Editing Dodge (section)

===Pickups and medium to heavy trucks===
[[File:1934 Dodge Brothers 2-ton stake truck red.jpg|thumb|right|1934 Dodge K-34 stake bed truck]]
Ever since Dodge began building their cars in 1914, the company also offered light truck models. Initially, these were largely based on the existing passenger cars, but eventually gained their own chassis and body designs as the market matured. During the 1930s and 1940s, light- and medium-duty models were offered at first, then a heavy-duty range was added. The very large, new [[Warren Truck Assembly]] plant was built in Michigan, just north of Detroit, and opened in 1938, producing Dodge trucks ever since.

In 1936, Dodge's light, car-based trucks were crucially redesigned—not only receiving a new "Fore-Point" (similar to Cab Forward) design of the front side and cab—but especially, the old car frames were dropped and for the first time replaced by modern, truck-style chassis, with side rails ''welded'' to the cross members.<ref name=AllparRam /> These welded frames were from here on introduced on half-ton to one-ton rated trucks, expanding Dodge into a heavier truck market segment than before.

In 1939 again, Dodge presented a completely redesigned [[Dodge T-, V-, W-Series|line of pickups and trucks]], with streamlined new, 'art-deco' front sheet metal styling. Introducing the concept of "Job-Rated", Dodge tried to offer customers the truck that fit every job they were buying it for.<ref name=AllparRam>{{cite web |url= https://www.allpar.com/threads/history-of-dodge-pickup-trucks-1921-1953.228864/#post-1085222962 |title=History of the Dodge Pickup Trucks, 1921-1953 |work=Allpar |date=November 16, 2020 |access-date=December 24, 2022}}</ref> From the 1939 'Job-Rated' trucks onwards, Dodge's light and medium trucks were built in its 'Mound Road" plant in Warren, Michigan.

Following [[World War II]] and the successful application of [[four-wheel drive]] to the truck line, Dodge introduced a civilian version that it called the [[Dodge Power Wagon|Power Wagon]]. At first, based almost exactly on the military-type design, variants of the standard truck line were eventually given 4WD and the same "Power Wagon" name.

Dodge was among the first to introduce car-like features to its trucks, adding the plush Adventurer package during the 1960s and offering sedan-like space in its Club Cab bodies of the 1970s. Declining sales and increased competition during the 1970s eventually forced the company to drop its medium- and heavy-duty models, an arena the company has only recently begun to reenter.

Dodge introduced what they called the "Adult Toys" line to boost its truck sales in the late 1970s, starting with the limited edition Lil' Red Express pickup (featuring, a 360 c.i. police interceptor engine and visible [[semi-trailer truck|big rig]]-style [[exhaust system|exhaust]] stacks). Later came the more widely available [[Dodge Warlock|Warlock]]. Other "Adult Toys" from Dodge included the "Macho Power Wagon" and "Street Van".

As part of a general decline in the commercial vehicle field during the 1970s, Dodge eliminated their [[Dodge LCF Series|LCF Series]] heavy-duty trucks in 1975, along with the Bighorn and medium-duty D-Series trucks, and affiliated S Series [[school bus]]es were dropped in 1978. On the other hand, Dodge produced several thousand pickups for the [[United States armed forces|United States Military]] under the [[Commercial Utility Cargo Vehicle|CUCV]] program from the late 1970s into the early 1980s.

[[File:89RamF34.jpg|thumb|1989 Dodge Ram pickup]]

Continuing financial problems meant that even Dodge's light-duty models – renamed as the [[Dodge Ram|Ram Pickup]] line for 1981 – were carried over with the most minimal of updates until 1993. Two things helped to revitalize Dodge's fortunes during this time. One was the introduction of [[Cummins]]' powerful and reliable [[Cummins B Series engine|B Series]] turbo-[[diesel engine]] as an option for 1989. This innovation raised Dodge's profile among consumers who needed power for towing or large loads. The second was a class-exclusive V8 engine option for the mid-sized [[Dodge Dakota|Dakota]] pickup.

Dodge introduced the Ram's all-new "big-rig" styling treatment for 1994. Besides its instantly [[Attitude polarization|polarizing]] looks, exposure was also gained by usage of the new truck on the hit TV show ''[[Walker, Texas Ranger]]'' starring [[Chuck Norris]]. The new Ram also featured a new interior with a console box big enough to hold a laptop computer, and ventilation and radio controls that were designed to be easily used even with gloves on. A V10 engine derived from that used in the Viper sports car was also new, and the previously offered Cummins [[turbodiesel]] remained available. The smaller Dakota was redesigned for 1997 using the "big-rig" styling, thus giving Dodge trucks a definitive "face" that set them apart from the competition.

The Ram was redesigned again for 2002, and the Dakota in 2005, and was an evolution of the original, but adding the Hemi V8 engine to the list of available options, due to the revival of the legendary Chrysler Hemi V8 engine. New medium-duty chassis-cab models were introduced for 2007 with standard Cummins turbodiesel power as a way of gradually getting Dodge back into the business truck market again.

For a time during the 1980s, Dodge imported a line of small pickups from Mitsubishi, known as the D50, or later the [[Dodge Ram 50|Ram 50]] and were carried on as a stopgap until the Dakota's sales eventually made the imported trucks irrelevant. Reversing the role, Mitsubishi has more recently purchased Dakota pickups from Dodge and restyled them into their own [[Mitsubishi Raider|Raider]] line for sale in North America.