RAM confirmed for Oz

The Walkinshaw group – best known for its relationship with Holden – will design, engineer and manufacture right-hand drive versions of heavy-duty RAM trucks in Melbourne from September as part of a deal developed by former Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Australia boss Clyde Campbell and his business partner, New Zealander Neville Crichton.

The 2500 and 3500 versions of the RAM will be purchased in left-hand drive ex-factory from North America and will come with full-volume Australian Design Rule compliance, meaning they can be sold in unlimited numbers Down Under.

The deal has been officially signed off by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles as an official factory-backed import and conversion program for the RAM truck range in Australia and New Zealand.

However, FCA Australia has no official role in the plan and remains committed to eventually securing right-hand drive supply of the lighter-capacity new RAM 1500 as a potential entrant in Australia's booming one-tonne pick-up truck market.

Campbell and Crichton – who are partners in Fiat Chrysler New Zealand, through which this deal is funnelled – intend to target the mining industry with the 2500 and 3500, which in North America are offered with a variety of six and eight-cylinder petrol and diesel engines, 4x2 and 4x4 drivelines and a choice of three cabins.

Right-hand drive conversion of RAM trucks is not new in Australia, with Performax, US Autos, CRC Conversions and Salstrup Ultimate Vehicles among those on the web advertising the same service. However, full-volume compliance is crucial to selling the trucks in unlimited numbers (as Ford Australia did previously with the F-Series) and this venture is the first to gain it for the RAM. That said, both Performax and Harrison F-Trucks both sell a range of Ford F-Series trucks (but not the new F-150) under a similar arrangement.

An announcement due today will not name Clayton-based Walkinshaw as the vehicle converter for this deal, but motoring.com.au sources have confirmed the company that already develops and sells Holden Special Vehicles, runs the factory-backed Holden Racing Team and distributes Indian-built Tata light commercials here, has been appointed to take on the RAM job.

Walkinshaw group’s Tim Jackson declined to comment when contacted by motoring.com.au.

Pricing and full details of the RAM line-up will be announced closer to the September 2015 on-sale date.

“Clearly there is a demand for this type of vehicle in both private and commercial markets, with only availability restricting sales,” Campbell said in an official statement.

“Until now the only way to own one in Australia was through a low-volume aftermarket conversion.

"Our vehicles are being developed with the full blessing of FCA’s RAM division. They have worked closely with our engineers to produce a vehicle that is as close to an official right-hand drive vehicle that it can be without actually having run down an actual factory production line.”

Campbell specifically praised the support of Steve Bartoli, one of FCA’s most senior global product planners, who coincidentally was making his first ever trip to Australia last week, and FCA Australia’s new boss Pat Dougherty, for their support for the project.

“He [Bartoli] made it possible to achieve full-volume vehicle compliance in such a short time,” explained Campbell.

“We would also like to thank Pat Dougherty for his co-operative spirit in areas such as network selection.”

Bartoli told motoring.com.au in an exclusive interview last week that Campbell’s plans would help FCA assess the viability of an ex-factory RHD RAM 1500 program.

“It would be a kind of cool test for us to see how the consumer reacts to the brand,” he said.