It’s been a tough couple of years for Stellantis. The world’s fourth-largest automaker lost more than $26 billion in 2025 and this week revealed a $70 billion turnaround plan that will see it roll out at least 60 new vehicles by the end of the decade. The “Fastlane 2030” strategy could be good news for those who take it slower off-road.
“Our brands are our strongest assets,” Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa told investors, analysts, and anyone else dialing into Thursday’s daylong presentation of the company’s new, $70 billion Fastlane 2030 turnaround plan.
The fourth-largest automaker on the planet, Stellantis, comprises 14 brands, including some obscure regional ones like Italy’s Lancia and France’s DS. But there are also some big ones, notably U.S.-based Ram, Jeep, Dodge, and Chrysler. And they’re the company’s cash cows, which helps explain why 60% of the money going to new products will fund efforts to revitalize its North American operations.
That’ll bring some new Dodge performance vehicles to market, including the Copperhead and GLH — short for “Go Like Hell.” But it will also fund development of an assortment of new SUVs and pickups, such as the Jeep Scrambler and Ram Rampage, and even a trio of new crossovers from the long-struggling Chrysler brand.
More Choices Coming
“There are some interesting things coming for off-roaders,” said Stephanie Brinley, principal auto analyst with S&P Global Mobility, and one of those who got a sneak peek this week at some of the new products in the works. “Stellantis is more committed to their off-road products than ever.”
Under Fastlane, the automaker is reorganizing from a global conglomerate into a more regionally focused manufacturer. And four brands will come to dominate, notably Jeep and Ram, which have traditionally accounted for a lopsided share of Stellantis’s sales and earnings.
If anything, the company recognizes the growing interest in everything from overlanding to serious rock-crawling, and virtually all new products from those two brands will have off-road capabilities, at least with some trim packages.
And there will be more such options to come, Stellantis officials made clear during their presentation.
Staying a Step Ahead of the Competition
Not surprisingly, the big news for off-roaders will be coming from the Jeep brand, which is “on a product launch offensive,” said Tim Kuniskis, head of American brands and North American marketing and CEO of both the Ram and SRT brands. The brand, he added, is “synonymous with capability.” But if anything, it has to take things even further, said Sam Fiorani, lead strategist for AutoForecast Solutions.
“With all the competition out there, Jeep has to step up and make sure it gives even more choice than Ford and Toyota and everyone else that will be in the field in the next few years. They no longer have it all to themselves.”
That became all the more apparent during the New York International Auto Show 2 months ago, when Hyundai rolled out the new Boulder concept. Company officials made it clear they’re preparing to build a production version aimed directly at both the Jeep and Ford Bronco. And sibling Korean brand Kia will launch a similar body-on-frame off-roader.
What’s in Store at Jeep
Jeep’s product offensive is, if anything, designed to expand the brand’s reach with new products like the Recon set to reach showrooms later this year. The Wrangler-sized SUV was originally planned to be all-electric, but Stellantis officials confirmed rumors that they’ll be offering other drivetrain options. Whether that will mean a pure internal combustion engine, a hybrid, or both has not yet been disclosed.
Among the four new models in the works, we’ll also see the new Jeep Scrambler, a two-door version of the Jeep Gladiator. With its shorter wheelbase, it will help address some of the complaints about the original pickup, such as its breakover angle.
Expect to see a new Trailhawk version of the Grand Cherokee. And Brinley expects a similar package for the newly revived Jeep Cherokee. What’s unclear is whether it will use the hybrid powertrain — the only option at launch — or wait until Cherokee adds a second, internal combustion engine (ICE) alternative.
Jeep Unplugged
Jeep will also see the return of the Wagoneer S next year, its first all-electric model. It was pulled from production for 2026 due to a combination of factors, including slow sales and the need to address some drivetrain issues. But CEO Filosa confirmed it will return in 2027. As the decision to add an ICE option for Recon, Jeep has slowed the pace of its EV rollout — though Filosa said it will continue to offer battery-electric options on some models.
On the flip side, the brand has permanently sidelined the 4xe plug-in hybrid system in both the Wrangler and the Grand Cherokee. It is instead preparing to introduce a new range-extending technology, starting with the Grand Wagoneer.
The “REEV” system is similar to a plug-in, but it uses its internal combustion engine solely to generate current to keep a battery pack charged. There’s no direct connection to the wheels, which draw torque solely from electric motors.
Ram on a Rampage
The REEV system was originally intended to debut on a version of the big Ram 1500 pickup. It’s been delayed but should be out shortly after the launch of the Grand Wagoneer version, Filosa indicated. And we’ll likely see this range-extending technology show up on a variety of other Ram, Jeep, and Chrysler models — if not more Stellantis brands.
For both Jeep and Ram, the technology addresses concerns potential buyers expressed about the range of all-electric models. While internal studies found that buyers loved the near-silence of operating off-road in battery mode, they worried about running out of power miles from the nearest charger.
The Ram 1500 will continue to offer a wide range of trim packages, including variants suited for overlanding and rock-crawling, said Fiorani, though much of the emphasis during the Fastlane 2030 presentation focused on new “muscle trucks.”
Earlier in the week, the brand revealed the Rumble Bee, a monster with as much as 777 horsepower and 680 pound-feet of torque in the SRT trim — enough to launch from 0 to 60 in 3.4 seconds.
Hemi V-8s and ‘Rampage’
Ram made a major mistake when it launched a new 2025 1500, swapping out the familiar Hemi V-8 for the newer Hurricane V-6. Even though the new package was more powerful, faster, and more fuel-efficient, Hemi loyalists weren’t won over; as much as 20% of full-size pickup buyers won’t even consider a product that doesn’t offer a V-8, noted Filosa.
Lagging sales took off when the Hemi returned late last year. Going forward, expect to see Hemi and more powerful Hellcat options across the Ram lineup.
Ram has long needed to address another hole in its lineup, said Fiorani: the lack of a midsize pickup. Last December, Kuniskis confirmed that the gap would be filled with a new model to be named Dakota. But during the Fastlane presentation, he went a step further, revealing plans to add a compact model, as well. To be called Rampage and targeting the popular Ford Maverick, it will be a “homologated” version of the small truck widely sold by Ram in Latin America.
No surprise, Ram will offer a Hemi option for Dakota. It’s not yet clear whether there’ll be an off-road package, as well. But Stellantis officials made it clear they plan to challenge the king of the midsize pickup segment, the Toyota Tacoma. And, if they’re aiming for real volume, Dakota would have to offer alternatives to the Tacoma TRD, TRD Pro, and Trailhunter packages, said Fiorani.
Smart Tech
The Fastlane plan isn’t limited to four-wheeled vehicles. Stellantis is partnering with tech leaders, including NVIDIA, to upgrade the smarts in its cars, trucks, vans, and SUVs. The STLA Brain, for example, is a centralized computing system meant to replace the scores of small microprocessors now found in most of today’s vehicles. Set to begin rolling out on new products in 2027, it will have up to six times the processing power of the best computers currently used by the automaker.
That will not just lower production costs, said Ned Curic, the automaker’s head of technology, but also enable a number of advanced features. That includes a more capable hands-free driving system, as well as the new Smart Cockpit that will operate much like Amazon’s Alexa. The voice assistant will recognize conversational commands in 21 languages.
It will operate through the new Smart Cockpit Stellantis is preparing to launch, also in 2027. Among its many capabilities, said Curic, it will allow Jeep owners “to download additional off-road (driving) modes,” as well as trail maps and other features and functions still being conceived.
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