2006 Dodge Rampage Concept Vehicle
09 Février 2006 - 6:01AM
PR Newswire (US)
The Only Thing It Can't Load More of Are Style and Versatility
CHICAGO, Feb. 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Bold, powerful and
supremely versatile, the new Dodge Rampage concept vehicle is a
fresh look at how many families actually use the popular pickup
trucks. "It's the truck for the non-traditional buyer," said Scott
Krugger, principal exterior designer. "This is a truck for the
person who wants the functional aspects of a truck yet doesn't want
a traditional vehicle. The Rampage has the capability of a pickup
without sacrificing occupant space." Combining the width of a Dodge
Ram with the overall length of a Dodge Dakota, the Rampage features
a host of people and cargo-carrying innovations made possible by a
combination of unitized body construction, front-wheel drive, and
unique independent rear wheel suspension. And as with any Dodge
concept, the appearance is striking. In order to achieve their twin
objectives of a family-size passenger cabin and exceptional pickup
utility, the designers dramatically reconfigured the proportions of
the truck. The largest portion of the Rampage is devoted to the
spacious passenger cabin, followed by the five-foot cargo box, and
last, the engine compartment (which still accommodates a 5.7-liter
MDS HEMI(R) under the abbreviated hood). To visually reinforce the
fact that the majority of the vehicle is dedicated to passengers
and cargo, a slim applique of brushed aluminum runs along the cowl,
up and over the roof rails and around the top of the cargo box, a
shimmering silver ribbon that contrasts dramatically with the
Liquid Carbon exterior. Up front, the Rampage exhibits a fresh
interpretation of the Dodge truck style architecture -- a new look
for a new truck. The signature Dodge six- sided crossbar grille is
set flush within a curving plane that encompasses rectangular
wraparound headlamps. Featuring LED lighting, all exterior lamps
rely on light-piping and both clear and frosted acrylic to achieve
a cleaner look. The body side is dominated by "double-muscle"
flared fenders with the widest part of the body centered over the
22-inch brushed aluminum wheels. The framed doors feature a
continuous fore-aft glass plane while the reverse- angle "pillar"
on the rear door and distinctive triangular window give a sporty
coupe-like profile. To draw attention to the generous occupant
space, a U-shaped chamfered element runs above the sill and travels
up the body along the leading and trailing edges of the door sets.
Accented with brushed aluminum, this detail is subtly repeated on
the exterior door handles. Access to the interior is exceptional.
When either door is opened, the sill pivots down to expose a handy
step assist. While the front door is hinged conventionally, the
rear door slides open to reveal an imaginative and supremely
practical interior, entry to which is enhanced by the absence of
the customary B-pillar. "The interior of the Rampage is durable,
functional and efficient," said Irina Zavatski, principal interior
designer. "Everything is there for a reason." Structural elements
are exposed. The contoured center stack, for example, "floats"
above the surface of the instrument panel. Composed of satin silver
finished "framing," the center stack can be pulled rearward and
rotated toward either driver or passenger to access the navigation,
HVAC and entertainment functions. The free-standing instrument
cluster has a similar look and moves with the adjustable steering
column while the steering wheel spokes harmonize with both cluster
and center stack. Overhead a "ladder-type" front-to-rear console
with storage and entertainment units incorporates distinctive mood
lighting along its edges. Flanking the console are fore-aft
"skylights," bringing welcoming daylight to rear seat passengers as
well as those up front. "The seating is designed to be athletic,
comfortable, yet rugged," said Chris Welch, designer of the seats,
which are contoured around specially- fabricated folding framing
finished in satin silver. To facilitate ingress/egress to the rear
compartment, milled silver handles are integrated into the outboard
sides of the front seat backs. The dark charcoal seats are trimmed
in a smooth polyurethane-coated material and a three-dimensional
open texture "spacer knit" fabric which is also used as a non-glare
covering on the instrument panel. Contrasting red-orange fabric on
the seat inserts echoes similar accents on the instrument panel,
steering wheel and door armrests. With all seats in use, the
Rampage is able to carry five passengers, but that's just the
beginning of its functionality. The right front seat and the 60/40
rear seats can be folded into the floor, marking the first use of
Dodge's popular and innovative Sto-N-Go(TM) Seating and Storage
Unit in a pickup truck and the first Sto-N-Go front passenger seat
ever. The stowing process is facilitated by headrests that flip
down into the seat backs, a solution that also allows
taller-than-normal seat backs for greater support. To enhance the
available interior volume with seats dropped into the floor, the
armrests on the front and rear passenger doors also fold out of the
way, maximizing the cabin's cargo-carrying capacity. As with all
Sto-N-Go seating, with the seats upright, the bins beneath become
handy storage areas for sundry items. Since the interior is
designed to accommodate both people and cargo, a durable
marine-type rubberized material is used for the cabin flooring.
Behind the rear seats the backlite retracts into a midgate which in
turn folds down into the forward part of the cargo bed. With the
both midgate and one or more of the passenger seats in a stored
position, lengthier items can be carried without having to lower
the tailgate. After the midgate, the five-foot box offers many
utility options, including retractable cargo hooks and built-in
formations arranged to secure 2'x4' boards. The three-position
tailgate can be deployed upright, folded down 98 degrees, or
dropped further to an angle of 117 degrees. In this position a
stored-in-the-tailgate slide-out ramp can be extended to the ground
to permit easy loading of wheeled cargo like motocross bikes, ATVs,
etc. And the unexpected features don't stop there. Rampage delivers
exceptional cargo carrying capacity above and below the dual-bed
floor. Acting as a second tailgate, the rear bumper fascia also
drops down to reveal an enclosed storage space extending (with the
seats up) far enough forward to provide room enough to accommodate
a stack of 4'x8' plywood sheets. "This is 'clean storage,'" says
Krugger, "something most pickups today don't have." Combined with
the Sto-N-Go seating in the cabin, these cargo box features give
the owner -- and his or her family -- unrivaled flexibility sure to
be appreciated, whether going to the store to buy materials for a
weekend project or taking the family off on an outdoors outing.
Another thoughtful touch: In order to keep the rear of the vehicle
free of bothersome heat and fumes when accessing the dual cargo
beds, the engine exhaust exits via specially-trimmed vents forward
of the rear wheels. "Bold, powerful and superbly capable in
creative new ways, the Dodge Rampage concept vehicle offers a new
vision for the American pickup truck and the active lifestyle
people who drive them," said Trevor Creed, Senior Vice President -
Design, Chrysler Group. First Call Analyst: FCMN Contact:
ck221@dcx.com DATASOURCE: Chrysler Group CONTACT: Salvatore
Locricchio, +1-248-512-2678, , or Richard Deneau, +1-248-512-2694,
, both of Chrysler Group Web site:
http://www.media.daimlerchrysler.com/
http://www.daimlerchrysler.com/
Copyright