How about making a new full size van?

Yeah a new fullsize van sounds like a vehicle that could be aimed at the carpenters and plumbers of America. But who know's what they are planning.

It wouldn't surprise me if it's something like their 'Ram Outdoorsman Edition.' Just slap on a few stickers and a ram box organizer for tools...BAM...'Dodge Tradesman Edition' coming to a dealer near you.

Anyway, If I had to make a guess (other than a Ram 1500 with another sticker package), I would say it's probably their replacement for the Dakota. I know the topic of a small pickup-type vehicle has been under serious consideration lately, so maybe they've already got a prototype to show off. If that's the case, it wouldn't surprise me if it's a small unibody trucklet that they are going to use to gauge customer opinion.

@Charles- the van is coming, Straight from the loins of Fiat (which is a good thing, in this case). I think NA will be getting the Doblo and Ducato, possibly the Daily instead of the Ducato. My biggest question is what the Ducato would use as a tranmission, since the MT is not an option.

Maybe its a new system that competes with fords work solution computer to track tools and parts.

My educated guess would be as others wrote above a full size van,as rumors in the Mopar world for a new van was coming,it makes the most sense.

I am holding out for a new Dodge Ram SRT truck,but that is not for plumbers ect..Just for hot rodders like myself who want to haul a$$ to the office !! I know they make the most powerful/fastest excellerating truck already (RAM R/T) but I need a quad cab truck like my SRT-10 quad cab ,I currently own.

I wonder if they'll start offering the Mid Box kit like the F-150 and Colorado have?

Maybe it will have a 110-volt power and/or compressed air sources in the bed? Come on Ram (Chrysler)...your turn to shine!

Don't tell me it will be another crew cab with a little tiny short bed that is impossible to haul anything in .

I'm loving the new Chrysler vehicles. That said, RAM has a bright future ahead, that is, if they come out with a new Dak replacement and a new full size van, then their future is much brighter. I like the Fiat Daily. Now toss in the 3.6L Pent V6 with the basic Rams and I'm going to need a pair of shades!

Can we expect any truck news from Toyota at the Chicago Auto Show?
The Tacoma is due for some upgrades, will 2012 model year be the year?

Ram will have a full size van. Ever heard of IVECO? I hope bigger new is on the way for a 1500 5.0 Diesel and a more powerful updated 6.7 for medium duty use.

Check out this commercial that aired on the Super Bowl (good stuff):

http://www.freep.com/article/20110206/ENT03/110206027/1318/business/Chrysler-ad-during-Super-Bowl-gives-goose-bumps?odyssey=mod|lateststories

I'm excited! This could be good!

Nice to see some news from the other companies.

I can't wait to hear what this is. It better have a long bed. You can cut the anticipation with a knife.

As mentioned above it will more likely be the Iveco Daily than the Fiat Ducato. The Ducato is a JV with PSA (Peugeot / Citroen) that has a GCVW of 3.5T (metric)max where as the 100% Iveco (Fiat-group) Daily can go up to 7.5T (metric) and has space for larger engines under the hood.

Ram has fallen so far behind in power ,towing, payload that they don't even compare to the competition.

@Mike Levine
Could it have anything to do with this?
http://www.allpar.com/news/index.php/2010/12/chrysler-registers-amc-tradesman

@Lou- Well said. And duly noted.

@ram man - quote"Ram has fallen so far behind in power ,towing, payload that they don't even compare to the competition."

I like to look at it from a more positive aspect - they haven't been sucked into the stupid numbers war that Ford and GM are involved in.

@ Rob - sorry. I had you mistaken for one of the "Bobsie boys".

Dodge is useless, you can't get a 1500 ext. cab with a long bed.

I went to allpar's rumor section to see if they knew what this was. All I could find was a story on Chrylser Workers Spent Breaks at Dope House.

http://www.allpar.com/forums/topic/132021-chrysler-workers-allegedly-spent-breaks-at-a-dope-house

Hmmmmmm.

@Joe
you didn't look very good

http://www.allpar.com/mopar/cummins-diesel.html

As of December 2010, the Cummins straight-six diesel was still planned for future Rams and was to be coupled to the eight-speed automatic in 2011 or 2012; expect a power boost in mid-2011.

Cummins also makes a V8 diesel, which is the most likely one to be adopted by Dodge. It should get around 18 mpg city, 23 mpg highway in the Ram 1500, producing over 250 horsepower and around 440 lb-ft of torque rpm. This is a very different engine from the B-series straight six, redlining at over 5,000 rpm, operating as quietly as a gasoline engine; it is reportedly being made for use by the military, and should appear around 2013-2014.

The fate of the 4.2 liter Cummins V6 (190 hp, over 400 lb-ft) in Dodge trucks is unknown. Fiat makes diesels in this range, but Cummins has definite drawing power.

Cummins makes Tier 4 engines in four and six cylinder versions ranging from 75 to 751 horsepower. The 75-173 horsepower range four and six cylinder QSB engines use existing 3.3, 4.5, and 6.7 liter platforms with a fully integrated air intake to exhaust after-treatment system, with cooled EGR and compact catalyst, along with a direct flow air filtration system, variable flow turbo, and efficient coalescing filter in the PCV system.

@ Joe - perhaps they will release a "crack shack" edition for its employees.
"One way" glass to obscure prying eyes and extra HVAC air filtering to get rid of the pot smoke.

passalacqua, Interesting. But I'm having a hard time wrapping my arms around the concept of a new diesel with 8 speed transmission being unveiled tomorrow and aimed at "plumbers and carpenters. " It's got to be something else.

@passalacqua
It could be the rumored 5.0L Diesel for the Ram 1500.
Auto123 seems to think so...
http://www.auto123.com/en/news/car-news/2011-chicago-auto-show-preview?artid=127678

It also could be a Fiat based van... As Auto Guide seems to think so...
http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2011/02/ram-brand-rumored-to-unveil-new-commercial-vehicle-at-chicago-auto-show.html

Or it could be a special edition like the Ram Longhorn, and the Ram Outdoorsman called the Tradesman.
As Allpar's rumor seems to suggest...
http://www.allpar.com/news/index.php/2010/12/chrysler-registers-amc-tradesman

I'm betting on any of the 3.

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