brihvac

With GM and Ram design changes in 2019 I sure hope the F150 will change to keep up.
https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/2...165000824.html
I know they are bringing back the Ranger which is great since the Colorado is really taking off. The tech on the new Ram looks great. Body style is not bad except for the emblem on the hood. It also looks like they finally went to 6 lug wheels.
https://www.autoblog.com/2018/01/15/...#slide-7211372
I was also surprised that the Bronco was not introduced with the Ranger. Sure hope the Bronco happens. I will definitely get one to go along with the F150

idrive

iTrader: (3)

If they don't "step up" quickly the new Ram is going to take a bigger piece of the pie. (I can't believe I just said that). The 2019 Ram does indeed look good with a ton of new tech, and safety. The new gen GM is nothing but a rehash made to be ugly with nothing more than a different tailgate. Of the big three they (GM) are going to be left behind.

Ford had best step up quickly. For the first time ever I'll be looking at the Ram when I buy a new truck next year.

Lenn

I will say, the new Ram isn't terrible looking but at the end of the day, it's still an FCA product... and we know how well that's gone historically. They can't keep reliability/dependability ratings up. I think they'll see a HUGE spike in sales in the first model year from the brand loyalists, but after that, they'll be meddling at the back of the pack again.

GM? I can't believe someone approved that design. I guess to some eyes, it looks good. I see their sales surging slightly, but their current product is new enough that not many GM guys will jump ship from their newly updated 2015+ trucks. Other than the "me, too!" diesel option that's been all but confirmed, there's nothing revolutionary there.

Honestly, the brand I want to see something good from is Toyota. That Tundra has potential to be a great seller but Toyota just can't bring themselves to do a ground up redesign. Now THAT would be a hit to the F150 sales.

idrive

iTrader: (3)

Something else that I think will help Ram. They have said they plan on moving production to the US (unlike GM) from Mexico over the next couple of years.

IMO that's definitely worth a couple of more sales and hopefully a better product?

WXman

My Rams were the most reliable trucks I've ever owned. Don't know why they have a bad rep.

The new GM trucks are horrible. Looks like the front of a greyhound bus.

Ford still has the 470 lbs/ft gas engine option, a diesel option, and the most bad *** V8 option...so why step it up? They are still the king.

brihvac

I had a few Ram's and the best thing I liked about them is how deep of a discount you got on them. I always bought when the new year models came out. Meaning I would buy a "leftover" even though it was that years model. I have always got at LEAST $12K off sticker and once I got $15K off. I liked them. Rode good, and that 5.7 Hemi was quicker than any EB or 5.0 I have been in.

Blue2016XL

Ford won't be king if they sit on their butts and let the competition bypass them. Maybe Chevy would be giving them a run for king if they haven't been sitting on their design for the last 10 or more years. Want to stay king? Gotta stay ahead.

gone postal

FoMoCo isn't going to change their product development plans based on the competition unless there's something truly revolutionary from a competitor (dodge with the minivan) or they launch something which truly flops (like the Honda Civic which was QUICKLY redesigned)

They plan in years, they know what the competition is doing, and given the cost of a change in a production line, have their product plans worked out years in advance.

Jeepcritter

I don't think Ram gets the bad rap so much as it's parent company. FCA just has a lot of quality issues and reliability issues.

I looked at both the new Ram and GM and don't like either one. GM just looks odd, especially the profile, and someone they took crappy looking square fenders and made them not any better looking in rounded form. The Ram - I just think the headlights are too short top to bottom, and they dropped the cross-hairs grille which is sort of iconic. The interior is nicely upgraded though.

CityHunter

I'm impressed with what I've seen of the new Ram. That rear reclining seat design is a really nice feature, and the interior redesign looks great overall. The exterior changes are growing on me --much improved over the current gen Ram, but still not as sharp as the F150, imo. If they earn top safety ratings and see their EPA numbers come up as a result of the new etorque system, then this will make for a fairly formidable competitor to the F150.