Chrysler Believes Small Truck Could Make Comeback

While a lot of manufacturers have now abandoned small to mid sized market of truck, some believe that there’s unfilled niche for more fuel-efficient, smaller truck. One report from the Internet says that Chrysler’s VP or vice president of the product planning known as Joe Veltri sees that the segment of small truck is under-served market which has potential for being goldmine of sales.

Veltri says that the small & mid sized trucks used for outselling the full sized counter parts as late as 1980s & that there are 2 large groups of potential customer: big number of millennial which are enthusiasts of out door recreational & current boomer full sized owners of truck which will look for down sizing. He cites the concerns of consumer & interest for better economy of fuel as the factors which might drive the customers towards the smaller trucks.

Even before mid sized model of Dakota had gone out of production in the time of August 2011, Chrysler did show some small to the midsized concepts of trucks including Dodge M80, Jeep Gladiator, Dodge Rampage, that is based loosely on Wrangler SUV. The Mopar accessories of Chrysler is a division which offers kit of conversion for turning Wrangler Unlimited in to pick up.

While small & the midsized trucks from the times of 1980s and 1990s got body frame designs that were scaled down just like the full sized brethren, says Veltri future smaller pick up will be unibody for meeting future economy of fuel standards along with the changing needs and tastes of the consumer which doesn’t dictate capabilities of full body chassis on frame.

Right now, Toyota has big share of mid sized market of truck along with Tacoma which had sold more than 100k units for the year 2011 and the sales trending more than 2012. Sales VP or vice president at Toyota Motor Sales, says that exit of few of the competitors from market (especially Ford Ranger) created opportunity for expanding share of market & that this truck has also appealed to the customers who are looking for a fuel economy that is higher. However, the full sized trucks have closed gap of fuel economy very much with optional Ford F-150 EcoBoost V6 giving almost same figures of fuel economy as V-6 Tacoma. Chevrolet Silverado SFE offers fuel economy that is competitive along with power of V-8.