Ram has admitted it "screwed up" when it axed the V8 from the 1500 pick-up, so it is back in US models for 2026 – but it is far from a certainty for Australia.
The Ram 1500 pick-up has re-introduced Hemi V8 power in the US, after a controversial switch to turbocharged six-cylinder power 18 months ago – a decision the company admits it "screwed up".
But there is no guarantee it will reach Australia – even though it is the same 5.7-litre V8 used in the outgoing model just superseded locally – and it could be years away.
Contrary to expectation, changes to the Ram 1500 with its latest facelift mean it is not as simple as fitting the old V8 where the new six-cylinder sits, and calling it a day.
It suggests the V8 may need to pass through the 12-to-18-month process it usually takes for new Ram variants to be engineered for right-hand drive, by which time, in 2027, Australian emissions targets may prove too stringent to meet.
"The return of the Hemi V8 is a decision that has been made for the US market. As it stands today, there is no guarantee the Hemi V8 will return to Australian showrooms," a statement from Ram Trucks Australia today reads.
"As with any development, we will continue to review and evaluate what options are made available to us from the vast Ram catalogue in the US.
"We know there are customers who love the sound of a V8, and the Hemi V8 is still available in our Ram 1500 Big Horn model while stock lasts.
“However, customers have also embraced the new Hurricane twin-turbo in-line six-cylinder engine in our latest Ram 1500 models. The Hurricane engine remains an integral part of Ram’s future.
“With more power and torque – and better efficiency – than the previous 5.7-litre Hemi V8, we believe the new Hurricane engine series will over time become iconic in its own right."
Work to re-introduce V8 power to the Ram 1500 is said to have begun the day current CEO Tim Kuniskis returned to the company late last year.
"Everyone makes mistakes, but how you handle them defines you. Ram screwed up when we dropped the Hemi — we own it and we fixed it," Kuniskis said in a media statement.
"Ram will continue to offer the more powerful and more efficient Hurricane Straight Six Turbo, but we heard loud and clear from consumers: there is no replacement for the iconic Hemi V8.
"At the end of each month, we count sales to customers, not to statisticians or ideologues."
It was not as simple as re-installing the engine and moving on, however, as the latest Ram 1500 uses a new electrical architecture that requires the V8 to be re-engineered for the vehicle, Motor1 reports.
That would normally take 18 months, but the process was accelerated to six months under the supervision of the former chief engineer of Ram and Dodge SRT performance vehicles.
The V8 is offered as an option in the US, priced at a $US1200 ($AU1850) premium over the standard-output inline-six on most models in the US range.
It is a no-cost option on the Limited and Longhorn model grade, while it is not available on the RHO – the inline-six successor to the supercharged V8-powered TRX – and Tungsten variants.
There is no word on whether the 6.2-litre supercharged V8 will return in a new Ram 1500 TRX, but the company has not closed the door on such a model.
All new V8 Ram 1500s in the US will be fitted with a 'Symbol of Protest' badge on the front wheel arches, depicting a ram's head on a V8.
The 5.7-litre V8 continues to produce 295kW and 556Nm, with the availability of a carry-over 48-volt 'eTorque' mild-hybrid system that can assist the engine under heavy load, or turn off and on the V8 at the traffic lights.
"The system enables up to 130 lb.-ft. [176Nm] of torque to be available on initial throttle tip-in," Ram said in a media release.
It can tow up to a claimed 5203kg braked, with a payload of up to 794kg. A "performance-tuned" exhaust system is standard.
The first examples of the reborn Ram 1500 V8 are due in US showrooms in the northern summer of this year (June to August), as a Model Year 2026 (MY26) offering.
Alex Misoyannis has been writing about cars since 2017, when he started his own website, Redline. He contributed for Drive in 2018, before joining CarAdvice in 2019, becoming a regular contributing journalist within the news team in 2020. Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family. Highly Commended - Young Writer of the Year 2024 (Under 30) Rising Star Journalist, 2024 Winner Scoop of The Year - 2024 Winner
