Hyundai Dumps Pickup Plans

Edward Niedermeyer
by Edward Niedermeyer

So much for seeing a Hyundai-branded Ram anytime soon. The company has clarified in a statement [via Reuters] that:

Hyundai Motor Co. denies that there are any current plans to bring a pickup truck of any type into the U.S. now or in the foreseeable future. Hyundai is not in discussion with Chrysler in regard to a selling a rebadged Chrysler Corp pickup truck, or any other vehicle, in the U.S

Which means that Ram will have to overcome a 20-25 percent sales slump over the last year on its own. And Hyundai will have to stick with cars, where it’s killing the competition anyway. Unless it hooks up with the other former Ram-rebadge-wannabe, Nissan. The Japanese brand is reportedly developing both full-size and compact pickups despite having had minimal success moving pickups in volume… a partnership there might benefit both.

Edward Niedermeyer
Edward Niedermeyer

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  • IGB IGB on May 16, 2010

    "And Hyundai will have to stick with cars, where it’s killing the competition anyway" Is it really? How many pickups do Hertz and Thrifty buy? Dynamically they aren't killing...anyone.

  • ChuckR ChuckR on May 16, 2010

    You could land one of the 2.5's pickups, all puffed-up like the Goodyear blimp, but still just a half tonner, on AK's Little Diomede Island and climb to the top of that God-forsaken patch of rock. From there, if it's not fogged in, you can see Big Diomede Island. Perhaps the Chinese will JV with Walmart to put a Chunnel across there, with way stations on Big D and Little D, to facilitate the importation of all the crap we crave. That would be after the Chinese take over eastern Siberia and Big D from the Roosians....

  • BuzzDog BuzzDog on May 16, 2010

    I like the idea of Hyundai focusing on cars. Too often manufacturers lose their focus by trying to be all things to all people. Approximately 20 years ago, Honda initially remained focused on cars while the popularity of SUVs skyrocketed. In fact - 4WD Civic wagons notwithstanding - Honda's first attempt at marketing an SUV in the U.S. market was in the form of a rebadged Isuzu Rodeo (1994). Perhaps it's just a coincidence, but Honda seemed to lose its edge in quality and content around the time that it introduced its own design in the Pilot, and later, the Ridgeline.

  • Ponchoman49 Ponchoman49 on May 17, 2010

    Thanks goodness! With a face that homely that only a mother could love it's just as well.

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