The RAM is reintegrating the Hemi V8 engine in its light pickups, as part of a series of changes promoted by the brand chief, Tim Kuniskis, to recover lost participation in the highly competitive US truck market.
Under the command of former Stellantis NV CEO Carlos Tavares, the RAM had removed the 2025 line Hemi engine in favor of a more efficient six-cylinder turbo engine called Hurricane. This six-cylinder engine comes as standard in some of the company’s most equipped versions, but for the 2026 model year, customers will be able to opt for 5.7-liter Hemi V8 engine for an additional $ 1,200 cost. Hemi engine RAM pickups should reach dealers this summer.
“Ram made a mistake by removing Hemi,” we took it and fixed, “Kuniskis said in a statement. “We hear loudly and clear from consumers: there is no substitute for the iconic Hemi V8.”
Kuniskis, a 33 -year -old veteran at the company that returned from retirement in December after the departure of Tavares, has worked intensely to reformulate RAM’s product strategy and try to recover lost participation. The RAM slice in the truck market has been almost half reduced since 2021, falling to 11% until April this year, compared to 20% at the end of 2021, according to researcher Edmunds. Total sales of the brand fell 2% in the first quarter, while light pickup deliveries fell 11%.
Kuniskis has postponed the arrival of RAM 1500 Rev completely electric and postponed the launch of the extended ramcharger ramcharger to prioritize the delivery of the hemi engine pickup trucks this summer. He bets that President Trump’s initiative to reverse the Biden era fuel economy rules will facilitate the sale of the popular gasoline engine without facing regulatory blocks or high financial fines.
“We analyzed the market, consumer demand, vehicle costs and margin potential,” said Kuniskis at a meeting with journalists at the company’s headquarters at Auburn Hills, Michigan, earlier this week. “It was a strictly commercial decision based on market demand.”
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RAM has increased its share in the retail market, which is more profitable than sales to rental companies or government customers, said Kuniskis. He said retail stake reached 17% in the first quarter and that the goal is to reach 20% by the end of the year. RAM will continue to prioritize retail channels until production in the second half of the year increases.
Hemi’s appeal is more in sound and sensation than strict performance metrics. With 395 horsepower and 410 pounds of torque, it is less powerful than the turbo Hurricane engine. But it has an adjusted exhaust to deliver the family snoring that truck fans love, as well as a 33 gallons fuel tank, against 24 gallons from Hurricane.
To explore Nostalgia by V8 and the slogan “Freedom of Choice” that Stellantis has promoted amid the slowdown of electric vehicles, Kuniskis asked designers to create a new emblem to be placed on the driver’s door of each Hemi pickup truck – a ram head over the V8 engine block. He calls this a “protest symbol”, aiming to increase support among buyers who value engine tuning more than climate concerns.
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Hemi is not a complete fuel drinker – it has a 48 volt “etorque” battery system to help the drag or when it is stopped at traffic light without burning extra fuel. Ford also combined its EcoBoost V8 engine to improve fuel economy and reduce emissions. And GM recently announced a $ 888 million investment in a New York state factory to produce next generation V8 engines for better efficient pickup trucks and SUVs.
Despite the bet on traditional combustion engines enthusiasts, Kuniskis said the RAM will have electric pickups, starting with the extended ramcharger, whose production should start by the end of 2025.
“Regulations did not disappear, compliance did not disappear,” said Kuniskis. “You don’t get there without any electrification.”
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