Chrysler LLC Considering New Small Pickup
In an interview with PickupTruck.com at this year’s NAIAS, Jim Press, Chrysler LLC vice chairman and president, talked about the need for a small truck in its lineup.
He said, "I think there’s an emerging market for very small, very fuel efficient trucks. Not just in America, but also worldwide."
With American mid-size pickup owners switching to crossovers – an ongoing trend, Press is aiming to other markets for the small truck. He said that in Thailand – where he reportedly has a second home – small trucks account for half of all auto sales and have a dual-use as a work pickup and family vehicle, saying “There’s an opportunity to develop future products to satisfy those needs.
Comments
Texas_Dude
Well, I'll be watching this closely. It seems like it took too long for the companies to realize this market.
Scratch
It's always been there, they all just chose to ignore it and abandoned it. It wasn't too long ago when everyone made a small pickup.
Clint
Well, he wasn't exactly going to stand up and say "The margins were a lot higher on big trucks, so we pushed all of our development dollars into those instead of less profitable small trucks. Now people can't afford to buy and run those, so we've got to make something smaller and cheaper."
With all the flak SUV owners get about driving gas guzzling giants that are bigger than they need to be, it's about time that people notice that not every family in America needs an F-150.
Russ Bellinis
Chrysler has the perfect small pick up in the Dakota. I had a Mazda pick up before I bought my first Dakota, both with a 4 cylinder engine and 5 speed overdrive stick shift. My 1989 Dakota got exactly the same fuel mileage as the Mazda, but had a much larger payload, and there was actually room for 2 people in the cab without rubbing shoulders. As far as I'm concerned, anyone who can get by with a pick up smaller than the Dakota, doesn't really need a pick up. If your need for a pick up is to haul what will fit in a small pick up bed, put a trailer hitch on your economy car and get a small utility trailer.
Walter
We need a small pickup about the size of the first Datsun (Nissan for those of you too young to remember!) pickup imported to the US. It only needs to hold two people and have a additional payload of 500 lbs. Such a truck would be a no-brainer purchase for fleet users like pest control services, meter reading, etc. and there could be a panel delivery version for the florists and so on. Once they become available the true hidden market among regular people who just need to drive around and occasionally haul small loads will emerge.
And while you're at it, how about a really efficient plug-in hybrid version? There's plenty of room under a bed for a battery pack and the truck could be front wheel drive.
The bottom line is that such a truck has to be kept simple. No double cabs, no four-wheel-drive, none of that stuff.
I'll buy one. Is that a market?
F. Frederson
Chrysler has the perfect small pick up in the Dakota.
That's not a small pickup. A new one weighs more than my 89 F-150, and is nearly as long.
Small at this point would be smaller than the Canyon, which is the smallest by size (though not weight). There is a market for these things, mostly as personal transportation - just like the 1/2 tons.
BillyBob
The perfect size IS the Ford Ranger. Still make 'em, albeit old tech, and priced HIGHER than the F-150. I've had a slew of Rangers over the years but had to replace the last one with a BIG ASS F-150 due to econonics...dumbest purchase I've ever made. I want a "small" pickup.
Texas_Dude
Russ Bellinis said: [i]"As far as I’m concerned, anyone who can get by with a pick up smaller than the Dakota, doesn’t really need a pick up."[/i]
That's absurd! You're saying every time you need to go Home Depot to pick up bags of mulch, soil, some plants, you need to connect a trailer? A trailer you have to store every time you aren't using it? I use my Frontier bed ALL THE TIME and don't need to be carrying a trailer around on the back of a Camry! I load up my ATV, have a place to put my dog and his crate, and endless things I don't want to be hooking up a trailer for.
Did I mention I live in a very rough terrain? I don't need a Camry and a trailer, I need a small truck!
jim
4 Cyl diesel, small in size similar to the Datsun, Toyota & Izuzu trucks of the 70's. Optional 4WD with a payload of 1500-1800#
But an updated Ranger would be fine.
We should not expect such a vehicle to be cheap, most likely it will need to priced similar to todays full sized half tons. Savings will be in cost of operation though in all likelihood the compact will be cheaper than the full size since the full size will be slapped with a gas mileage penalty.
66CORONET
I've hoped for a small pt pickup since the concept pt cruiser came out. Wishing they would offer two types.
One type would be FWD using the same platform / suspension & motor as the current pt cruiser with maybe a little help from airbags or shocks to self level when loaded like a Honda goldwing. Adding to the wheel base so the bed can be a useful 6.5' with a club cab design to allow storage behind the back seat and seat tilt back for large people driving.
This truck would have shared the front doors on forward with the existing pt cruiser. Sure it may not tow much (no worse than the current pt cruiser) but it could carry a fair load in the bed. Depending on tires and axel. I still see a few VW caddies and dodge rampages around. Most VW's. Of course I was hoping they would also offer the MB2.2Lcrd too.
The second type would be off the Mitsubishi triton (as sold in Australia & Thailand) (L200 in England) 4x2 platform and drive train. For those who may want to have a pt cruiser Chassis version. That way they can get a flat bed (flat bed with folding 2-3' sides) that would be good as a work truck with lawn equipment. Or maybe a u-haul box truck or mini motor home like the Toyota SR-5. Plus for the heavier 2500 they could use the Mitsubishi diesel.
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