RAM 1000 Reviews

An elaborate EV battery fire safety measure is in the works. Stellantis, owner of Alfa Romero, Jeep, Ram and more, has filed a patent for a system that can eject a car’s high-voltage battery during an emergency. The car would then use a small 12-volt battery to allow the vehicle to drive just far enough away from the ejected battery. Stellantis’ new patent filed in the United States is called the “High-Voltage Battery Quick Release System For Vehicle”. Someone must manually activate the quick-release switch or lever located in the cabin or in the boot for the system to activate. This will disconnect the high-voltage battery and decouple it from the vehicle, but it’s unclear exactly how this will happen. There looks to be a sliding-frame mechanism and a small explosion (“pyrotechnic features”) to free the battery and drop it onto the surface below.  The system could be used in situations where there is a fire risk or an otherwise dangerously-damaged battery after a crash.  Once the main battery pack has detached from the car, a 12-volt battery will power the wheels to move the car just far enough away from the damaged battery.  It’s expected this system could be fitted to any vehicle, but there is no official news on whether Stellantis is actually planning to use it. EV battery fires are rare, but self-sustaining thermal runaway causes cells to ignite sequentially, making them difficult to extinguish and very dangerous. In September 2025, Chery showed off its iCar 03T SUV with a mechanism that shot the battery out to the side of the car. The system copped heavy criticism online from users, who pointed out the potential consequences for other road users hit by the fast-moving and heavy battery.  Stellantis’ system does not appear to shoot out of the car at the same speed, rather it just drops onto the floor, but this could still be problematic for any cars travelling behind. 

Ram Australia was very keen, only a couple of years ago, to show us just how good its inline six-cylinder replacement for the Hemi V8 was. But now, having established the new engine's credentials, Ram has brought the V8 out of retirement. It now measures 6.4 litres and is seen only in the, bigger, 2500 version of the Ram pick-up. But has nostalgia talked Ram into a backward step?

Australian V8 vans rejoice, Ram has confirmed the V8 Hemi-powered 2500 Warlock for Australia. This follows the brand locking in the 6.2-litre supercharged V8-powered 1500 TRX last month. The 6.4-litre Hemi V8 petrol finds its way into the off-road focused 2500 Warlock, which will sit alongside the diesel-powered 2500 Heavy Duty. Ram said deliveries of the 2500 Warlock will commence in October. Ram Australia boss Jeff Barber said Australian customers were screaming for the V8 Hemi to come back, and it would complement the diesel-powered Heavy Duty utes perfectly. “We had also been exploring the option of an off-road inspired Ram 2500 Heavy Duty model for some time, so the Warlock was the perfect opportunity to bring the Hemi V8 back and deliver customers a broader choice. “So when we were assessing the suitability of the Warlock for our market, we decided to go all in and bring the HEMI V8 back with it,” he said. The naturally-aspirated 6.4-litre V8 makes 306kW and 582Nm, and is matched to an eight-speed auto with high and low gearing. The 2500 Warlock can tow up to 6700kg, but will need a 'goose neck' accessory and air brakes to manage the load that big. It is rated to tow 3500kg with a 50mm tow ball and 4500kg with a bigger 70mm tow ball. The 2500 Warlock has a payload of up to 1275kg and a Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) of 4495kg. The 2500 Warlock has a 117-litre fuel tank. Ram isn’t required to provide a fuel use figure, because the vehicle’s GVM exceeds 3500kg exempting it from Australian Design Rules requiring fuel use testing. Overseas reports put it at between 15 and 20 litres per 100km, but if you are concerned about fuel use this probably isn’t the vehicle for you. The 2500 Warlock kicks off at $157,950, before on-road costs, which is about $15,000 cheaper than the diesel-powered 2500. It is also about $10,000 cheaper than the diesel-powered Chevrolet Silverado 2500. It has plenty of standard kit, including: Black front fascia and headlight surrounds Black front and rear bumpers Black fender flares Black side steps Black mirror scalps Warlock decals 20-inch alloys wheels (up from 18-inch on Laramie) All-terrain tyres (285/60/20) versus highway terrain tyres on Laramie Bilstein off-road shock absorbers Coil spring rear suspension LED headlights Spray-in bedliner 12-inch multimedia screen Six-seats (centre console when middle front seat not in use) Ram Australia only covers its vehicles with a three year/100,000km warranty, which is well below the industry average of five years./unlimited km. Service intervals are every 12 months or 12,000km, whichever comes first. The 2500 is a big unit and underground carparks will be a nightmare, with it measuring 6066mm long, 2220 wide (excluding mirrors), 2043mm tall and wheelbase of 3785mm. Ram said it has a turning circle of 14.6 metres and kerb weight of 3220kg. It has a healthy approach and departure angles of 22.9 and 25.8 degrees, respectively. The ramp over angle is 22 degrees.

Ram Trucks Australia has confirmed the return of the 1500 TRX muscle truck to the local market, this time around in SRT form, powered by an “uprated” 580kW (777hp) version of the 6.2-litre supercharged Hemi V8. Due to hit local showrooms in the first half of 2027, Ram said initial production allocations of the Ram 1500 TRX SRT will be limited, at the same time confirming “several hundred customers” in Australia attempted to place pre-orders on hearing the news in January this year that the performance pick-up was returning to the US market. Ram said technical specs and standard features for the MY27 Ram 1500 TRX SRT will be announced closer to local showroom arrivals. For reference, in US-spec this beast sends 580kW (+57kW) and 922Nm (+40Nm) to all four wheels via an eight-speed auto transmission, complete with sequential manual shifting. 0-100km/h in 3.6 seconds With the help of launch control the 3.0-tonne-plus beast storms from 0-60mph in a claimed 3.5 seconds, which would translate to 0-100km/h in a jaw-dropping 3.6 seconds. The Bilstein Black Hawk e2 shock absorber system is also onboard to “continuously adapt to speed, throttle position, braking, torque, steering angle and more”. Initially arriving here in mid-2022, close to 1000 examples of the first-generation Ram 1500 TRX were sold in Australia and New Zealand, finishing with a 130-unit Final Edition in 2025. Revived by Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis The Ram 1500 TRX SRT was revived by Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis for the North American market in the context of a broader change in business focus for the brand’s parent company, Stellantis. A renewed emphasis on North America is a clear rebalancing of the corporate scales by Stellantis Group CEO Antonio Filosa, with former chief Carlos Tavares widely perceived to have favoured the group’s European brands including Alfa Romeo, Citroen, Fiat, Opel and Peugeot, with his successor Filosa now leaning into its US nameplates - Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram. In fact, Kuniskis is on the record with the goal of making Ram “number two in trucks” in the USA by the end of the decade. Ram Trucks Australia said it has been working closely with Ram Trucks USA to secure the updated TRX for Australia and New Zealand since its North American return was confirmed. Passion for the TRX in Australia Ram Trucks Australia General Manager Jeff Barber said, “We know there is a lot of passion for the TRX in Australia, which is why we have worked hard to secure production out of the US for our market. “Supply of the new TRX will initially be restricted because demand is off the charts in the US, however the factory has been incredibly supportive of the Australian market and we are pleased to confirm the TRX is coming back,” he said. Pricing is confirmed with a 15 per cent increase over the previous standard model, which was pitched at $224,950, before on-road costs (Final Edition $249,950, BOC). Ram 1500 TRX SRT (MY27) pricing Available colours are:  Bright White Diamond Black Forged Blue Molten Red Serrano Green Spitfire Orange  

Stellantis has had a rough trot. The European-American conglomerate is the parent company of big names such as Jeep, Ram, Fiat, Peugeot, Citroen, Opel and more, and it hasn't been doing too well of late. In 2025 it posted a loss of more than €22 billion (about $36B), which was the worst performance to date for the company. Now it has posted two straight quarters of profit. In the past quarter it switched from a $3B loss from the previous year to $465 million into the black this year. A huge turnaround that shows Stellantis is having the last laugh. It’s not a new type of car, EV or hi-tech alternative, it’s just big utes. “The Ram 1500 was a key driver of both volume growth and profitability in the quarter, with strong demand for the reintroduction of the legendary Hemi V8 engine,” said Stellantis boss Antoino Filosa, according to Autonews. It is not only success by utes, but big, high-polluting and powerful utes. “Building on that momentum, we are now shipping the highly-profitable Ram 1500 TRX SRT to customers, just six months after its unveiling. This is the first off-road product from our SRT performance division, which we relaunched only one year ago,” said Filosa. The brand is focusing on the Jeep, Ram, Peugeot and Fiat brands, with a renewed focus on the US market. It is also deprioritising electric vehicles and pouring resources into hybrids and petrol cars. Stellantis’ success doesn’t stretch to Australia. Not a single brand in its portfolio has posted positive growth in the first six months of this year. In fact, two brands have stopped importing cars altogether, which could be a precursor to them waving goodbye to Australia for the foreseeable future. Peugeot’s importer Inchcape handed back the keys to the selling rights earlier this year, with no takers so far to continue selling the vehicles. Fiat, which is controlled by Stellantis Australia, has stopped importing its passenger cars with no confirmation if it will restart in the near future. It is understood this isn't the end for Fiat cars in Australia, but a break to work out the models in its line-up that would best suit the local market. “As part of Stellantis Australia's ongoing portfolio and product planning process, the availability of specific models can vary over time as we assess market demand and future product opportunities. We remain focused on ensuring the vehicles we bring to Australia meet customers’ expectations,” said a company spokesperson.  Ram sales are down slightly, but Ram Australia doesn't sell the V8-powered models. Not yet, at least. Alfa Romeo sales are down 50 per cent this year. Jeep is down almost 70 per cent. The once high-selling US brand only sold 26 vehicles in June. Its range has shrunk massively in the past few years. Citroen, another Stellantis brand, also left the country in 2024.

Since the day the first Ram Truck arrived in Australia it feels like there has been a growing chorus of people looking to get US-style pickups (or utes, as we call them) banned. Some have argued they are simply too big for Australian roads, but the primary reason for this has been safety. ANCAP in particular has taken an interest in US utes, creating a specific testing program to assess the merits of the Active Driver Safety Assistance (ADAS) systems of the likes of the Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado, Ram 1500, Toyota Tundra and Toyota LandCruiser 79 Series. The concern from ANCAP and other anti-American ute campaigners is that these bigger vehicles create a more dangerous environment for pedestrians and cyclists. But I find this argument a bit strange and, frankly, the entire movement against these types of vehicles potentially opens up the question of mandating what people can and can’t drive - which is very problematic in my personal opinion. Now, don’t get me wrong, I would not like a Tundra to crash into me crossing the street. But I also wouldn’t want a Toyota Yaris to run over me either. I’m sure the Tundra might do a bit more damage, but I feel like any impact between car and pedestrian is going to leave the pedestrian worse off. But the last time I checked our roads were filled with light trucks, like the Fuso Canter, Iveco Daily and Hino 300 Series as well as the odd heavy truck and the occasional bus (sarcasm intended). Obviously there is a difference between a bus and a pickup truck in terms of its role within society, but simply saying one is a danger to our roads while ignoring the other is disingenuous, at best. Why is it ok for someone to drive a Canter for their delivery business but not drive an F-150 for a weekend away camping when they have to tow a large caravan. Or why are we ok with someone driving a Hino in the city but not a Tundra pulling a horse float. To be fully transparent, I don’t really like these types of utes. I don’t think they make a lot of sense if you live in a major city. My brother used to live in Oklahoma and every driveway had some sort of Tundra/Silverado/1500/F-150 and they made perfect sense there. The roads are nice and wide and every shop has US-sized parking lots, and very few are multi-storey parking either. I am the definition of a ‘city-slicker’, I've spent my entire life in the city and suburbs of Sydney and Melbourne, and I have no caravan, horse float or similar that requires towing, so the idea of trying to live with such a big ute makes no sense to me. When I have tested these utes, even living with them for a week is challenging, because they simply do not fit everywhere. I find myself googling the maximum height of every car park I plan on visiting - and they don’t always fit. But while they aren’t for me, I find the very idea of banning or even campaigning against a car because it doesn’t suit your personal lifestyle a dangerous path to tread. Obviously the government needs to dictate certain safety requirements, but I don’t think many of us want the government saying what size of car we are allowed to drive. Because by that logic, and the argument that US utes are more dangerous than Australian-sized ones, then SUVs should be a major focus of safety groups. The modern SUV is designed for urban use, not going off-road like the original concept.  A Toyota Yaris does the exact same job as a Yaris Cross but is taller and therefore, arguably, not as safe for pedestrians. Something like a BMW X5 is obviously taller and has a bigger frontal area than a 5-Series sedan. So why aren’t we banning urban-focused SUVs? Because nobody wants to be told what they can and can’t drive, it leads us down a slippery slope of government over-regulation and ultimately denies us choice depending on our lifestyle and needs. So before you throw stones at a US-sized ute, take a look at what’s in your driveway…

If you were considering a new American ute from one of the brands doing factory-backed conversions here in Australia, you might be about to save yourself some money. This is the new Ram 1500 Express Black Edition, and the brand reckons it’s so affordable people might even consider it over a top-end mid-size ute. If you’re in the market for a proper big ute and you want to spend less than $110,000 before on-roads, this is your only factory-backed option. But not by much, in fact it sneaks in by just $50. The Ford F-150 XLT is $5000 more expensive before you jump twenty grand to the Chevy Silverado. But there is a decent list of features given you’re still paying six-figures for what would be a work ute in the US. There’s LED headlights and fog lights, 20-inch wheels, spray-in bed liner for the tub, and the ‘Power Bulge’ sports bonnet. Inside, an 8.4-inch touchscreen is smaller than you get in the rest of the line-up, as is the 7.0-inch driver display. Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and a six-speaker sound system keep entertainment covered, and there’s cloth seats, unlike other variants. An electric rear window, damped tailgate, remote start, and a decent set of safety kit including collision alert, auto emergency braking (AEB), rear cross-traffic alert and lane-keep aid ensure the 1500 Express feels current decade. No prizes for guessing what colour a lot of the trim on the Black Edition is. The grille, the badges, the exhaust tips, the wheel covers, even the body paint. You can get the Express Black Edition in red, white, or blue - very American - as well as grey, silver, and of course black. It doesn’t look much like a base model from the outside, especially with the aforementioned ‘Power Bulge’ bonnet. But a little giveaway is the plastic covers on the 20-inch alloys, which are actually alloy wheels but the covers are there for the looks. Another giveaway is the cloth trim inside. That and the smaller screens are pretty noticeable compared to other variants of the Ram 1500. That’s not to say it looks ‘cheap’, especially when I couldn’t reach the passenger door from the driver’s seat even if I wanted to. The central storage bin and additional trays for storage means it's less cupholder and more ‘mealholder’. It really is an interior so spacious the European mind could not comprehend. Even if the screens aren’t as big as other variants, the tech is straightforward and phone mirroring means not having to mess around if you prefer your own apps and settings. The more basic driver display is probably preferable for people who don't want big screens everywhere. Also, the more old-school, manually adjustable seats are comfortable and finding a seating position is easy. The cloth itself is also preferable to leather when it gets hot. The rear seats are similarly very comfortable and there’s no shortage of space, plus if you need more room than the tub will afford you there’s the option of folding up the rear seats for some interior space. At the back, there’s even a little kick-down step for easier access to the tub if you need to reach the tie-down points or grab something out without climbing in. The Ram 1500 also retains its 4.5-tonne towing capacity with the Hurricane engine as long as you use a 70mm towball, and the engine itself feels like it’s certainly up to the task. It’s a 3.0-litre twin-turbo inline-six unit that makes 313kW and 635Nm, sent through its eight-speed torque converter auto to the rears, or all four wheels if you engage the part-time 4WD. It comes with a fuel consumption claim of 10.7L/100km from Ram, and on our short test loop we averaged 12L according to the computer. The new engine is also more powerful and torquier than the 5.7-litre V8 it replaces (291kW/556Nm) and, while there is just something ‘correct’ about the sound of the Hemi V8 as you put your foot down in previous 1500s, the six is no slouch. There's little lag from its turbochargers and the eight-speed gets to work quickly making the most of its ratios, while the power and torque on tap is enough to grant 100km/h in what feels like about six seconds. In terms of steering and cornering, the Ram 1500 doesn't quite feel its size and weight, and holds relatively flat around bends for something at 2.5 tonnes. There's no massive dead spot in its steering, and while it's relatively light it doesn't entirely lack feel or accuracy. Even its brakes do a pretty good job of pulling the giant ute up if you find yourself needing to avoid disaster. On that, it’s got six airbags for passengers but it’s also worth noting that, as a light-commercial vehicle, the 1500’s ANCAP rating is ‘gold’ rather than a star rating, denoting 70 per cent performance. When it comes to safety, ANCAP ranks it higher than the Toyota Tundra and Chevrolet Silverado. There’s a three-year, 100,000km warranty but no capped-price servicing, with intervals every 12 months or 12,000km. It’s not only a bit behind the industry standard there, but also rivals like the Ford F-150 and the Tundra that beat it with five-year warranties.

Ram Australia has confirmed it is working hard behind the scenes to return Hemi V8 utes to its showrooms. While the V8 has made a triumphant return in the States, MY26 Ram 1500s in Australia are powered by a twin-turbo 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder ‘Hurricane’ engine, albeit more powerful and more torquey than the Hemi it replaces. But even though the new engine has become more popular than the V8 in the big ute’s home market, Ram Australia is aiming to bring the option of a V8 back in the form of a fire-breathing top-spec performance variant - the Ram 1500 TRX SRT. “Earlier this year, Ram Trucks USA confirmed the return of the Ram TRX,” Ram Trucks Australia spokesperson Joshua Dowling said.  “We said at the time the reborn TRX is under serious consideration for Australia, and that statement remains true today.  “What we can tell you is that the TRX is more likely to come to Australia than not, but we still have a number of engineering gateways to go through, unlike the grey import market.” One of the reasons American utes are so much more expensive than they are in the US is the remanufacturing process, which is also the reason there’s a delay between the model cycle there and here in Australia. The extreme likelihood of the TRX returning to Australia is only dampened slightly by the small potential for an engineering ‘hurdle’ to deem the project too expensive, but it seems almost certain that it’ll happen. In fact, despite the lack of full confirmation the TRX will launch in Australia, Dowling said there are customers who have placed deposits in the event the supercharged V8 ute returns to Oz. Revived by new Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis, the new generation of TRX boasts a 6.2-litre supercharged ‘Hemi’ V8 under the bonnet, producing 579kW and 922Nm and making the full-sized ‘truck’ capable of a claimed 0-100km/h sprint in just 3.5 seconds. The TRX most recently available in Australia offered up 523kW and 882Nm, by comparison. Order books opened this week in the US for the 2027 TRX SRT, starting from USD$99,995 (A$145,000), so Australians can be expected to pay plenty more once reengineering has taken place. For reference, the last-gen TRX Final Edition (with 523kW and 882Nm) was priced from $249,950 in Australia a year ago. “Our vehicles are made to factory quality standards and, in order to be thorough, that process takes time,” Dowling added. “So we ask our TRX fans, please be patient… and we hope you won't be waiting too long.  “We can confirm we are working around the clock with our engineering team in Australia and with engineers in the US to make the return of TRX a reality.” In further promising news for V8 fans, the even more wicked-looking Ram 1500 Rumble Bee SRT is also a chance for Australia. “The recently unveiled Ram 1500 Rumblebee muscle truck is also on our wish list. If it were to come to Australia, it would come after the TRX because of the engineering work required… but if everything goes our way, it won't be far behind.” In its top-end specification, the Rumble Bee SRT has the same supercharged Hemi V8 as the TRX with the same 579kW/922Nm, but a ‘standard’ Rumble Bee with a 5.7-litre Hemi V8 with 295kW/556Nm is also available, as is a Rumble Bee 392 with a 350kW/617Nm 6.4-litre Hemi V8. Ram Australia didn’t indicate which version is at the top of the wishlist.

One of the biggest car makers in the world has reportedly forked out billions in warranty claims over the past year.  Stellantis, parent company of brands like Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Peugeot and Jeep has paid out the equivalent of more than $10 billion in global warranty expenses for the 2025/26 financial year.  This tough reliability run has seen Stellantis begin a complete reset of its processes to get on track.  The big news out of this reset is that the brand will launch its first model riding on its new STLA One platform next year.  The brand said the platform will underpin up to 30 new vehicles in the small and mid-size SUV categories.  This will equate to more than two million sales annually by the time 2035 comes around.  Stellantis also said it is targeting improvements to quality even before this new platform gets underway.  “If we do the right things earlier in the program, that means that when we get closer to launch we’ll have fewer problems,” Stellantis propulsion systems testing and analysis lead Mark Christie told Auto News.   “The product life target for powertrain components is 10 years and 150,000 miles (about 240,00km).” The brand is plotting the launch of 23 new and updated models in the next four years across its portfolio.  It has been a turbulent time for Stellantis in recent years with the departure of Chief Executive Officer Carlos Tavares and subsequent appointment of Antonio Filosa. The brand reported a $37 billion net loss earlier this year. Reports indicate focus will shift to Fiat, Jeep, Peugeot and Ram, but other brands in the group will benefit from the technology acquired. Peugeot recently unveiled its all-new E-208 GTI fully-electric hot hatch in what will be an early test for Stellantis' change of direction.  

Not all utes are created equal, with some better suited to the city and some destined for the wild, but all are suited to a life of hard work. A monocoque chassis based ute, which uses the same underpinnings as an SUV or sedan, delivers more responsive and comfortable driving dynamics and can carry a load, but aren't suited to heavy off-roading. The iconic Ford Falcon and Holden Commodore utes are prime examples. A ladder framed ute, which underpins the utes of choices these days such as the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux, are better suited to off-roading and hard work, but can be a chore to drive around town. These utes have become the predominant ute on sale in Australia, but over in the US conventional car/SUV-based utes are thriving. Ford has shown just how popular these vehicles can be with its Maverick SUV and it has got other brands dreaming up competitors. Australia could be the perfect target market for these lifestyle-focused vehicles. They also open the door to more electric or hybrid options. KGM's electric Musso is one example of a monocoque ute already here, but let's look at some of the ones that could be on the way next. Ford Maverick The Maverick has proved so successful in the US, it even outsells the bigger Ranger ute, which has dominated the Aussie sales charts for years. It sits on the same platform as Ford’s Escape SUV, which left Aussie showrooms a few years ago.  It is powered by a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and hybrid set-up, producing 142kW, while there is also a slightly more powerful 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine option. There remains limited prospects of the Maverick’s arrival in Australia, with its huge popularity causing a backlog of orders, meaning there is insufficient supply to launch it globally. Toyota RAV4-based ute Toyota has been plotting to introduce a monocoque-based ute for some time, but new details have just been revealed about what shape the ute could take.  It was recently confirmed that it would be based on the RAV4, which is one of the best-selling small SUVs in Australia.  “But for the compact truck? Definitely, we have such demand,” Toyota’s North American Chief Executive Officer Tetsuo Ogawa said in a recent overseas interview. “A RAV4-based pickup is an opportunity for us, and the dealers are waiting. “Maybe they say we need today or tomorrow, but it takes time.” As has been the case with this ute, it appears to be a matter of timing for Toyota, but regardless the launch of a potential monocoque ute for the brand remains several years away.   Chery T1TP Concept Momentum for a monocoque ute from Chery has gathered steam since the brand unveiled its P1TP concept late last year.  While there are no official details on how the ute will look, or what will power it, when it launches, we know the local Australian division of Chery is eager to bring it onboard.  “There have been some type approval documents and that sort of thing that people have found, which has the monocoque chassis P1TP ute,” Chery Chief Operating Officer Lucas Harris told CarsGuide.  “It is absolutely something we are interested in. I think there is an interesting market for that.” Any launch of this ute will come after the arrival of the much-anticipated diesel plug-in hybrid ‘KP31’ coming later this year, before a petrol PHEV variant next year.  BYD monocoque ute BYD’s monocoque ute is further along the line than many of its rivals, with it already being spotted in spy shots just last month.  It is expected to use a plug-in hybrid set-up, but differing from the one on the game-changing Shark 6 ute, which has been a resounding success in Australia so far.  The PHEV set-up is not going to be the same one as on the Shark 6, but it is anticipated to mirror the Sealion 6 mid-size SUV. The global branch of BYD previously poured cold water on the prospects of a smaller ute Down Under to sit under the Shark 6, but its success might have changed minds. The Shark 6 is built on a ladder frame, so this ‘Baby Shark’ could compliment nicely especially if it could get in ahead of approaching rivals.    Ram Rampage Ram has confirmed production and timings for a compact pick-up, rumoured to ride on a monocoque chassis.  It is expected to be based on the Rampage currently on sale in South America, coming petrol and diesel variants.  There is no official news on whether this ute would ever be on the cards for Australia, but we know the local branch is keen on adding a ute to its portfolio.  Geely Radar Geely is another Chinese with a monocoque ute, and its already on sale in New Zealand, but don't expect to see it Australia any time soon. The ute is available with plug-in hybrid and fully-electric set-ups, producing up to 315kW. Geely Australia Chief Executive Officer Alex Gu recently told CarsGuide while the brand will introduce a ute Down Under, the Radar was not the solution. “So Geely, we fully study the customer demand, and provide exactly or even beyond what the customer is expecting of them otherwise," Gu said “For the ute, just like Ranger or HiLux or Shark 6, these have a different character, so we must benchmark those ‘star’ models."