THE HISTORY OF RAM TRUCKS, AS TOLD BY FCA: VIDEO

The pickup truck is the quintessential staple of the American auto industry. A vehicle as synonymous with the United States as any other cultural icon, the pickup truck has a long and storied history. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles recently took to their YouTube Channel to give us all a breakdown of the evolution of Ram trucks.

For decades, the pickup truck would follow in the footsteps of their early ancestors. A truck was a vehicle made for carrying large amounts of stuff from place to place. They weren’t vehicles that were designed as transportation for families, nor did they place any real emphasis on comfort. From the first Dodge pickup in 1917, to the much-loved Power Wagon in the 1940s, this remained the unchanging basis for the pickup truck segment.

Even the Dodge D100 of the 1960’s was a rather difficult vehicle to live with, even if it was tremendously capable on the farm or job site. Things started to shift a bit in the 1970’s and 1980’s, when trucks started to feature the larger engines and simply appointed interiors we’re accustomed to today. However, the pickup truck as we know it today didn’t really arrive until the 1990s.

The Gen 2 Ram trucks helped to revolutionize the segment when it launched in 1994, offering killer styling and more emphasis on making the vehicle livable. The cab size increased, and the interior trimmings took another step forward. Pickup trucks weren’t just for those who needed one for work anymore, but rather they became a viable option for more buyers. This trend continued with the debut of the Gen 3 truck, which cut against the traditional grain even further and reduced bed capacity in favor of interior space.

The Ram trucks of today is a vehicle that is as comfortable in a mall parking lot as it is on the farm, and more likely found in the former. Jam packed with technology and genuine capability, they’ve truly become a do-it-all vehicle. Pickup trucks are some of the best selling vehicles in the United States today, which would likely not be the case if they were not so well rounded.