Ram Endures Brutal Criticism From Its Own CEO

Image via Stellantis

The latest person to criticize the Ram brand is Tim Kuniskis, the new CEO, as he tell the truth about the brand’s current state. Known for not mincing words, as well as his love of expensive canvas shoes, Kuniskis shocked many when he said Ram isn’t a “real” truck brand.

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Under Fiat Chrysler and now Stellantis, Ram has made some good and poor decisions. While the TRX has been a boon for the brand as a halo model, and there are some nice features in different models, Kuniskis still isn’t happy.

The man recently revealed the Hemi V8 is returning to the model lineup, which has excited much of the customer base. Ram even released an apology video featuring Kuniskis saying the company did wrong and is working hard to regain trust.

But Kuniskis has an even bigger bone to pick with the brand he’s tasked with turning around. He wants it to be competitive against Toyota.

That might seem ridiculous considering the Ram 1500 absolutely clobbers the Toyota Tundra in sales each and every month. Why would Kuniskis be envious of that?

He isn’t. Instead, the man has his eye on the Tacoma’s dominance of the midsize truck market. After all, the Japanese automaker is the 800-pound gorilla in that space and appeals to shoppers who want a more budget-friendly pickup.

With the Ram Classic gone, Kuniskis knows his brand needs to offer something more affordable. It seems that means the rumors about a midsize truck, possibly called the Dakota, is in fact in the works right now.

Image via Stellantis
Image via Stellantis

What’s more, the rumors about Ram bringing the compact Rampage truck from Brazil to the US might even be true. In an interview with Road & Track, Kuniskis made reference to both market segments, lamenting Ram doesn’t have much below the $55,000 mark at the moment.

Considering a “flurry” of product reveals are on the way, we might see both a midsize and compact truck offering from Ram before long. Wouldn’t that be something?

Images via Stellantis

By Steven Symes

Steven Symes is an accomplished automotive journalist with a passion for all things related to cars. His extensive knowledge and love for the automotive world shine through in his writing, which covers a diverse range of topics.

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