Japanese Roots, American Badge: How The Ram 50 Got Dodge Into The Compact Pickup Market

In the 1970s, America’s automotive mojo was in trouble. The first gas crisishit in 1973, forcing many folks out of their large, gas-guzzling V8s into compact models. By 1978, another gas crisis landed. At this point, the old ways of American motoring were all but finished as a whole, and the entire country needed to adapt, including the pickup truck market.