The History of Dodge & RAM

The Dodge and Ram auto brands have long been synonymous with reliable and capable vehicles. At one time, the Dodge Ram truck was one of the nation’s most popular pickup trucks. Why do we no longer see Dodge Ram trucks? Are Dodge, Ram, and Chrysler the same company? Read as our Meadowland of Carmel team answers these questions and shares more about the history of Dodge and when and why Dodge and Ram split.

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The History of Dodge

The Dodge brothers, Horace and John, began manufacturing bicycle parts in the late 1800s in the Detroit, Michigan, area. In 1900, they opened a machine shop, and in 1910, they formed the Dodge Brothers Company and began making auto parts that they sold to the Ford Motor Company and Olds Motor Works. By 1913, the Dodge brothers started manufacturing automobiles, and the first Dodge car rolled off the line in 1914.

After the death of Horace and John in 1920, the Chrysler Corporation purchased the Dodge Brothers Company in 1928. To this day, the Chrysler Group, itself now a subsidiary of Stellantis, owns both the Dodge and Ram brands.

The First Dodge Pickup Trucks

In 1929, Dodge debuted its first pickup truck. In 1933, the brand added a ram hood ornament to the line of pickup trucks, and consumers noted the connection between Dodge and the ram symbol before Ram became a separate brand.

In 1981, Chrysler created the Dodge Ram 1500 pickup truck, and it quickly developed a reputation as a dependable workhorse. Later, pickup trucks under the Dodge brand included the Dodge Dakota in 1987 and the Dodge Durango in 1998. Today, Dodge offers the Durango as an SUV only. In 1994, Dodge rebranded its larger, highly sought-after pickup trucks as Dodge Ram and continued making them until 2009.

When and Why Did Dodge Ram Become Just Ram?

In 2009, the Chrysler Group created Ram as a separate brand for its pickup trucks. Why would the company want to make the Ram brand standalone and split from the enormously popular Dodge Ram pickup truck?

At the time of the split, Dodge wanted to focus on making cars, especially high-performance ones like the Dodge Charger and Dodge Challenger. Instead of spreading out its research and design team to develop a wide range of vehicles, the Dodge brand wanted to use its resources to create vehicles to compete with other popular cars, such as the Chevrolet Corvette and Ford Mustang. Dodge decided to develop an SUV, the Durango, geared toward families and adventure lovers.

By creating the Ram brand, the parent Chrysler Group could focus its resources on building durable and capable pickup trucks and vans for personal and commercial use.

What Are Some of the Advantages of the Dodge Ram Split?

The Dodge brand focuses on producing luxury and high-performance vehicles. Dodge models and trims with the 6.2-liter high-output HEMI V-8 engine produce a massive 807 horsepower and 707 lb-ft of torque. Anyone who enjoys high horsepower and torque will get a thrill driving a Dodge Challenger, Charger, Hornet, or Durango.

Ram designs each of its pickup trucks for durability and capability. The Ram 1500 offers four engines, including a 3.0-liter V-6 EcoDiesel with 260 horsepower and 480 lb-ft of torque. The Ram 1500 TRX has the most power with its exclusive 6.2-liter supercharged HEMI V-8 engine that delivers 702 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque.

As you can see, each brand offers consumers specialized vehicles: Dodge with high-performance cars and SUVs, and Ram with durable and capable pickup trucks and vans.

Current Ram Lineup

Ram will offer six pickup trucks and one van in 2024. The Ram brand doesn’t make cars, SUVs, or minivans and focuses on building pickup trucks with powerful engines, capable suspension systems, and a high towing capacity. The current Ram lineup includes the following:

• Ram 1500
• Ram 1500 TRX
• Ram 1500 Classic
• Ram 2500
• Ram 3500
• Ram Chassis Cab
• Ram ProMaster

The Ram 1500 pickup truck, formerly called the Dodge Ram 1500, is one of the most popular and dependable pickup trucks on the market today. When properly equipped, the Ram 1500 can tow up to 12,750 pounds. The Ram 2500, 3500, and Chassis Cab are for heavy-duty work and towing. When properly equipped, the Ram 2500 can haul up to 19,980 pounds, the Ram 3500 up to 37,090 pounds, and the Ram Chassis Cab up to 35,150 pounds.

The ProMaster van is useful if you need to carry supplies safely inside the van’s interior. If you’re an adventure seeker, you can use it as a Class B motorhome with a camper van conversion.

Current Dodge Lineup

Dodge currently offers four models, including the following:

• Charger
• Challenger
• Durango
• Hornet

The Dodge Charger is a four-door high-performance sports car, and the Dodge Challenger is a two-door sports coupe for those who get a thrill out of driving a high-performance muscle car. The Dodge Durango is a large SUV capable of towing up to 8,700 pounds, and the Dodge Hornet is a midsize SUV perfect for driving in urban environments, on the track, or for light backroad travels.

Find the Perfect Dodge or Ram at Meadowland of Carmel

As you learned from this article, Dodge and Ram split in 2009. While both brands are under the parent company, Stellantis, they’re separate brands with distinctive vehicles representing each automaker. Our Meadowland of Carmel, New York team invites you to browse our inventory of new Ram trucks and Dodge vehicles to find the perfect one to fit your lifestyle. Once you find your dream car, truck, or SUV, our finance team will help you find an auto loan you’re comfortable with.

Photo Credit:1923 Dodge Brothers Screenside Truck, Penngrove Power-Up by David Berry is licensed with CC BY 2.0 DEED

Photo Credit: a silver ram truck parked in a parking lot by stevosdisposable is licensed with Unsplash License

Photo Credit: Dodge Challenger SRT8 by dodge challenger1 is licensed with CC BY 2.0 DEED