Ram ends an era with the decision to axe the Ram 1500 Classic after the 2024 model year. Model was the last remnant of Ram’s days as a member of the Dodge family and was also the last option left for truck buyers looking for a traditional V8 in their pickup purchase.
Ram has chosen to end production of the Ram 1500 Classic ending an era.
Ram’s 1500 Classic was always a value-focused model designed to appeal to buyers who wanted a truck with a V8 but preferred a vehicle that cost less than the updated model and also wanted some of the rugged character that the Classic brought to the table. The Classic was always going to be a temporary solution to a long-term problem, but buyers didn’t care, with the Classic posting strong sales numbers for Ram.
However, the bell has tolled for the Ram 1500 Classic and Ram confirmed that the truck will go out of production in 2024 as Ram and Stellantis as a whole undertakes a massive reorganization effort to address slumping demand and crumbling sales numbers.
Ram 1500 Classic is the end of an era
The Classic was not only the last Ra 1500 left with a V8 but also the last symbol of the brand’s days under the Dodge banner.
The Ram 1500 Classic dates all the way back to 2009 and when the fourth-generation Ram appeared, it was the very last truck to be sold under the Dodge brand before the decision was made to split it off from Dodge and make the truck spearhead its own brand in Stellantis’s corporate umbrella. When the fifth generation model appeared in 2019, Ram chose to keep it in production and rebranded the model as the Classic much in the same vein that GM did with some models like the N-body era Chevrolet Malibu. However, unlike other slap-dash efforts with a Classic moniker lazily applied, the Ram 1500 Classic proved to be popular with buyers especially since it undercut the Ford F-150 and the Chevrolet Silverado.
The Ram 1500 Classic was also the last remaining Ram truck in the fold to be available with the 5.7-liter Hemi V8 which was axed from the new Ram for a more fuel-efficient inline-six that promises more performance and fuel economy. The V8 has a loyal following and buyers looking for refuge from the smaller inline-six were directed to the Classic.
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Ram 1500 Classic is making room for the future
The Classic’s departure will allow Ram to make room for moe models including a growing lineup of EVs.
Ram’s decision to end Classic production is because Ram has no choice but to do so. The truck’s 15-year-old platform and V8 would have required the brand to invest large sums of money it doesn’t have into a retooling effort that ultimately would’ve generated minimal returns. These meager returns are evident when you look at the pricing differences between the 2024 Tradesman Classic and it’s 2025 counterpart with only $1500 separating the two from each other. This meager gap erodes the Classic’s value play and puts it too close for comfort to the 2025 model in terms of potential sales cannibalization.
Its exit will allow Ram to make room for more models including an expanded roster of EVs as the truck brand prepares to expand the brand’s reach into the EV market with the Ram REV 1500 and the Ramcharger model with the latter model getting a gasoline engine to help provide power to the battery when the truck is on the move.
I hope Ford is prepared for the increase in market share.