2026 Ram Dakota previewed with concept, not likely for Australia

Ram has revealed another mid-size dual-cab pickup designed to take on the Toyota HiLux, but don’t expect it to come here.

The Ram Dakota Nightfall Concept was unveiled this morning at an event in São Paulo, Brazil and the production version will be built in Córdoba, Argentina from 2026 for Latin American markets.

Unusually, however, it wears a name that had been rumoured to be reserved for a new global mid-size Ram pickup that is expected to be sold in Australia.

As it stands, the production version of the Dakota Nightfall – which is understood to be based on the Changan F70 – looks set to be reserved for Latin America like the existing Ram 1200, which is also derived from the Chinese F70.

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Complicating matters is the similarly sized Ram Rampage dual-cab, which features a car-like unibody construction – like the smaller Ram 1000, but unlike the body-on-frame Dakota Nightfall and 1200.

While the Dakota Nightfall concept wears a unique front-end with a version of Ram’s grille, complete with a huge wordmark and slim headlights, the relation to the Changan is apparent in the ute’s body work.

It looks more modern than the Changan, however, with a full-width light bar. Other unique design cues include three orange lights within the upper air intake, à la the Ram 1500 TRX, plus chunky wheel-arch extensions, and “powerful, long-range LED” tail-lights.

The concept also features raised suspension courtesy of Fox, plus 33-inch all-terrain tyres wrapped around 18-inch beadlock alloy wheels. A spare tyre is located within the tub.

No powertrain details have been announced, but the existing Changan-based Ram 1200 – offered in markets such as Mexico – uses a 2.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine producing 157kW of power and 306Nm of torque.

This is mated with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission, while braked towing capacity is 3000kg.

The new Ram Dakota will be the second model to emerge from Stellantis’ Córdoba plant, following the Fiat Titano that entered production this year.

The Latin American-market Titano uses a 2.2-litre turbo-diesel four producing 147kW of power and either 401Nm or 450Nm of torque, depending on whether it’s mated with a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic.

It can tow up to 3500kg.

“There’s no stronger name to represent Ram’s debut in such an important and competitive segment,” said Ram South America vice president Juliano Machado of the Dakota.

“Excellence only comes with experience, and only Dakota carries all the legacy and expertise of the only exclusive pickup truck brand in South America.”

The Dakota nameplate was last seen on a mid-size pickup truck sold by Dodge for three generations in North America, the last of which was briefly sold – for its final 2011 model year only – as a Ram Dakota.

A new global mid-size pickup could still potentially wear the Dakota nameplate, as it’s not unheard of for an automaker to offer two different vehicles concurrently with the same nameplate for different markets.

Examples of this include the large, ladder-frame Chevrolet Trailblazer off-roader sold in Latin America and the small unibody Chevrolet Trailblazer crossover sold in Korea and North America.

Above: Ram Rampage, Fiat Titano

In the ute segment, there are also two completely different Volkswagen Amaroks – the Ford Ranger-related model sold in markets like Australia, and a facelifted version of the original model sold in Latin America.

Ram has talked about a global mid-size pickup for at least five years, with the brand’s former CEO Mike Koval Jr telling CarExpertin April 2023 that such a vehicle would almost certainly be produced in right-hand drive (RHD) for international markets including Australia.

And when he toured the Walkinshaw Automotive facility that converts Ram trucks to RHD for Australia just prior to that, Ram Trucks International chief Bob Graczyk indicated the global ute would become available in Australia whether it was remanufactured here or not.

Thus far, Ram’s Changan-based models have been exclusive to markets like Latin America. The same applies to the Rampage, even though Ram lacks a rival in its home market of the US for the popular unibody Ford Maverick ute.