Stellantis’ American brands, including Dodge, Jeep, and Ram, built their reputations on the back of the V8 engine, so it was a big surprise to hear the automaker’s plans to move away from the format in favor of a new turbocharged inline six-cylinder, but that plan has changed and buyers have responded. Ram announced the Hemi V8’s return earlier this year, and the early sales numbers show that they’re selling almost as fast as dealers can get them.
Automotive News reported on Stellantis’ sales numbers, which showed that dealers are moving V8-powered Ram 1500 pickups within five days on average, a fraction of the typical sales timeframe. These are early numbers, too, and they’ll likely continue trending upward as Ram is able to build more Hemi-powered pickups.
There’s nothing wrong with the Hurricane inline-six engine, but it doesn’t have the presence or reputation that the Hemi brings to the table. It also lacks the throaty sound, which many people associate with Ram trucks on a fundamental level.
Strong sales numbers are good news regardless of the situation, but they’re especially sweet for Stellantis. Dodge’s sales numbers were down slightly, and recent reports suggest that it might cancel an upcoming electric muscle car. Additionally, Fiat only sold 321 cars in the third quarter of this year, though that modest number was actually a two-percent increase from the previous quarter.
[Images: Stellantis/Ram]
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