FCA Hints Again About Ram-Based SUV

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV continues to evaluate the potential appeal of a full-size SUV based on the next-generation Ram 1500 pickup truck due in 2018.

The upgraded 1500 frame would be well suited for a large SUV, Mike Manley, who heads FCA’s Ram and Jeep brands, tells USA Today. FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne made similar comments last year during a conference call with analysts, who have praised the strategy as a way to improve economies of scale and increase profit margins.

If approved, the Ram-based SUV would compete against the Ford Expedition and General Motors’ Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon. But Manley says such a vehicle likely would be marketed under one of FCA’s other brands—Chrysler, Dodge or Jeep—rather than as a new Ram model, as previous reports suggested.

Manley touts the Ram 1500’s handling characteristics as being among the best in the pickup segment, thanks to its coil-spring suspension. Such attributes typically are even more important for SUVs.

FCA also is taking a new look at the midsize pickup truck market, according to Manley. Previous plans for such a vehicle never got off the ground due to financial difficulties or otherwise bad timing, USA Today notes. But growing sales for the Nissan Frontier and Toyota Tacoma—as well as the success of new models such as the Chevrolet Colorado/GMC Canyon and Honda Ridgeline—have sparked renewed interest by FCA in the segment.