Ram announces new 1500 diesel, says no to Ranger-fighting truck

Jeep will also use the 1500's V6 diesel.

During the 2019 New York auto show, Ram shed insight into how it plans -- and, significantly, doesn't plan -- to expand its line-up in the coming years.

As of writing, the 2019 1500 pickup (pictured) is only available with gasoline-powered six- and eight-cylinder engines. Autoblog learned that Ram will add a turbodiesel to the portfolio before the end of 2019. The unit in question will be a version of the 3.0-liter V6 also coming to Jeep's Wrangler and Gladiator models, so it won't be the same oil-burner currently offered in the 1500 Classic.

Jim Morrison, the head of Ram Trucks, confirmed the turbodiesel's availability in an interview with Autoblog. He stopped short of providing its output, though. In the Jeeps, the six will make 260 horsepower and 442 pound-feet of torque. Ram could tweak those figures, however.

Morrison also addressed the reports claiming Ram will resurrect the Dodge Dakota (in name or in spirit) to return to the compact pickup truck segment. New entrants like the Ford Ranger and the aforementioned Gladiator have turned many heads, so seeing Ram in the segment would make sense, but the company is not planning on entering it. Buyers who want a cheaper alternative to the 1500 are being directed to the 1500 Classic; those who want something smaller will need to shop elsewhere.

Interestingly, the five-year product plan presented by former Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) CEO Sergio Marchionne included a Ram-badged truck positioned below the 1500. The model's release was announced for 2022. It's unclear whether it has been canceled, or if it will be developed with markets outside of the United States (which Ram is largely absent from) in mind.

Photo by Drew Johnson.