10. Dodge Rampage
Dodge was always a strong SUV and pickup truck brand in the Mopar world. Despite having a successful line of trucks, they always explored possibilities for introducing new models. One of those experiments, although not especially successful, was the 1982 to 1984 Dodge Rampage. Everything started when Subaru introduced a model called the BRAT. It was a small, but fun pickup with four-wheel drive.
At that time, the Dodge passenger car lineup had similar platforms they could transform into small, lifestyle trucks. This meant they didn’t need to make a big investment into new tooling and production. Plymouth had its version of a little truck called the Scamp with the same design and technology. Despite the good idea behind the project, the two models were a failure because they sold in relatively low numbers until Dodge discontinued them.
The reasons were simple. The front-wheel drive passenger car platform was not tough enough for any serious tasks. The diminutive 2.2-liter four-cylinder engine with 96 HP was not powerful enough to tow. This clearly marked the Rampage and the Scamp as fun vehicles or beach buggies, but distanced them from serious truck buyers. In the end, 41,000 found new homes and today people have scrapped or forgotten them.