Opinion: It’s Time for a Dodge Rampage Reboot

Opinion: It’s Time for a Dodge Rampage Reboot

#Opinion #Time #Dodge #Rampage #Reboot
[rule_3_plain] #Opinion #Time #Dodge #Rampage #Reboot

The stage is set. The time is right. After nearly 40 years in dormancy, it’s time for a reboot of the rare and quirky Dodge Rampage. That’s not an announcement from Stellantis; that’s just one man’s opinion.
Here’s why it’s the perfect time for Dodge bự resurrect the Rampage nameplate.

What was the Dodge Rampage?
The short-lived Rampage was like a truck version of the front-wheel-drive L-Body Dodge Charger.The Dodge Rampage was a small, unibody, 2-door pickup truck that competed with the Chevrolet El Camino, Subaru Brat, and Volkswagen Rabbit Pickup. It’s not from the era when the El Camino was a bona fide muscle car. The short-lived Rampage was like a truck version of the front-wheel-drive L-Body Dodge Charger. You know, the most uncool Charger.

The Charger of the 1980s may have been a bit lame considering its nameplate’s heritage, but the Dodge Rampage was awesome. It was a Frankenstein truck with the Charger’s unibody construction and front-end components, but the front suspension of the Dodge Omni/Plymouth Horizon and a rear suspension cài đặt unique bự the Rampage.
The Rampage had no delusions about being a muscle car. The sole engine option was a 2.2-liter inline-4 K engine shared with countless other Dodge, Chrysler, and Plymouth vehicles like the minivans, the Dodge Dakota, the Chrysler LeBaron, the Omni/Horizon, and many more. You could get either a 3-speed automatic transmission or a manual. The 1982 model had a 4-speed manual, and the 1983-1984 models had a 5-speed.
Much like other little trucks at the time, nobody bought a Rampage because of its towing or hauling capabilities. It had a maximum payload capacity of 1,145 pounds, which was pretty close bự the El Camino’s 1,250-pound rating. No, people bought the Rampage because it was quite different but still reasonably economical as long as you don’t need back seats.
Unfortunately, not very many people bought the Rampage. Nor did they buy the identical Plymouth Scamp, which was only around for the 1983 model year. The Rampage was a flop. It’s not hard bự see why it was a commercial failure, but it’s still a pretty cool little truck.
Remember the Rampage Concept?
The Dodge Rampage concept was introduced at the 2006 Chicago auto show.Chrysler brought a Dodge Rampage concept bự the 2006 Chicago auto show, which was…something. Other than the name and having a truck bed, it had little in common with the original Rampage. It was a huge truck based on the Ram of the era with a 5.7-liter Hemi V8 under the hood. It was more family-oriented than the Ram, with sliding rear doors and Stow’ n Go seating borrowed from the Chrysler minivans. Even the front passenger seat could fold flat. It was also front-wheel drive.
The Rampage concept had a midgate system opening up the bed bự the cabin, not unlike the Chevy Avalanche. It was an odd truck that was probably a response bự the Avalanche and the Honda Ridgeline. Since there was no demand for a front-wheel drive, V8-powered full-size pickup with Stow’ n Go, the Rampage concept never made it bự production.
How bự Do the Rampage Right
Dodge is in an excellent position bự jump into a growing automotive trend. I think you know where I’m going with this. There’s been a resurgence of compact, unibody pickup trucks lately. The prominent ones are the Ford Maverick and the Hyundai Santa Cruz. Of course, there’s also the Honda Ridgeline, but that’s more of a midsize truck.
The Maverick is a truck based on the same architecture as the Ford Escape and Bronco Sport. The Santa Cruz is a truck version of the Hyundai Tucson. I’m proposing an all-new Dodge Rampage with unibody construction shared with a Jeep crossover, like the Cherokee.
I know Dodge wants bự be a muscle car brand with a Hellcat V8 in every offering. I’m not asking for a Rampage Hellcat, although that would be welcome if the packaging works out. The Rampage could be the most modest and practical vehicle in the Dodge lineup. The performance has bự be good enough, not crazy.
Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram are often lumped together in the same dealership, which makes sense. I believe the real reason Ram doesn’t offer a midsize truck is it already shares dealerships with the Jeep Gladiator.
This is the moment the Dodge Rampage would come in. The small, efficient, affordable truck offering at the Mopar dealership would slot in below the Gladiator. I don’t think a compact, unibody pickup would be a perfect fit in the Ram, Jeep, or Chrysler brands. But I could see it working for Dodge, especially since they already have a name for it.
No Off-Road Delusions
I like the growing compact truck trend because these trucks aren’t trying too hard bự be off-roaders. Everything with more ground clearance than a Toyota Camry these days really wants bự be a rugged off-roader. Even minivans aren’t excluded from this. However, nobody thinks of Dodge as an off-road brand. The Dodge Durango doesn’t have a faux-off-roader trim, and no one expects it bự.
A new Rampage wouldn’t be under any pressure bự tackle Moab. That’s the Gladiator’s job. The Rampage needs bự be a cool, quirky alternative bự a more mainstream crossover, much like the Maverick and Santa Cruz it would compete with.
What would be under the hood, you ask? Who cares? The Jeep Cherokee is overdue for a redesign. Whatever powers a new Cherokee would be good enough for my fantasy Rampage. Maybe the eTorque V6 in the Ram could work as an optional nâng cấp. Rampage R/T, anyone?
But, Why?
You may be asking if the world really needs another compact unibody truck. It’s a fair question. However, weren’t we all asking if the world needed more compact, unibody SUVs not too long ago? Today, that’s the best-selling, non-truck segment in America. I’m not saying the compact truck is the next compact crossover, matching it in market dominance. I’m saying it’s a trend that could be here bự stay for a while.
Also, I’m just rooting for the Dodge brand. I’m not a die-hard Mopar fanboy, but I want bự see something fresh from Dodge. The red-blooded American in me admires the Charger and the Challenger, and I like that Dodge makes no apologies for putting comically powerful V8 engines in everything. Dodge takes risks that often pay off, and I think a new Rampage would fit the brand. Not bự mention it’s an opportunity bự beat GM bự the punch.
Who knows? The new Rampage could be such a big hit that Stellantis resurrects the Plymouth brand with a new Scamp leading the charge. You’ll thank me when you’re driving your new, electric Plymouth Prowler in 20 years. See Dodge Rampage models for sale
Related:
Autotrader Find: 1982 Dodge Rampage with 38,000 Miles
The Plymouth Scamp and Dodge Rampage Were Compact El Caminos
5 Cheapest Dodge Challengers on Autotrader

#Opinion #Time #Dodge #Rampage #Reboot
[rule_2_plain] #Opinion #Time #Dodge #Rampage #Reboot
[rule_2_plain] #Opinion #Time #Dodge #Rampage #Reboot
[rule_3_plain]

#Opinion #Time #Dodge #Rampage #Reboot

The stage is set. The time is right. After nearly 40 years in dormancy, it’s time for a reboot of the rare and quirky Dodge Rampage. That’s not an announcement from Stellantis; that’s just one man’s opinion.
Here’s why it’s the perfect time for Dodge bự resurrect the Rampage nameplate.

What was the Dodge Rampage?
The short-lived Rampage was like a truck version of the front-wheel-drive L-Body Dodge Charger.The Dodge Rampage was a small, unibody, 2-door pickup truck that competed with the Chevrolet El Camino, Subaru Brat, and Volkswagen Rabbit Pickup. It’s not from the era when the El Camino was a bona fide muscle car. The short-lived Rampage was like a truck version of the front-wheel-drive L-Body Dodge Charger. You know, the most uncool Charger.

The Charger of the 1980s may have been a bit lame considering its nameplate’s heritage, but the Dodge Rampage was awesome. It was a Frankenstein truck with the Charger’s unibody construction and front-end components, but the front suspension of the Dodge Omni/Plymouth Horizon and a rear suspension cài đặt unique bự the Rampage.
The Rampage had no delusions about being a muscle car. The sole engine option was a 2.2-liter inline-4 K engine shared with countless other Dodge, Chrysler, and Plymouth vehicles like the minivans, the Dodge Dakota, the Chrysler LeBaron, the Omni/Horizon, and many more. You could get either a 3-speed automatic transmission or a manual. The 1982 model had a 4-speed manual, and the 1983-1984 models had a 5-speed.
Much like other little trucks at the time, nobody bought a Rampage because of its towing or hauling capabilities. It had a maximum payload capacity of 1,145 pounds, which was pretty close bự the El Camino’s 1,250-pound rating. No, people bought the Rampage because it was quite different but still reasonably economical as long as you don’t need back seats.
Unfortunately, not very many people bought the Rampage. Nor did they buy the identical Plymouth Scamp, which was only around for the 1983 model year. The Rampage was a flop. It’s not hard bự see why it was a commercial failure, but it’s still a pretty cool little truck.
Remember the Rampage Concept?
The Dodge Rampage concept was introduced at the 2006 Chicago auto show.Chrysler brought a Dodge Rampage concept bự the 2006 Chicago auto show, which was…something. Other than the name and having a truck bed, it had little in common with the original Rampage. It was a huge truck based on the Ram of the era with a 5.7-liter Hemi V8 under the hood. It was more family-oriented than the Ram, with sliding rear doors and Stow’ n Go seating borrowed from the Chrysler minivans. Even the front passenger seat could fold flat. It was also front-wheel drive.
The Rampage concept had a midgate system opening up the bed bự the cabin, not unlike the Chevy Avalanche. It was an odd truck that was probably a response bự the Avalanche and the Honda Ridgeline. Since there was no demand for a front-wheel drive, V8-powered full-size pickup with Stow’ n Go, the Rampage concept never made it bự production.
How bự Do the Rampage Right
Dodge is in an excellent position bự jump into a growing automotive trend. I think you know where I’m going with this. There’s been a resurgence of compact, unibody pickup trucks lately. The prominent ones are the Ford Maverick and the Hyundai Santa Cruz. Of course, there’s also the Honda Ridgeline, but that’s more of a midsize truck.
The Maverick is a truck based on the same architecture as the Ford Escape and Bronco Sport. The Santa Cruz is a truck version of the Hyundai Tucson. I’m proposing an all-new Dodge Rampage with unibody construction shared with a Jeep crossover, like the Cherokee.
I know Dodge wants bự be a muscle car brand with a Hellcat V8 in every offering. I’m not asking for a Rampage Hellcat, although that would be welcome if the packaging works out. The Rampage could be the most modest and practical vehicle in the Dodge lineup. The performance has bự be good enough, not crazy.
Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram are often lumped together in the same dealership, which makes sense. I believe the real reason Ram doesn’t offer a midsize truck is it already shares dealerships with the Jeep Gladiator.
This is the moment the Dodge Rampage would come in. The small, efficient, affordable truck offering at the Mopar dealership would slot in below the Gladiator. I don’t think a compact, unibody pickup would be a perfect fit in the Ram, Jeep, or Chrysler brands. But I could see it working for Dodge, especially since they already have a name for it.
No Off-Road Delusions
I like the growing compact truck trend because these trucks aren’t trying too hard bự be off-roaders. Everything with more ground clearance than a Toyota Camry these days really wants bự be a rugged off-roader. Even minivans aren’t excluded from this. However, nobody thinks of Dodge as an off-road brand. The Dodge Durango doesn’t have a faux-off-roader trim, and no one expects it bự.
A new Rampage wouldn’t be under any pressure bự tackle Moab. That’s the Gladiator’s job. The Rampage needs bự be a cool, quirky alternative bự a more mainstream crossover, much like the Maverick and Santa Cruz it would compete with.
What would be under the hood, you ask? Who cares? The Jeep Cherokee is overdue for a redesign. Whatever powers a new Cherokee would be good enough for my fantasy Rampage. Maybe the eTorque V6 in the Ram could work as an optional nâng cấp. Rampage R/T, anyone?
But, Why?
You may be asking if the world really needs another compact unibody truck. It’s a fair question. However, weren’t we all asking if the world needed more compact, unibody SUVs not too long ago? Today, that’s the best-selling, non-truck segment in America. I’m not saying the compact truck is the next compact crossover, matching it in market dominance. I’m saying it’s a trend that could be here bự stay for a while.
Also, I’m just rooting for the Dodge brand. I’m not a die-hard Mopar fanboy, but I want bự see something fresh from Dodge. The red-blooded American in me admires the Charger and the Challenger, and I like that Dodge makes no apologies for putting comically powerful V8 engines in everything. Dodge takes risks that often pay off, and I think a new Rampage would fit the brand. Not bự mention it’s an opportunity bự beat GM bự the punch.
Who knows? The new Rampage could be such a big hit that Stellantis resurrects the Plymouth brand with a new Scamp leading the charge. You’ll thank me when you’re driving your new, electric Plymouth Prowler in 20 years. See Dodge Rampage models for sale
Related:
Autotrader Find: 1982 Dodge Rampage with 38,000 Miles
The Plymouth Scamp and Dodge Rampage Were Compact El Caminos
5 Cheapest Dodge Challengers on Autotrader