Dodge created this ’98 Ram with a Cummins to resemble a semi-truck, and then destroyed it.

      Stellantis

      If you believe we're currently experiencing the age of "large" pickups and SUVs, we encourage you to take a step back to a simpler (yet still oversized) period. Let's travel to 1998, when pickups and SUVs were enjoying their initial rise in popularity. Do you recall the pre-Y2K era? Before the advent of smartphones and "self-driving" Cybertrucks? Much like today, there was widespread concern about increasing gasoline prices. Yet, similar to the present, this apprehension did not influence consumer purchasing behaviors, which is why automakers were showcasing concepts like Dodge’s Big Red Truck.

      Stellantis, via lov2xlr8.no

      Indeed, this is what "sponsored content" looked like in 1998. Whether it is better or worse than a marketing-heavy article on your preferred automotive blog in 2025 is certainly open to discussion, but we can affirm one thing about the ’90s: At that time, they still created physical concepts instead of depicting them in some unreal yet vaguely Mediterranean setting accompanied by unusually attractive yet somehow not entirely human-like models. I digress—let's return to the truck.

      Dodge describes The Big Red Truck as an “experimental” concept vehicle with specifications that may undergo changes. Change before what, you ask? Just enjoy the moment. Imagine it’s still 1998 and this vehicle could actually be produced. That means you would anticipate the arrival of this massive, downsized semi-truck built on the revamped Ram HD chassis featuring a 5.9-liter Cummins I6 diesel engine delivering 235 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque. In 2025, that seems... lackluster. Nevertheless, it was capable of towing 11,000 pounds. This may be considered half-ton capacity today, but I would argue that this beast of a truck would still make the task feel more manageable.

      Stellantis, via lov2xlr8.no

      The interior reveals where 1998 really aimed to incorporate some 2025-style comforts. Dodge elevated the roof by ten inches to create a more spacious interior and allow for extra storage. A foldable, swiveling LCD “color television set” might sound cheesy today, but it isn't too distant from the rear-seat entertainment systems available in many family SUVs now. Second-row passengers also enjoyed dedicated audio controls and headphones, which remain premium options even in 2025.

      You might be wondering, where is this impressive vehicle now? Unfortunately, it suffered the same fate as numerous concept and pre-production models. According to a Stellantis representative, the pickup was discarded in the early 2000s, never making it into the company's collection. That’s unfortunate; while specifications and technology can advance over time, the allure of a Big Red Truck remains timeless.

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