It’s never easy to admit a mistake, but that’s what Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis did last month. The brand had dropped the Hemi V-8 engine from the 1500 with the 2025 revamp, which some buyers didn’t like. Ram is rectifying that error for 2026, and it appears customers are eager for the engine’s return.
The automaker said that it had received over 10,000 orders for the Hemi-powered 1500 within the first 24 hours after announcing its return. Kuniskis said in Stellantis’s second-quarter sales results that the brand is already seeing “consumer interest spurred by the return of the Hemi V-8.”
Photo by: Ram
Hemi Availability
Ram said the V-8-powered 1500 will go on sale this summer, each one wearing a special “Symbol of Protest” badge. The 5.7-liter engine makes 395 horsepower and 410 pound-feet of torque, as it did before, while featuring the same eTorque hybrid system. This was one way Ram could speed the development and get the truck on sale as quickly as possible.
The engine is an optional upgrade for the 2026 1500, which costs up to $1,200 on trucks equipped with the standard engine. Ram is offering the V-8 in Tradesman, Big Horn, Express, Warlock, Laramie, Limited, and Longhorn trims to start, with the Rebel arriving later. The V-8 is a free upgrade on the Limited and Longhorn, which comes standard with the high-output 3.0-liter inline-six high-output engine.
What Comes Next
Back in April, Kuniskis said Ram had 25 product launches scheduled for the next 18 months, and this is one of the first. The brand is also returning to NASCAR.
However, it’s unclear what Ram will launch next. There are rumors the TRX could return in 2026. And with the announcement that Stellantis is reviving SRT, it seems like anything and everything is back on the table, even passenger vans.
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