Ram to bring V8 engines back to utes
Sales slumped, profits plummeted, shares fell, dealers revolted, and unions waged war over shutdowns and enforced lay-offs that eventually triggered the Stellantis group's own chief executive to fall on his sword.
MORE: US dealers lash out over falling Jeep, Ram sales
V8 power makes the RAM TRX an incredibly desirable ute. Picture: Thomas Wielecki
In reality, it's dubious the King ever said the original V8 quote and it would be stretching the truth to say dumping the V8 was the root of either Ram's or Stellantis' crippling issues but when an available scapegoat is on hand, who wouldn't want to grab it with both hands and bask in the warm fuzzy glow of giving diehard enthusiasts with the loudest voices exactly what they want?
'Everyone makes mistakes, but how you handle it defines you', said Ram chief executive Tim Kuniskis. 'Ram screwed up when we dropped the Hemi – we own it and we fixed it.'
MORE: Driving the six-cylinder Ram 1500
RAM finished production of Hemi-powered V8 utes in 2024. Picture: Supplied
Dragged back from retirement to save Ram, the former chief executive only returned last December and was well aware of the PR mileage in saving the American Dream.
Reviving the V8 wasn't as easy as you'd think.
The recently updated Ram 1500 ute had been reengineered for Stellantis next-generation Atlantis High electric architecture that had never been developed to work with the ageing V8.
Engineers estimated dropping the V8 back in the big ute would take up to 18 months, but Kuniskis' assembled team achieved it in just six.
MORE: End of an era for V8 icon
A new six-cylinder engine in the Ram 1500 has plenty of power. Picture: Supplied
Helping save face, the official party line is the V8 isn't a replacement for the all-new Hurricane twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder, just merely a tool to broaden choice within the line-up.
Not that any old 5.7-litre Hemi was chosen for the Ram 1500, with the most sophisticated mild-hybrid eTorque Hemi picked from the Jeep Wagoneer that delivers 295kW of power and 556Nm of torque, with the latter boosted by a short burst of 176Nm when needed for overtakes and smooth engine shut off when not.
MORE: Electrified 'Ramcharger' revealed
The V8's belt-driven alternator and 48-volt battery also help smooth cylinder deactivation and offers near seamless stop-start in traffic.
Sounds good if you conveniently ignore the far more efficient inline-six's maximum 403kW and 707Nm peak torque but one thing the trick Hurricane engine can never match is the beloved V8 burble and the new Hemi-powered 1500s now come with a standard sports exhaust to maximise that advantage.
In the US the V8 is also a surprisingly affordable $US1200 ($A1850) option on most standard-output inline-six Ram 1500s, while a no-cost extra on the high-grade Limited and Longhorn variants but it's not available on the flagship RHO.
There's no word yet on what's happened to the 523kW supercharged 6.2-litre V8 that powered the 1500 TRX but with most of the work already done a reboot could be on the cards.
Other than its thumping soundtrack, identifying a V8-powered Ram 1500 isn't easy but there are new 'Symbol of Protest' badges on the front fenders that fuses a demonic ram's head on a V8 engine block.
MORE: Driving the Ram TRX at Black Rock
Former Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares stepped down after revolt from Jeep and Ram dealers. Photo: AFP
With clear demand for the V8 Down Under, you might expect the local Ram outfit would be screaming out for the bent-eight's return but with Australia's own emission standards, adopted at the beginning of this year, the chances of V8 renaissance under the 1500 bonnet has narrowed.
There's also the small matter of the lengthy estimated 12-18 months it will take for the V8 to be reengineered for a right-hand drive conversion.
With predicted 2027 arrival it's no wonder Ram Australia hasn't been quick to carefully manage expectations for the 1500 V8 Down Under.
The new Ram 1500 has 'Hurricane' six-cylinder power. Picture: Supplied
'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.
'However, customers have also embraced the new Hurricane twin-turbo in-line six-cylinder engine'.
'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.'
Even without the V8 revival kicking in, with an industry veteran behind the wheel Ram retail sales have already crept up by 16 per cent in the first quarter of this year, with analysts predicting a whopping 40 per cent bump in Q2 alone.
Throw in EVs that arrive in 2027 and the range-extender Ramcharger that lands later his year, plus rumours of new mid-size utes to fight the Ranger and the future is brighter but not yet assured for the US brand.
While everyone warmly greets the return of the V8, the real work continues behind the scenes to tackle poor quality and worse reliability, while somehow find the cash needed to build a future line-up of truly desirable utes worthy of the King, with or without a V8.
Originally published as Ram to bring V8 engines back to utes
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