(Ram)
The Ram 1500 pickup just had its life expectancy extended.
Automotive News reports that the current truck will continue to be built for about two years after its replacement is introduced in 2018.
Sources tell the newspaper that the two factories where it is produced will continue to pump out trucks aimed at commercial and fleet customers, while the first of the all-new models built at the retooled Sterling Heights Assembly plant will target high margin retail sales as volume there is ramped up.
The move should help Fiat Chrysler avoid the kind of supply constraints faced by Ford when it went through the process of updating its facilities to build its new all-aluminum F-150. The automaker is currently selling the old Dodge Grand Caravan alongside its new Chrysler Pacifica, while General Motors has used this strategy while replacing several of its car and crossover models in recent years.
Officials from Ram would not comment on the report.
The redesigned Ram 1500 is expected to remain a mostly steel-bodied vehicle, but recently-leaked images suggest that it will feature a radical new look with a sleek front-end design and slim LED headlights.