Auto enthusiasts can find almost anything to complain about, but that bellyaching doesn’t always get results. That said, Ram heard the chorus of doubts about its decision to nix the Hemi V8 in new trucks and is reviving the engine options for the 2026 model year.
It’s refreshing when an automaker acknowledges a mistake. Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis said, “Everyone makes mistakes, but how you handle them defines you. Ram screwed up when we dropped the Hemi – we own it and we fixed it. Ram will continue to offer the more powerful and more efficient Hurricane Straight Six Turbo, but we heard loud and clear from consumers: There is no replacement for the iconic Hemi V8.”
Ram recently opened the order books for the 2026 1500 pickups, which will offer a Hemi V8 with eTorque. The 5.7-liter mill offers 395 horsepower and 410 pound-feet of torque, short of the previous-generation TRX engine and the specs delivered by today’s Hurricane high-output inline-six.
Ram will offer the Hemi in the Tradesman, Big Horn, Express, Warlock, Laramie, Rebel, and Longhorn trim levels. It features a 48-volt mild-hybrid system that replaces the starter motor and offers up to 130 pound-feet of torque from the moment the driver presses the throttle.
The new engine brings Ram’s truck powertrain offerings to four. The base engine remains the Pentastar 3.6-liter V6, but the 5.7-liter V8 joins two inline-six-cylinder options, including the high-output mill in the Ram 1500 RHO.
[Images: Ram]
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