What is it?
Dodge Rampage
What's special about it?
Dodge introduced its trio of new vehicles in Chicago with a dating game skit that involved a ditzy actress/contestant pretending to choose between the three vehicles based on their looks, features and whatever else she could come up with to kill some time. She eventually chose the Caliber SRT4 with NASCAR driver Kasey Kahne at the wheel, but had the announcer asked the audience which vehicle the contestant should choose, the girl would have left with the Rampage concept.
As wide as a Ram pickup, but only as long as a Dakota, the Rampage rolls on 22-inch wheels, has a Hemi V8 under the hood, and wears a big Dodge crosshair grille up front. The short, stubby nose gives way to a sharply raked windshield and a unique window line that makes the Rampage look slimmer up top than most crew-cab pickup trucks.
We asked exterior designer Scott Krugger how he came up with the Rampage's unusual look. "The Rampage was designed as a truck for people who aren't into trucks. More of a nontraditional truck buyer," he explained. He pointed out how the Rampage isn't as big as a Ram, so it's not quite as intimidating. And by stretching out the wheelbase he was able to maximize the cabin and cargo areas. "We wanted to keep the package very tight within the confines of the exterior dimensions we set," he told us.
One example of unique design, at least for a truck, can be seen in the rear doors of the Rampage. Instead of swinging open, they slide like a minivan. "It makes better use of the space," Krugger explained. "You could load stuff in a parking lot with someone right next to you without a problem." Another interesting feature is the pull-out loading ramp that sits below the bed. Combined with the very low cargo floor, the Rampage would be ideal for transporting dirt bikes and ATVs.
Off-road motorcycles not only played a role in the design of the bed, they inspired the look of the interior, too. Irina Zavatski, the product designer who developed the interior, mentioned dirt bikes as one of the many design influences for the look of the cabin. "I wanted a very functional look for the instrument panel and center console versus a more sculpted look for the nonfunctional areas like the dashboard. They're blended together by using the same overall shape," she pointed out. The movable center stack was another innovative idea Irina added since, as she said, "it only makes sense that the passenger would want to use the navigation system when the vehicle is moving. This way they could do it without distracting the driver."
Irina showed us one more functional feature that we've definitely never seen before. Not only does the front-passenger seat fold flat, it's a Stow 'n Go seat just like the Dodge Caravan's. That means it can be folded all the way into the floor. Same goes for the split rear bench seat. There's also a Midgate that opens up to the bed giving the Rampage the cargo capacity of a full-size truck when everything is folded into the floor.
What's Edmunds' Take?
Functional ideas wrapped into a good-looking package that's not too pie-in-the-sky. We wish more concepts were like the Rampage. — Ed Hellwig
Dodge Rampage
What's special about it?
Dodge introduced its trio of new vehicles in Chicago with a dating game skit that involved a ditzy actress/contestant pretending to choose between the three vehicles based on their looks, features and whatever else she could come up with to kill some time. She eventually chose the Caliber SRT4 with NASCAR driver Kasey Kahne at the wheel, but had the announcer asked the audience which vehicle the contestant should choose, the girl would have left with the Rampage concept.
As wide as a Ram pickup, but only as long as a Dakota, the Rampage rolls on 22-inch wheels, has a Hemi V8 under the hood, and wears a big Dodge crosshair grille up front. The short, stubby nose gives way to a sharply raked windshield and a unique window line that makes the Rampage look slimmer up top than most crew-cab pickup trucks.
We asked exterior designer Scott Krugger how he came up with the Rampage's unusual look. "The Rampage was designed as a truck for people who aren't into trucks. More of a nontraditional truck buyer," he explained. He pointed out how the Rampage isn't as big as a Ram, so it's not quite as intimidating. And by stretching out the wheelbase he was able to maximize the cabin and cargo areas. "We wanted to keep the package very tight within the confines of the exterior dimensions we set," he told us.
One example of unique design, at least for a truck, can be seen in the rear doors of the Rampage. Instead of swinging open, they slide like a minivan. "It makes better use of the space," Krugger explained. "You could load stuff in a parking lot with someone right next to you without a problem." Another interesting feature is the pull-out loading ramp that sits below the bed. Combined with the very low cargo floor, the Rampage would be ideal for transporting dirt bikes and ATVs.
Off-road motorcycles not only played a role in the design of the bed, they inspired the look of the interior, too. Irina Zavatski, the product designer who developed the interior, mentioned dirt bikes as one of the many design influences for the look of the cabin. "I wanted a very functional look for the instrument panel and center console versus a more sculpted look for the nonfunctional areas like the dashboard. They're blended together by using the same overall shape," she pointed out. The movable center stack was another innovative idea Irina added since, as she said, "it only makes sense that the passenger would want to use the navigation system when the vehicle is moving. This way they could do it without distracting the driver."
Irina showed us one more functional feature that we've definitely never seen before. Not only does the front-passenger seat fold flat, it's a Stow 'n Go seat just like the Dodge Caravan's. That means it can be folded all the way into the floor. Same goes for the split rear bench seat. There's also a Midgate that opens up to the bed giving the Rampage the cargo capacity of a full-size truck when everything is folded into the floor.
What's Edmunds' Take?
Functional ideas wrapped into a good-looking package that's not too pie-in-the-sky. We wish more concepts were like the Rampage. — Ed Hellwig
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