RAM Admitted Its Mistake: The V8 Comeback Story

HEMI is back – Ram admits its mistake

When Ram removed its well-known 5.7-liter HEMI V8 from the full-size pickup range in 2024, the community reacted instantly. Forums and social media echoed a single verdict: “A Ram without a HEMI is just an ordinary pickup.” For many fans it felt like a death sentence – as if the brand had cut away a piece of its own identity along with the engine. The backlash grew so loud that brand chief Tim Kuniskis publicly conceded: “Ram screwed up when we dropped the HEMI – we own it, and we fixed it.”

The F15 team – the recipe for success

Words were followed by action. Stellantis assembled a small engineering task force codenamed F15, staffed largely by former SRT veterans. Their mission: marry the classic cast-iron HEMI block to the new Atlantis High electrical architecture, whose original design left no room for a big V8.

Six months of intense work – new wiring looms, re-programmed eTorque management and freshly calibrated GPF filters – produced the first pre-production trucks that meet Euro 6e emissions and are ready for series build.

Eight cylinders in a new guise

The revived engine keeps its core figures: 395 hp and 410 lb-ft. A 48-volt eTorque system can deactivate half the cylinders at steady speeds and restarts the V8 seamlessly after brief stops. The standard Mopar active exhaust lets drivers choose the soundtrack – a deep, throaty bass in Sport, or a subdued tone civil enough for the city in Auto. The pickup sprints to 100 km/h (about 60 mph) in roughly six seconds and tows more than 5.2 metric tons.

News of the HEMI’s return immediately reignited speculation about the next Charger and Challenger. If a V8 can slot into Atlantis High, doing the same on the STLA Large platform seems only a matter of time. Rumors of Ram re-entering the NASCAR Truck Series in 2026 pour yet more fuel on V8 enthusiasm.

fot. Stellantis

“Symbol of Protest” – logo or manifesto?

At the 2026 model’s unveiling Ram didn’t just announce the engine’s comeback; it also showed a chrome badge depicting a ram’s head driven into a V-block cut-away.

Dubbed the “Symbol of Protest,” the emblem went viral overnight. Its message is clear: the brand nods to its heritage while signalling to rivals and loyal HEMI fans alike that emotion is every bit as important as spreadsheets.

fot. Stellantis

HEMI on European roads

From a European viewpoint, the F15 team’s work on GPF filters and OBD VI diagnostics proved decisive. Stellantis says the first HEMI-equipped Ram 1500s will reach the continent before year-end. After customs duty (10 %), excise tax (3.1 % on engines above 2 litres) and VAT, a base Tradesman should cost roughly the same as a well-optioned D-segment SUV. Thanks to N1 light-commercial homologation, business buyers can reclaim part of the tax, and while the truck’s two-metre width demands some parking practice, it remains road-legal across Europe.

The HEMI revival proves that even in an era of rapid electrification, the market isn’t one-dimensional. A passionate community can persuade a manufacturer to change course when heritage and excitement carry real value.

The four letters H-E-M-I serve as a reminder that technology should enhance – not replace – the thrill of driving. Their unmistakable rumble is once again echoing on American highways, and soon we’ll hear it on European roads as well.

Keep an eye on your mirrors.

fot. JGD Attack Team