Ram 1500 Classic Is The Old Body Style Selling Alongside The New
Automakers are beginning to learn that just because they roll out a new body style of a vehicle that doesn't mean demand for the old-style wanes. Nissan did that with the Rogue when it rolled out its new body style years back selling the old and new together. Jeep has done it with the Wrangler selling the Wrangler JK (the old body style) alongside the new Wrangler JL this year. Now Ram Trucks is doing this with the Ram 1500 Classic.
Truck fans will recognize the 1500 Classic as the old body style truck that was popular before the rollout of the new 2019 Ram truck. The Classic will be sold right alongside the new truck and presumably will be cheaper making trucks more affordable for the masses looking to buy. Ram says that the 1500 Classic is known internally as the DS model while the 2019 Ram 1500 is known as the DT.
Ram specifically says that the 1500 Classic is targeted directly at entry level and commercial buyers and that it is keeping the old truck on to not "walk away" from those two buyer categories. Along with the old body style, the trucks will also feature a new "Classic" badge on the fenders. There will be four trims available with Tradesman, Express, Big Horn/Lone Star, and special services vehicles.
There are three packages for those trucks including Chrome Plus on the Tradesman with chrome bumpers, body-color upper front fascia, 17-inch wheels, remote keyless entry, and carpet. Tradesman SXT will be offered on the Tradesman trim adding chrome bumpers, body-color front fascia, 5-inch radio, fog lamps, dual exhaust for V8 models, and 20-inch chrome wheels.
An Express Black Accent package is available on all Express trim colors and has black wheels, black headlamp bezels, and black badges. 1500 Classic buyers can choose bed and cabs including Regular Cab with 8-ft. bed or 6-ft., 4-in. bed, Quad Cab with 6-ft., 4-in. bed, Crew Cab short bed (5-ft., 7-in.) or Crew Cab with optional 6-ft., 4-in. bed.. Both 4x4 and 4x2 models will be offered with 3.6L Pentastar V6 engine or a 5.7L Hemi V8. A 3.0L V6 EcoDiesel will be offered later. Ram 1500 Classic will launch in Q4 2018 with pricing unannounced for now.
SOURCE: FCA