Automotive
Ram is doing something few automakers ever do. It’s admitting it made a mistake. After pulling the legendary Hemi V-8 from the Ram 1500 lineup for 2025 and replacing it with a lineup of six-cylinder engines, the backlash was swift and loud. Buyers weren’t pleased, and Ram listened. Now, the Hemi is officially back for the 2026 model 12 months, and order books are open.
The 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 won’t be standard across the lineup, nevertheless it is obtainable as an option on most trims. Depending on the model, it’ll cost as much as $1,200 to get back that unmistakable V-8 rumble. Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis was candid concerning the reversal. “Ram screwed up after we dropped the Hemi—we own it and we fixed it,” he said. That level of honesty is rare, and it’s clearly a response to how passionately Ram buyers feel about their engines.
The returning V-8 will produce the identical 395 horsepower and 410 lb-ft of torque as before, and it retains the eTorque mild-hybrid system to assist efficiency and smooth start-stop operation. The goal, in response to Kuniskis, was to bring the engine back without triggering a protracted development cycle. That meant keeping the Hemi exactly because it was, allowing Ram to bypass time-consuming recalibrations and emissions certifications.
Buyers can spec the Hemi in a big selection of trims including Tradesman, Big Horn, Express, Warlock, Laramie, Rebel (somewhat later), Limited, and Longhorn. Interestingly, the Limited and Longhorn trims already include Ram’s high-output 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six, so the V-8 is a no-cost option there. On other trims with the standard-output six-cylinder, expect to pay as much as $1,200 for the upgrade.
To differentiate the Hemi-equipped trucks, Ram is introducing a novel “Symbol of Protest” badge that includes a ram’s head positioned on the front of a Hemi block. You’ll find it on the front fenders, signaling this truck means business. The Hemi configuration provides 1,750 kilos of payload capability and might tow as much as 11,470 kilos, maintaining its repute as a workhorse.
Bringing the V-8 back wasn’t easy. When Kuniskis rejoined Ram in December, he pushed hard to make it occur, however the engineering team was initially told it could take 18 months to make the engine work with the brand new electrical architecture introduced for the 2025 model. That architecture was designed with future electrified models just like the Ram 1500 Rev and Ramcharger in mind, not a decades-old V-8.
Enter Daryl Smith, the previous SRT chief engineer, who was tapped to guide a special skunkworks-style group codenamed F15. That team found out how one can integrate the Hemi in only six months. Kuniskis hinted that Smith’s SRT background wasn’t only a coincidence, suggesting this team may very well be tasked with greater than only one engine comeback.
Ram isn’t done yet. In April, Kuniskis announced the brand would unveil 25 products over the following 18 months. Amongst them is a long-anticipated mid-size truck, and fans are still holding out hope for the return of the TRX. While the high-output RHO was introduced last 12 months, Ram was clear it wasn’t a direct substitute for the TRX. As for when that beast may return, the corporate is staying quiet for now.
For those craving big power, there’s still one option on the horizon. The supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 Hellcat engine lives on within the 2026 Durango Hellcat. If Smith and his team can bring back the Hemi in six months, perhaps they will do the identical for the Hellcat-powered Ram 1500.
For now, V-8 lovers can breathe a sigh of relief. The Hemi isn’t dead. Not yet.
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This Article First Appeared At www.automotiveaddicts.com
