Stellantis, the world’s fourth-largest automaker, last month announced its plans to start manufacturing a one-tonne bakkie at a new production facility in Coega, Eastern Cape, in early 2026.
This forms part of the organisation’s Dare Forward 2030 roadmap, which aims to reach over 22% market share with 70% regional localization of sales and one million units produced in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region by 2030.
Established in January 2021 as a 50/50 merger between Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles and the French PSA Group, Stellantis is the proud parent of 14 of the world’s most well-known car brands namely Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Citroen, Dodge, DS Automobiles, Fiat, Jeep, Lancia, Maserati, Opel, Peugeot, RAM Trucks, and Vauxhall.
While the company hasn’t yet revealed which one-tonner it intends to build on South African soil, its global portfolio has quite a few to choose from, so it’s unlikely that it will be an all-new model that has yet to see the light of day.
Among the many badges under its umbrella, there are several standout nameplates that show potential for domestic production, including:
- Fiat Toro or Titano
- Jeep Gladiator
- Peugeot Landtrek
- Ram 1000 or Rampage
Immediately, we can disqualify the Jeep as its loading capacity is only 693kg, not close to the one tonne that the locally-made bakkie will reportedly provide.
Peugeot Landtrek
A new South African one-tonner
The Fiat and Peugeot one-tonners are prime candidates for Stellantis’ new South African factory, as both brands have a relatively strong presence in the country and have had for some time.
Peugeot’s Landtrek is perhaps the most compelling option to build domestically as the double cab is already on sale in the country and by the time 2026 rolls around, it will have been available for approximately four years and establishing a following in the process.
Starting off at R614,900 and only available with a 1.9-litre mill, the Landtrek hasn’t attracted too many customers in the country with its sales numbers oscillating between single and double digits depending on the month you look.
With five-odd years of name recognition behind its back, however, a locally-produced version in 2026 at a lower price could be a big drive in higher sales volumes and play a noticeable role in Stellantis’ vision of having 70% of its vehicles sold to MEA customers.
Fiat Toro Ultra
Fiat, which once had a one-tonne bakkie on offer in South Africa in the form of the Fullback, may also make a return to the competitive category with the Toro or its new Titano – the latter of which will slot in above the Toro and make its debut in 2024.
With a 2.0-litre, turbo-diesel motor, nine-speed automatic gearbox, and 4×4, the Brazilian Toro is capable of hauling up to one tonne in the back and it’s offered in five specs, the Endurance, Freedom, Volcano, Ranch, and Ultra.
The bakkie has been around since 2016 but has thus far only been available in left-hand drive (LHD), so it’s unlikely that it will be converted to right-hand drive (RHD) for South Africa after seven years in production, and therefore also improbable that it would be the vehicle earmarked for domestic manufacturing.
The Titano, on the other hand, shares much of its DNA with the RHD Landtrek and is slated to be a direct competitor to the likes of the Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux – two of the most popular options for local bakkie buyers.
Fiat Titano and Peugeot Landtrek at Uruguay factory. Source: Motor1.com
Fiat is the top-selling bakkie brand in Latin America whose car industry looks similar to South Africa, far eclipsing the sales figures of Peugeot, hinting that this could be the model Stellantis looks at to rejuvenate its MEA sales numbers.
According to a hands-on by Mopar Insiders, the Titano will have a 2.2-litre, turbodiesel engine putting out around 149kW and 450Nm, much more aligned with the local market than the Landtrek’s 1.9-litre with 110kW and 350Nm.
Considering this Fiat double cab only just started production alongside the Landtrek in Uruguay as evidenced by photos uncovered by Motor1.com, and that it will slot in above the Toro rather than replace it and re-use the factory space, combined with Fiat’s stellar sales records in Brazil and its neighbours, Stellantis may have seen the need to invest in another production hub to support stock levels, such as the one in our borders.
The Titano may be a more attractive proposition to South African customers than the Peugeot, and could be a model that provides dependable sales if built within the country at a competitive price.
Ram Rampage
RAM is positioned as Fiat’s luxurious counterpart in Latin America and it has never been available in South Africa.
There are a few imported units driving around, but there has not been an official distributor of RAM pickups in the country before, and Dodge, which was once the owner of RAM, left South Africa after only being here for a handful of years.
Its mid-size competitor, the Rampage, was revealed in early 2023 and is offered in three petrol and one diesel configurations, carrying a steep starting price of over R900,000.
RAM also has a badge-engineered variant of the Fiat Toro on offer in Brazil since 2018 called the RAM 1000, but it, too, is LHD only.
The more premium stature of the RAM bakkies compared to the Fiats, coupled with the untried and untested products, doesn’t bode well for sales potential in a region that is as price-conscious as they come, so we don’t see them being the new locally-made one tonners everybody is waiting for.
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