GMADA Supplement - S13

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CULTURAL SHIFT

But that changed dramatically in the 1990s when
two industry leaders-Ford and Dodge-reshaped
expectations of what a pickup could and should be.
At Dodge, the big bang occurred in 1994 with the
introduction of the second-generation Ram pickup,
widely credited as the catalyst for transforming the
industry.
With its four-door extended cab, muscular lines
and more ergonomic and roomy cabin, Dodge created
a truck that looked at home whether it was sitting in
a farmyard or parked in a suburban driveway or mall
parking lot. A surge in U.S. sales reflected its widespread
popularity: 240,000 units in 1994, 410,999 in 1995 and
almost 480,000 in 1996.
"The 1994 Ram really brought in this styling aspect-
made you think of a truck a little differently," Nagode
said.
As pickups continued to evolve, they strove to
match the desire of consumers for more room for
families, more space to haul things and improved
comfort for job commutes, in addition to enjoying
travel and adventure on the side.
"It's also about homeownership," Nagode said. "A
truck gives you that feeling of empowerment that you
can go out and do everything you want at home. Then
came hobbies and travel and everything that comes
with getting out there and enjoying life ... and it all
naturally pointed to the abilities of trucks."
Ford followed suit in 1999 with the introduction of a
redesigned F-150, fashioned as more of a family truck
but still a more-than-capable workhorse.
"That was a really big milestone," Tim Stoehr, Ford's
North American truck regional product line manager,
told summit attendees. "It really took off. That was the
first time we ever offered leather in any pickup truck.
"Pickup trucks were kind of bland. But when you
started to add some of those amenities that people
had in luxury vehicles or in other cars, consumers are
like, 'Well, maybe I'll get a truck.' That's what really
started to drive personal-use pickup trucks and SUV
ownership."

COMFORTS OF HOME
That family-oriented trend continues today, said
Nagode, pointing to the most recent iteration of the
Ram cab, which grew 4 inches.
"It's been interesting to see the cab and the box and
how they've done this dance of sorts over the years in
terms of the cab growing bigger and the box shrinking
a little bit," he said.

Perhaps the best reflection of this emphasis on
families and creature comforts is the center console
in Ram trucks, along with the brand's three-pronged
design emphasis: storage, function and technology.
"It's really the hallmark of the interior-almost like an
entire interior by itself," Nagode said.
The center console features five charging ports,
including higher-speed USB-C capability; a shelf that
holds two cellphones; and concealed storage areas,
revealed by sliding open trays or the main lid. A 15-inch
laptop fits inside the console.
Overall, there's about 39 liters of storage just in
the center console, Nagode said, not to mention a
Jumbotron-ish 12-inch touchscreen display on the
dashboard.
Refined and authentic flourishes such as wood
and leather also enhance the family-room-on-wheels
aesthetic. The Ram Laramie Longhorn edition, for
instance, features a Longhorn emblem burned into the
upper glovebox.
"You can actually feel it with your fingernails-it's
literally an actual branding iron," Nagode said. "It's that
kind of attention to detail ... that got people thinking
and talking, and it really has changed the culture of the
pickup truck."

A LOOK AHEAD
What will automakers do to keep fanning the flames
of consumers' passion for pickups? More trim lines and
special editions are one possibility, said Tim Sackett,
executive program manager for trucks at Toyota Motor
North America. He noted that the automaker recently
rolled out Nightshade editions of the Tundra and
Tacoma pickups.
"Special editions keep interest up and allow
customers to see themselves in different aspects in
their vehicle," Sackett said.
In terms of interiors, Nagode said, Ram will keep
"pushing and pushing and pushing" to meet consumers'
ever-changing expectations.
"Consumers are becoming well-educated," he said.
"Pinterest has blown up everything, in that sense. It
makes my job tougher because obviously, people are
more discerning about what their vehicle needs to
have because their house always has something better,
right?
"Things will be forever changing. We've just got to
keep driving on designs that are really far-reaching and
getting out there."

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