The iconic Hemi V8 engine will reportedly be available once again in the Ram 1500 next year, following the return of the brand’s V8-loving boss.
When the Ram 1500 was facelifted in the US in 2023, it lost both its 5.7-litre Hemi and supercharged 6.2-litre Hellcat V8s, with the engines replaced by the new Hurricane twin-turbo 3.0-litre straight-six.
This move has affected Australia, where the brand has been running out stock of locally remanufactured, V8-powered 1500s ahead of the launch of six-cylinder models this year.
However, a report by MoparInsiders – a Ram, Jeep, Dodge and Chrysler specialist publication – claims sources close to the pickup specialist have confirmed the revival of the hot 1500 TRX in 2026, powered by the supercharged Hellcat version of the iconic Hemi V8.
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According to the insiders, the returning 1500 TRX could be even more potent than its predecessor, which produced 523kW of power and 882Nm of torque, sent to a full-time four-wheel drive system and an eight-speed automatic transmission.
The TRX’s spiritual six-cylinder successor, the 1500 RHO, develops 402KW and 706Nm – a huge 121kW/176Nm deficit.
While this represents a major U-turn for Ram, it’s not an unexpected one, after former brand CEO Tim Kuniskis returned to the brand earlier this year, and quickly refused to rule out bringing the Hemi V8 back the 1500.
Ram technically never stopped offering a V8, though the Hemi – in 6.4-litre guise – has only been continued in the more heavy-duty 2500 and 3500.
Though the dimensions of the 1500 didn’t change with the update, under the skin it’s adopted a new electrical system to support the Hurricane engine, meaning it may be more of a challenge to fit the older Hemi.
“Number one, the Hemi was never designed to run in that truck on that electrical architecture, so that’s a huge challenge,” Mr Kuniskis told Motor1 in January.
“They shut down production on that particular Hemi, the [5.7-litre] eTorque. There’s supplier work because when you shut something down, suppliers shut down their assembly lines, and they switch to something else.
“Even if you said let’s do it, we can’t do it right away.
“I didn’t say you can’t do it… you can’t do it right away.”
Prior to the death of the Hemi V8 in the 1500, the 5.7- and 6.2-litre engines represented 85 per cent of the pickup’s sales, with the remaining 15 per cent coming from the 3.6-litre Pentastar V6.
Australia never got the Pentastar, though while the 1500 was later available only with V8s, it was briefly offered with a 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6.
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Ram 1500 RHO
The move away from the Hemi V8 engine hasn’t been exclusive to Ram, with other brands under the Stellantis umbrella also doing so in the past 18 months.
The latest Dodge Charger – the replacement of both the previous Charger sedan and Challenger coupe – is offered only with electric or Hurricane six power.
Jeep models such as the Grand Cherokee and Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer have also recently lost the option of the Hemi V8.
The Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer are now offered exclusively with Hurricane power.
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