, it at the time would have had duplication. These days, there is nothing offering by Fiat or Fiat industrial in the US above the 5500, right?

With Iveco not in this market, I wonder if there is some joint effort that would make a 6500 / 7500 more feasable.

Possibly, but there isn't much that can be used from Iveco, for that class truck that can't already be utilized by Dodge Ram.
Look at the weight and engine ratings on the 4500 and 5500 Dodge Rams and you will find they are likely higher than most 6500 class offerings from GM and Ford.
Iveco has little to offer that is EPA and DOT compliant. M won't approve any stand alone product that can't be sold in large numbers or shared with other lines, so unless Iveco and Ram work together on a new truck series, I wouldn't expect it.
Watch the New Plan...

 

I found this pic when I Googled
Ram 6500. I'm not sure what country it is from but the writing looks spanish or portuguise.

 

I found this pic when I Googled
Ram 6500. I'm not sure what country it is from but the writing looks spanish or portuguise.

That's from the Satillo Plant in Mexico.

 

Look at the weight and engine ratings on the 4500 and 5500 Dodge Rams and you will find they are likely higher than most 6500 class offerings from GM and Ford.

The Ram Chassis Cab 4500 and 5500 are not even remotely comparable to true Class 6 trucks like the F-650. The F-650's payload begins where the Ram 5500's ends. Check the right options and you can get an F-650 that has literally twice the payload of a Ram 5550. The F-650 can also be optioned with a 6.7 Cummins and an Allison transmission. The starting price of an F-650 is also literally twice that of a Ram 5500.

Completely different class of trucks with little overlap. Someone looking for a Class 6 is probably not going to cross shop it with a Ram 5500.

As far as Ram getting into the Class 6/7 area: The usual problems apply: Who's gonna pay to develop it? Where are you going to build it (even flex has limitations)?...and who is going to buy it?

 

True, but as usual, picking the nits. Look at the photo above, Dodge Mexico already has the platform, Iveco isn't needed to provide class 6&7 trucks, nor it there likely a market need large enough in the US to justify entering an already over crowded field.
My comment about 4500 and 5500 were not meant to construe the class is the same or equal, only that they already exceed the 26,000 lb threshold. NOT that they are literally in that class.

 

Unfortunately, the Mexican Ram 6500 was a victim of the Daimler/Chrysler fiasco. Since Daimler owns Freightliner, Daimler didn't want Chrysler competing against 'their' truck manufacturer, which at the time was making a big push in the Mexican and South American markets. I think the Mexican medium duty trucks were dropped before the ink was dry on the merger documents.

Also, do not confuse 'GCW' with 'GVW'. While the Ram 5500 has a GCW of 26,000 lbs., it is far short of the Ford 650 or GM 6500, which typically have a GVW of 26,000 lbs. GCW is gross combination weight, which includes the truck and whatever it is towing. A GVW is gross vehicle weight, the maximum the vehicle can way by itself. Many class 6 trucks have a GCW of over 50,000 lbs..

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LG_hPsahihw

Ram 6500 was very popular in Mexico. It was discounted in 2000.

 

I want one.

https://www.polk.com/knowledge/reports/quarterly_commercial_vehicle_report_december_2013

http://cta.ornl.gov/data/index.shtml

 

Unfortunately, the Mexican Ram 6500 was a victim of the Daimler/Chrysler fiasco. Since Daimler owns Freightliner, Daimler didn't want Chrysler competing against 'their' truck manufacturer, which at the time was making a big push in the Mexican and South American markets. I think the Mexican medium duty trucks were dropped before the ink was dry on the merger documents.

Also, do not confuse 'GCW' with 'GVW'. While the Ram 5500 has a GCW of 26,000 lbs., it is far short of the Ford 650 or GM 6500, which typically have a GVW of 26,000 lbs. GCW is gross combination weight, which includes the truck and whatever it is towing. A GVW is gross vehicle weight, the maximum the vehicle can way by itself. Many class 6 trucks have a GCW of over 50,000 lbs..

Yep, I understand how it works, we had many class 6 and 7 trucks in our fleet and my business partner has over 250 class 8 rigs.
The bottom line, is, I don't think these trucks are in the cards, but the next 5 year plan might surprise us, but I think not.

 

Under two weeks

 

Hey Dave, wondering if you got my PM reply? Haven't heard back yet.

 

 

iirc the D500/D600 lasted for years in latin and south america after they were discontinued here.

 

iirc the D500/D600 lasted for years in latin and south america after they were discontinued here.

Mid 70's using the 1968-71 Cabs, then to the mid 80's, using the 1972 Cabs.
Not unusual for Dodge Trucks, as the 1939 cab saw use in the COE, and Power Wagon until 1968 and until the 1972 WM300 sold to Isreal.
Dodge made a LOT with very little.

 

One of the
best looking trucks ever.

 

The best lookin' one? The Big Horn; I still have a brochure of that one.

 

One of the
best looking trucks ever.

The low cab forward (LCF) was unique and was offered along side the conventional cab, class 6 and 7 trucks.
That cab was from an A-100, 1/2 ton, which always cracked me up, but the 1939 cab, formerly used for the COE, was getting a bit dated, so the COE was discontinued and for the LCF they used the 1966-67 A cab.

 

Iveco had once a marketing joint-venture with Navistar(International) in Australia until 2010 since then Navistar is with Caterpillar Down Under.

Also, Aussie Dodge trucks used International Harvester cabs and bodies (with a different front end), I spotted a vintage Aussie ad at
http://www.hcvc.com.au/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1218797621/14#14
with some history infos at http://www.hcvc.com.au/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1317594829/2#2

Here one more photo of this Aussie Dodge oddity
https://www.flickr.com/photos/50415738@N04/5078907587/

Now then Ford want to built its own medium-duty truck line. Could be possible for Chrysler to get an agreement with Navistar to do a Ram 6500 in a joint-venture project?

 

The low cab forward (LCF) was unique and was offered along side the conventional cab, class 6 and 7 trucks.
That cab was from an A-100, 1/2 ton, which always cracked me up, but the 1939 cab, formerly used for the COE, was getting a bit dated, so the COE was discontinued and for the LCF they used the 1966-67 A cab.

I would love to own a nice A-100 pickup.

Mike

 

Iveco had once a marketing joint-venture with Navistar(International) in Australia until 2010 since then Navistar is with Caterpillar Down Under.

Also, Aussie Dodge trucks used International Harvester cabs and bodies (with a different front end), I spotted a vintage Aussie ad at
http://www.hcvc.com.au/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1218797621/14#14
with some history infos at http://www.hcvc.com.au/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1317594829/2#2

Here one more photo of this Aussie Dodge oddity
https://www.flickr.com/photos/50415738@N04/5078907587/

Now then Ford want to built its own medium-duty truck line. Could be possible for Chrysler to get an agreement with Navistar to do a Ram 6500 in a joint-venture project?

Wouldnt it be better if they slapped a Dodge/ Ram grille on a Iveco chassi.
That wouldnt just solve the smaller classes of trucks, it would on one blow cover a complete line from small to big.

 

Wouldnt it be better if they slapped a Dodge/ Ram grille on a Iveco chassi.
That wouldnt just solve the smaller classes of trucks, it would on one blow cover a complete line from small to big.

Only if the Cummins HO fits into the Iveco frame without bending it in half.
Few American buyers are going to opt for an Iveco powertrain, unless it get 30 mpg.

 

Don't forget Dodge built Class 7 semi trucks as well. The only problem with them was in the 1970s and early 1980s Chrysler was pulling company trailers with them around metropolitan Detroit, the trucks were old and not maintained well. It was a common sight to see them broke down around the area.

Funny thing is, the semi trucks were known as Dodge Bighorns. Yet, now we have a Ram 1/2 ton with big rig styling and a Bighorn trim package.