Dodge Ram 50

The Dodge Ram D50 was a compact pickup that debuted in 1979, and competed with other captive import pickup trucks such as the contemporary Chevrolet LUV and Ford Courier. The Ram D50 (later simply Ram 50) was produced by Mitsubishi (as the L200), and briefly had a Plymouth twin called the Arrow (not to be confused with the Arrow sub-compact car of the same name).

First Generation (1979-1986)
The D50 debuted with a 2.0L I4 93 hp engine, with a 2.6L I4 "Silent Shaft" 105 hp engine as an option. 4- and 5-speed manual transmissions were standard (depending on engine) with the 3-speed automatic optional. It rode a single cab version only on a 109.4" wheelbase. A Power Ram 50 sport package became available in 1982, using special paint and striping schemes.  The D50 retained the same look until it traded in its dual headlights for quad units in 1983.  The Plymouth Arrow pickup was discontinued after the 1982 model year, but Mitsubishi would offer its own version of the truck beginning in 1983, interestingly named Mighty Max.  A turbodiesel I4 engine rated at 84 hp became an option for both in 1983 and lasted until 1986.  An all new design would debut for the Ram 50 and Mighty Max in 1987.

Second Generation (1987-1995)
The Ram 50 and Mighty Max were all new this year (the D50 designation was dropped). The turbodiesel engine was dropped, but the 2.0L and 2.6L I4s remained. The 3-speed automatic was replaced with a 4-speed unit on the 2.6. Extended cabs were offered for the first time (Mitsubishi called their version the "Macrocab"). Dodge debuted the Dakota pickup this year, but the Ram 50 remained due to its compact size, whereas the Dakota was a mid-size. By now, Chevrolet and Ford's domestic-built compact trucks (the S10 and Ranger) had been out for a few years and no longer relied on captive importing for its compact trucks, but the Dodge Ram 50 remained Mitsubishi-produced.

1988 and 1989 models were pretty much unchanged, but the 1990 models got 2 new powertrains; the 2.0L and 2.6L I4s were dropped, a new 2.4L 116hp I4 was now standard and a new 3.0L 142 hp V6 was an option (with 4-speed automatic only). Despite this, the Ram 50 and Mighty Max were now bit players in the compact truck market, not being nearly as popular as the Nissan and Toyota compact trucks, let alone the Chevrolet S10 and Ford Ranger, but they soldiered on nonetheless. 1991 and 1992 models remained unchanged save for some new colors. The Dodge Ram 50 would die at the end of the 1993 model year, but the Mighty Max would survive (temporarily). In 1994, it dropped its extended cab bodystyle and V6 engine; it was now down to one cab and bed size and the I4 engine. Mitsubishi finally threw in the towel on the Mighty Max after 1995.

Neither the Ram 50 or Mighty Max had direct succcessors, but Dodge would continue with the Dakota, and Mitsubishi would have another pickup model in 2005 called the Raider, which was a fraternal twin to the 3rd generation Dakota.

Competitors

 * Chevrolet LUV
 * Chevrolet S10
 * Datsun/Nissan Pickups
 * Ford Courier
 * Ford Ranger
 * GMC S15/Sonoma
 * Isuzu P'up
 * Mazda B-series
 * Toyota Pickups