Say Goodbye to the Ram 1500 Classic as Production Set to End

Production of the more affordable version of the Ram 1500 will soon come to an end, according to parent company Stellantis, which also owns the Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep brands.

Production of the Ram 1500 Classic at the company’s assembly plant in Warren, Michigan, will move from a two-shift to a one-shift operating pattern, according to an August 9 Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notifications filing from Stellantis. Layoffs as a result of production ending are expected to occur in October and could impact up to 2,458 employees. The full filing can be found here.

A recent report from Kelley Blue Book referred to the Ram 1500 Classic as “one of the most affordable but least advanced work truck models from the full-size pickup market.” As of August 22,. Ram’s website lists just under 3,000 Ram 1500 Classics available for purchase on U.S. dealers’ lots.

The Classic stayed in the Ram lineup after the launch of the 2019 Ram 1500 with a new body design, but it could not survive the redesign for the 2025 Ram 1500. It was a nod to longtime fans of the popular pickup style. The Classic was geared to entry and commercial buyers as a lower-cost alternative.

The 2024 Ram 1500 Classic Tradesman starts at $38,705 on Ram’s website, while the Classic Warlock starts at $43,635.

Ram recently launched five new off-road pickups in its 1500 and 2500 series, including the 2025 Ram 1500 RHO, 2025 Ram 1500 Rebel X and 2025 Ram 1500 Warlock.

In a statement to Equipment World, Stellantis said, "With the introduction of the new Ram 1500, production of the Ram 1500 Classic at the Warren (Michigan) Truck Assembly Plant will come to an end later this year. As a result, Stellantis announced today that the plant will move from a two-shift to a one-shift operating pattern in General Assembly. Other operations within the plant will remain on two shifts to support Jeep Wagoneer production. All concerned parties will be notified as required by law."