Ram Trucks Australia has made quite an impact since introducing left-hand drive pickup trucks to the Australian market in 2016. However, Stellantis, the parent company of Ram, is now looking to take their success to the next level by exploring innovative options to boost their sales strategy. One potential game-changer on the horizon is the production of factory built right hand drive trucks for future generations, a move that would streamline their current process of shipping left-hand drive models and converting them to right-hand drive at the Walkinshaw Automotive Group facility in Melbourne, Australia.
The motivation behind Ram’s interest in pursuing factory-built right-hand-drive production is twofold. First, it is fuelled by the brand’s popularity in Australia, where it has carved out a niche for itself. Second, it aligns with the company’s global expansion aspirations. However, it’s important to note that this potential shift remains uncertain and may not materialize until the end of the decade, as emphasized by Mike Koval, the global head of Ram.
Koval explained, “Nothing has been confirmed, but if you were in my shoes and I think about growing the brand globally, I want to be able to sell everywhere. That’s just an honest statement.”
Currently, Ram offers five trim levels of the Ram 1500 in Australia, including the high-performance TRX variant, alongside the 2500 and 3500 models. Pricing for these trucks starts at $98,950 AUD ($66,088 USD at current exchange rates), while the commanding Ram 1500 TRX begins at $219,950 AUD ($146,904 USD), as reported by carexpert.com.au.
Despite the premium price tags, Ram Trucks Australia has been a resounding success since its launch in 2016. In the past year alone, the brand managed to sell over 6,000 trucks, outperforming the Chevrolet Silverado, which sold just 2,400 units in the same period.
The remarkable success has led to an expansion of their conversion facility, which has been upgraded to accommodate up to 20,000 vehicle conversions annually since October. However, the question of investing in factory right-hand drive production remains under consideration.
Koval elaborated on this point, stating, “That’s what we’re studying right now, to be honest. And probably not. It might not work. These are just ideas, whiteboard-type things. Obviously, if we were to do right-hand-drive from the factory – which I can’t do today – that might change certain things, of course.”
