Could Ram become a brand for Chrysler

The name Ram could be attached to a lot more than a pickup if a new strategy under consideration by Chrysler management (reported by Automotive News) is adopted.

Check out all the latest cargo haulers that could be coming our way or already here in the photo gallery below.

Under the Ram umbrella could fall products such as the Fiat Doblò, Ducato and Iveco Daily.

All manufacturers would love to see their commercial European and American counterparts unite. Ford is bringing over its Turkish built Transit Connect for 2010 and will eventually merge the larger Transit and Econoline platforms.

Chrysler has been an innovator in this European wave by bringing over the Mercedes Sprinter as the Dodge Sprinter to great initial reception by the market. Since that time, Sprinter sales have slowed (off 64 percent through July) but that could be a function of the economy rather than the concept.

Of course, building Ram into a commercial brand could cause issues for the Ram pickup and its perception by personal use buyers. However, it would not seem that difficult to simply tack on a name at the end, like Ford's King Ranch F-Series pickup to denote a luxury model from a more pedestrian, commercial vehicle.