Ram Says it Made a Mistake, Brings Back the 5.7L Hemi V8
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Ram says it is responding to customer feedback and bringing the famed Hemi V8 back to its pickup truck lineup. The hybrid engine will make 395 hp and 410 lb-ft of torque while employing eTorque technology.
The returning engine is placed between the 305-horsepower 3.6L Pentastar V6 that goes into the 1500 pickup as standard and the optional 420-horsepower 3.0L Hurricane inline-six that initially took over from the V8 when the fifth-generation Ram was introduced in 2019 — a move that apparently frustrated brand loyalists. Ram's most powerful available will continue to be the high output version of the 3.0L I6, which makes 540 hp and 521 lb.-ft. of torque.
Indeed, that frustration put Ram in a bit of an awkward position. Even Tim Kuniskis, Ram brand CEO, admitted that the new Hurricane I6 is more powerful and more efficient than the V8. The truck maker is, therefore, positioning Hemi-powered pickups as an item of countercultural defiance, equipping each one with a “Symbol of Protest” badge on the back that rages against… Ram’s product planning department?
In order to help the aging V8 along, Ram has opted to pair it to an eTorque hybrid system. Comprised of a 430 watt-hour lithium-ion battery back and a belt-driven motor generator unit, the system offers 130 lb-ft of electric torque to help get a truck off the line. That helps improve acceleration and fuel economy.
Ram 1500s equipped with the Hemi V8 will be able to tow up to 5,202 kg (11,470 lbs) and will have a payload capacity of 794 kg (1,750 lbs). Fuel economy figures for the engine have not yet been announced.
The 5.7L Hemi V8 will be available on select 2026 model year Ram 1500s. The option will cost extra in the Tradesman, Big Horn, Express, Warlock, and Laramie, and will be available as a no-charge option for the Limited and Longhorn trims. It will also be available on the Rebel, though that will come later than the rest.
