The drop in vehicle sales in the first quarter is less felt in the medium and large pickups segment.
Models larger than five meters and predominantly rear-wheel drive totaled 15,300 units registered in the first two months, which represents a decrease of 9.2% compared to the same period in 2021.
Meanwhile, passenger car sales fell 26.7% in the same range. The data are from Fenabrave (association of car, motorcycle, bus and truck distributors).
The numbers and higher profitability explain the series of launches in the pickup segment, and the most recent product is the RAM 3500, imported from Mexico by the Stellantis group.
Just look at its chrome grille to conclude that it is a model faithful to the American taste. In the US, this family of utilities had 569,400 units sold last year.
The target audience is in the field. It is agribusiness that drives sales in the segment in which RAM occupies the top in Brazil, and its prices confirm the position: between R$ 485 thousand and R$ 530 thousand.
The main difference is in the carrying capacity. The 3500 option can carry 1,782 kilos, which represents 664 kilos more than the 2500 version (R$ 461 thousand). It is, in fact, a small truck, which requires the driver to have a category C driver’s license.
The Cummins 6.7 turbodiesel engine has 377 horsepower and 117 kgfm of torque. The towing capacity is nine tons, enough to pull a large trailer or a mid-size speedboat. The traction is 4×4 and the automatic transmission has six gears.
Inside there is leather and wooden details. The sound system, which can have 17 speakers, is driven through a 12-inch screen. The cabin comfortably accommodates five occupants, and those traveling in the rear can cross their legs without touching the front seats.
At 6.06 meters long and 2.12 meters wide, the RAM 3500 was not made for big cities. It is a car for deep Brazil, where it is a dream of consumption and a sign of status.
Its success and profitability make competitors Ford and Chevrolet plan to bring the F-150 and Silverado to Brazil – which are, respectively, the first and third best-selling vehicles in the US. In the middle of these two pickups is RAM, which closed 2021 in second position.
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