With the Yanks one-up-manship of towing capacities coming to a head (I mean, how much more than 16-tonnes do we really need?), the battle ground for consumers’ dollars has moved on to tailgate innovation. We’ve seen some with automatic actuators, some with heavy-duty struts to lower the tailgate lighter than a feather, and now we get the RAM Multifunction Tailgate…
The tailgate assembly on the new RAM Truck Rebel gives a 60/40 offset split down the vertical axis, so it can open just like a set of barn doors. Where it gets really interesting, is that you can also lower it as if it were a standard tailgate. RAM has said there is no compromise in its capability or toughness, maintaining the 2000-pound load rating on the tailgate when used in its standard form.
The swing out use of the tailgate offers a lot of benefit after first glance; think ease of loading and unloading, easier to get into, easier washout, and you can roll a forklift right up to the rear bed for use as a work truck. Then there are the tried and tested benefits of a flip-down tailgate: workbench, lunch table, seat for watching sunset … they have also added a rear step that folds down from under the tub, to make getting in the tray just that much easier.
Sure, this RAM Multifunction Tailgate is on an American-based four-wheel drive, but the idea and technology could easily be brought into the Australian market. Make sure you keep an eye out for the innovation of something that has remained unchanged for nearly a century coming Down Under.
12 comments
Great idea, but it’s not really new and don’t know why it’s taken so long for manufacturers to build it into a pickup tailgate. Remember the Ford XB station wagon tail gate, in the 70’s, that you could either lower, or swing open? Don’t know why Ford wouldn’t use their technology in the F Series pickup tailgate?
Had one of those Dave. It was absolutely brilliant. Never caused me any grief with hinges or seals – and very handy.
I often wondered why ford dropped such a good idea.
I had an Falcon XA Fairmont wagon (1972 model) and it was the first to have that lower or swing tailgate, it was an excellent initiative and like you, I am amazed that it has been over 40 years and has not been replicated.
Ouch. That hurts. Where did those 40 years go? Mine was the XB.
Lets hope this time the BT50 won’t be the lemon it was using the Ford platform…. I know mine was, though I saw the light & bought a Cruiser Dual Cab & it sings a much better tune them BT ever did…
I wish Mazda all the best in their venture this time round…
Us wagons of the ’60’s had that way before the Falcon.
Never had any problems with my 2012 BT50, still performing well. But the RANGER has much cleaner lines.
Is that it ?! GMC’s multipro tailgate is a lot better. The only thing the RAM might have on the GMC is the barn door but meh.
i was in argentina in december2018 and fiat have a ute with the same tailgate, wonder who copied who, and the were evrywhere, the size is as big as the commodore ute but a dual cab with tray.
These Ute’s are getting worse. Soon the suburu brumby will be back on the market as a high capacity work horse ?.
Im going for the Ram 1500 when the new shape comes out in 2020. American crap you may say but worth a try, forget this poxy 2L rubbish!
The Ford Excursion (99 to 05) a 3 row SUV based on an F-250 had a 3 way tail gate, the lower doors where like the ones shown on the pick up here, the top door was a normal lift hatch.
At one stage it had a 6.8 litre Triton V-10, that’s right a V-10 under the hood, gotta love ’em. As well as a 7.3 litre turbo diesel.