Dodge van based on Fiat Ducato coming late 2012

[haven]

The Detroit News is reporting that Dodge plans to introduce two new vans in late 2012. The vehicles will be based on the Fiat Ducato, which is a full size model (think Mercedes Sprinter), and the smaller Fiat Doblo (think Ford Transit Express). These commercial vehicles will compete with the Ford E-Series, Chevrolet Express, Nissan NV and Mercedes Sprinter.

http://detnews.com/article/20110305/AUTO01/103050332/1148/Chrysler-targets-commercial-van-sector

Fiat offers diesel powered versions of the Ducato and Doblo in Europe. The Ducato is currently built in Italy and Brasil, while the Doblo is manufactured in Turkey and Brasil.

Dangel, a French company, makes a 4x4 conversion for the Ducato.
http://www.dangel.com/index.html?newlg=E

 

[dirty Bakers]

I have seen the nissan vans tested a few times on the freeway. Pretty cool vehicles coming out of europe.

 

[DesertJK]

I wonder if they will be diesel for the USA? I would by the Iveco Daily 4x4, but really have no use for the Ducato. I ridden in them more times than I care to remember while working at Ducati. With 10 full size Americans in a Ducato, and 10 in a Ford Transit, the Ducato will smoke the Transit getting onto the Autostrada. It's great they are coming here and if I still owned a motorcycle dealership, I would be looking at them.

 

[haven]

I think diesel is a distinct possibility for the Ducato, since Mercedes has had good success selling the diesel Sprinter van to commercial customers.

Dodge has mechanics with diesel training to service the Ram pickups with Cummins engines. Some Dodge dealers sent mechanics to school to prepare to sell the Sprinter during the mid 2000s, when Mercedes and Chrysler were partners. So Dodge is well prepared to sell a diesel vehicle like the Ducato.

 

[Sleeping Dog]

Earlier I was looking at a thread where folks were pissing and moaning about the lack of availability of a 4WD Sprinter and the pressure by MB on outfitters not to do conversions. That got me to thinking that a more likely source was Chrysler as it was quite likely that they would import a Fiat truck to fill the niche that the Sprinter held.

All you Sprinter 4x4 dreamers, lobby your RAM dealer you may find a substitute.

Jim