Say hello to the all-new Ram 700 small unibody pickup, a rebadged second-generation Fiat Strada that will be sold in 14 Latin American markets, including Mexico. Based on the Fiat Strada launched in April this year in Brazil and Argentina (where the Fiat brand is more popular), the 2021 Ram 700 is a classic case of badge engineering. It looks exactly like the Fiat inside and out, bar the badging and Ram-specific front grille.
As with the Strada, the new Ram 700 will
be available in two body styles, single cab and double cab. In Mexico, the
small pickup will offer three trim levels: the base SLT (available both as a
regular cab or double cab), the mid-range Big Horn, and the range-topping
Laramie. The Bighorn and Laramie will be offered exclusively as double cabs.
Inside, the Ram 700 looks identical with
the Fiat Strada except the Ram badge in the center of the steering wheel.
Depending on the trim level, the 2021 Ram 700 is equipped with a 7-inch touch
screen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
connectivity, LED headlights, speed limiter, backup camera, tire pressure
monitoring system, and more. From a practicality standpoint, the
second-generation Ram 700 can haul a payload of up to 750 kg and tow
up to 400 kg. The bed’s cargo volume varies between 691 liters in double cab guise and 1,143 liters for the regular cab
model.
As with the Fiat Strada, the SLT and Big
Horn models are powered by a 1.4-liter Fire Evo gasoline engine rated at 84 HP at 5,750 rpm and 118 Nm at 3,500 rpm. The Ram 700 Laramie
gets the more powerful 1.3-liter Firefly turbocharged engine that makes 98 HP and 128 Nm of torque. A five-speed manual gearbox and front-wheel
drive are standard on all models; there’s no available AWD system.
The new Ram 700 goes on sale across Latin
America from November, with deliveries expected to begin in the first quarter
of 2021. The small pickup will be built alongside its Fiat twin at FCA’s plant
in Betim, Brazil.
