There’s a strange automotive tradition of keeping old models around while the new generation of the same model goes on sale. Often its because the old model is still selling pretty damn good. Nissan did it with its Rogue Select; Chevy has done it a few times with Classic models. Ram is still currently doing it with the previous-gen Ram 1500.
First spotted by Motor1, who also got Stellantis to confirm, the Ram 1500 Classic is returning for 2024. Why’s this a big deal you may ask? Because this thing is old as hell. The Classic is based on the fourth-generation Ram, a truck introduced so long ago it came around when Rams were still known as Dodge trucks. It was introduced in 2008 for the 2009 model year. If you’re keeping count, that’s 15 years ago—ancient by auto industry standards.
It must sell pretty well for the brand to continue to keep it around for this long, despite it now surviving over two generations (I wish I could say exactly how well it sells. Stellantis doesn’t list the 1500 Classic as a separate model in its sales results.) Part of its appeal is probably how cheap it is compared to other full-size trucks on the market. Using the 2023 Ram 1500 Classic as an example (Stellantis hasn’t released any pricing info or changes for the ’24 Classic yet) it starts at just $32,345 for a regular cab two-wheel drive with an eight-foot bed; the only other trim for the Classic is the Warlock and it starts at $43,645.
The Classic is also one of the cheapest ways to get a V8 truck on the market. Stick with the fleet-like trim of regular cab with the eight-foot bed and no other options besides the 5.7-liter V8 and you can drive off for just $36,335. With pricing like that and the ever increasing cost of full-size trucks, hopefully the Ram 1500 Classic will stick around for a little while longer.