What does a national production truck look like and what is its price?

ram It announced the commercial launch of its truck Dakotaa model manufactured in Cordoba that joins the three other minivans that the brand already offers in the local market. It will initially be available in two versions.

This medium-sized truck competes in a very difficult category led by the Toyota Hilux, but it also has weight options such as the Ford Ranger or Volkswagen Amarok, and it also has the Nissan Frontier, Chevrolet S10, Fiat Titano, Mitsubishi L200 and many model options from Chinese brands.

This new model It shares the platform, components and assembly line with the Fiat Titano At the factory owned by the Stellantis Group in Ferreira, Cordoba, although there are many aesthetic differences, both inside and outside, and in the equipment setup and configuration.

The Dakota, which reclaims the name of the truck sold in our market between the late 1990s and the early 2000s, will initially be available in a range of two versions, aesthetically different and with different tuning.

The mechanics will be the same in both cases, with a 200 hp turbocharged engineAn 8-speed automatic transmission and a four-wheel drive system with multiple usage options.

Ram is a company with a long tradition in the United States in the field of trucks, which it inherited from Dodge. It was originally born as a model but since 2009 it has become an independent brand. Best known in our market for the 1500 and 2500 giants.

But in recent years, with the expansionist policy of the Stellantis Group, Ram has also become It went out to offer new options in sectors unknown to the company. The first case was the Rampage, the compact truck launched two years ago, and now it is the turn of the Dakota, which enters the heart of the pickup segment in Argentina, the mid-size truck segment.

The base of this model is the same as that of the Fiat Titano and is based on a minivan from the Chinese Changan group. Although the origin of the project actually goes back to Peugeot, which partnered with the Asian group to develop the Landtrek pickup truck that was announced for the local market.

But with the birth of the Stellantis Collection (2021), options Developing similar models for Fiat and Ram was more tempting.

After an investment of $385 million, the project crystallized into these two models that are today manufactured in Cordoba and recently launched commercially in the Dakota.

Although they have a lot in common with the Titano, it must be admitted that there has been an effort to try to differentiate between both models. Although there isn’t a lot of room in the truck to make major changes, The tubes are very different. At the same time, there are differences between the two versions that are launched with the new pickup.

While the alternative The magician It is more ready for off-road use and has a visual appearance in that sense, with dark elements and 17-inch wheels standing out, which is the option Laramie It proposes a more striking image, with the brand’s classic 18-inch chrome wheels and its readiness to take to the road.

There are two other elements that are specific to each version and set them apart from each other. The Warlock has a San Antonio stripe and a Laramie LED light that runs across the entire width of the grille.

Both options share Full LED headlights and fog lights TurnsSide mirrors with defogger and electric control, Crankcase protectorside steps, hood and tailgate with assistance, mounting hooks, and a third stop light with light integrated into the tailgate.

The Dakota has become one of the largest options with the largest payload capacity in its class. It is 5,356 mm long, 1,965 mm wide, and 1,822 mm high, with a wheelbase of 3,180 mm and a ground clearance of 228 mm.

The box has spacious dimensions, with a length of 1,584 mm, a width of 1,409 mm, and a width of 1,201 mm between the wheel arches, in addition to a depth of 502 mm, which means a total surface area of ​​2.55 square meters and a volumetric capacity of 1,210 litres. To this we must add Load capacity of up to 1,020 kg and towing capacity of up to 3,500 kg.

The Ram Dakota is equipped with a 2.2-liter, 4-cylinder, 16-valve turbo-diesel engine, capable of generating 200 horsepower and 450 Nm of torque. Its operation requires ARNOX32 (urea) to treat post-combustion gases, and it is contained in a tank with a capacity of 23 litres. The fuel tank provides 80 liters of space.

The transportation system consists of a ZF 8-speed automatic transmission And four-wheel drive system. It offers the option of simple towing (2H), complete with automatic distribution and 4×4 low (4x4L) thanks to the transfer case. It, in turn, includes a rear differential lock with electrical control and four driving modes: Normal, Sport, Sand and Snow.

Inside, it includes a 7-inch screen that serves as a dashboard and another 12-inch screen that serves as a touchscreen multimedia center. Provides wireless connectivity to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

It also includes a wireless phone charger, USB ports (Type A and Type C), and a 12V socket. Air conditioning is automatic and two zones. Rear passengers benefit from dedicated air vents and a rear armrest that includes cup holders.

In terms of safety, it is equipped with 6 airbags (front, side and curtain), disc brakes with ABS and electronic brake distribution (EBD).

Driving assistants included Adaptive speed controllane keep assist, blind spot radar, autonomous emergency braking, and hill start and descent control. The Laramie version adds rear cross-traffic alert.

The Ram Dakota is available in Argentina for $69,000,000 for the Warlock variant and $71,000,000 for the Laramie variant. With this launch, various forms of financing and savings plan scheme are also being introduced. Warranty is 5 years or 150 thousand km.