The Hemi V8 Is Back—And Buyers Wasted No Time
Ram didn’t make a big announcement when it brought the Hemi V8 back to the 1500, but word got out fast. The result? Orders poured in. The 5.7-liter Hemi had barely left before buyers made it clear they wanted it back, and the rush to place orders proved it.
The Hemi V8 doesn’t outshine the new Hurricane inline-six in raw numbers, but that’s not the point. It’s about the sound, the feel, and the sense of tradition that comes with a V8 under the hood. Tim Kuniskis, now back leading Ram, took a risk bringing it back. Judging by the early response, it was the right call.
Ram
Demand Is the Easy Part
Now Ram faces a different challenge: building enough Hemis to meet demand. Due to supply constraints, production is still ramping up, and Hemi trucks are moving off lots at more than double the pace of Hurricane-powered models. Right now, about 30 percent of Ram 1500s sold are Hemis – and that number could climb if supply catches up.
“We probably need, as a company, another 100,000-plus Hemis to meet consumer demand,” Kuniskis said in a media briefing, CarBuzz reports.
At the moment, availability is also constrained by trim selection. Only a couple of high-volume trims, primarily Big Horn and Laramie, are seeing consistent Hemi allocations. Other trims, especially the rugged Warlock trim, technically support the engine, but finding one on a dealer lot can be difficult.
It’s an odd situation: the engine everyone wants is also the toughest to find, and buyers are willing to pay extra for it over the base V6 or the Hurricane six.
Ram
What Comes Next
Ram expects Hemi supply to improve as production catches up. More trims will get the V8, and Kuniskis thinks the Hemi could make up nearly 40 percent of Ram 1500 sales. That’s not only about moving units – it’s about keeping loyal buyers in the fold, especially those who see a V8 as a must-have.
If you’re set on a Hemi-powered Ram 1500, don’t count on finding one sitting on a dealer lot. The best move is to order the exact truck you want, even if it means waiting a bit longer. Ram knows the demand is real. Now it’s just a matter of building enough to keep up.
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RAM
Stellantis
About the author
Jacob Oliva
Senior Editor, Autoblog