The New Ram 1200 Isn't Really a Ram at All

A fascinating case of rebadging, the mid-size truck has Chinese roots via a French connection.

Ram 1200 2024 (Mexico) - Leaked images

Adrian Padeanu

By: Adrian Padeanu

May 24, 2024 at 2:44am ET

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Badge engineering is alive and well in 2024, and this Ram 1200 is a good example of how a vehicle can suffer from a dissociative identity disorder. It takes the shape of a mid-size truck tied to the Peugeot Landtrek and Fiat Titano, both sold by Stellantis in different parts of the world. However, these three pickups have their origins in China where the new 1200 will be built.

The trio is based on the Changan Kaicene F70 developed by Changan Automobile and the defunct PSA Group, before it merged with FCA to form Stellantis. The latest body-on-frame truck will be sold in Mexico but it's not coming to the United States where the Rampage is still a definite maybe. Ram has yet to officially announce the new 1200, but the Mexican publication Auto Cosmos has all the details and these images showing the full lineup. The assets were published by local dealer Mirador Automotriz.

Ram 1200 2024 (Mexico) - Leaked images

At the heart of the 2025 Ram 1200 is a turbocharged 2.4-liter gasoline engine with 207 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque. It works with either a six-speed manual or an automatic with the same number of gears. While most trim levels are stuck with a 4x2 setup, the range-topping Laramie gets a 4x4 configuration.

Single and double cab versions will be offered in Mexico where the new Ram 1200 is going to come in Tradesman, Bighorn, and Laramie flavors. The base model will have a maximum load capacity of 2,645 pounds and should tow up to 6,614 pounds.

Pricing will reportedly start at the equivalent of $26,600 and rise to about $40,000. The official debut is likely around the corner since sales are scheduled to begin next month. The new Ram 1200 will go up against the likes of the Toyota Hilux, Nissan Frontier, and the Chevrolet S10 Max. The latter is also a case of rebadging via China's SAIC since it's a Maxus T70 in disguise.

Ram 1200 2024 (Mexico) - Leaked images

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While the 1200 is not coming to the US, Americans might still get a smaller truck. In October 2023, UAW Vice President Rich Boyer said a mid-size truck would be built at the Stellantis factory in Belvidere, Illinois. However, when we reached out to Ram, a company spokesperson declined to comment.

As a final note, we should point out the 1200 isn’t the only Ram truck not sold stateside. There's also the compact Fiat Toro-based 1000 and the even smaller Fiat Strada-based 700.

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Source: Mirador Automotriz via Auto Cosmos

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