Stellantis confirms the return of the V8: "Everyone makes mistakes".

It's a strategic shift that few would have anticipated even a year ago: Stellantis officially confirms the return of the 5.7L V8 HEMI engine to the Ram 1500 range from model year 2026. And it's the Ram brand boss himself, Tim Kuniskis, who says it straight: "Everyone makes mistakes, but how you correct them defines you." A powerful statement that sums up the about-face of an automotive group that seemed to have definitively turned the page on large naturally-aspirated engines in favor of the electric 100 %.

An error corrected... at the request of customers

Since production of the HEMI V8s ceased in Mexico in 2023, Hurricane in-line six-cylinder engines have taken over in the Ram 1500. More powerful and more efficient, these twin-turbocharged engines struggled to win over brand loyalists, who demanded the return of the iconic V8. The result: a consumer backlash, boycott threats... and a revised strategy.

Tim Kuniskis doesn't mince his words: "Ram made a mistake in abandoning the HEMI. We've heard our customers: there is no replacement for the iconic V8."

The HEMI is back, now with a light hybrid version

But Stellantis has not reneged on its environmental commitments. So that the return of the V8 is possible in a stricter regulatory context, the 5.7L engine is now combined with the eTorque system, a light-weight hybridization system already familiar to the Group, including Maserati's Ghibli and Grecale MHEV. This system replaces the traditional alternator with a motor-generator coupled to a 48V battery, capable of providing extra torque (up to 176 Nm) during acceleration phases, as well as energy recovery and stop/start functions.

A solution that is more symbolic than truly virtuous in terms of CO₂But this allowed Stellantis to keep the HEMI in the catalog without having to re-qualify everything, and above all to move fast. In fact, to meet the deadline, the engine was adapted to the new "STLA Frame" platform in just six months by a team of engineers nicknamed the "F-15".

A resolutely American strategy... for now

The return of the V8 HEMI is, of course, limited to the North American market, where demand for large combustion engines remains strong. However, Ram specifies that the 5.7L will also be offered in Europe from next winter, only on certain Ram 1500 models (Laramie, Limited...). A niche, to be sure, but which reflects a desire to give customers a choice and play on the emotional fibre of the V8, with its unique sound.

Even if this engine does not concern the Group's Italian models, the decision taken at Ram illustrates a change of tone at Stellantis since the departure of Carlos Tavares. Pragmatism seems to be back at the heart of industrial choices. A philosophy that could also benefit the Group's Italian brands. Maserati, for example, had to contend with a lukewarm reception for its 4-cylinder hybrid models, and even worse, the failure of the 100 % electric drive. And in Europe, the debate over the continued use of 4 and 6-cylinder combustion engines is still going on, particularly at Alfa Romeo and Maserati.

While the 3.0L 6-cylinder Hurricane is still officially Ram's "engine of the future" - more powerful, more efficient - the return of the V8 shows that technical decisions can be influenced by customers as much as by engineers or laws. A message that could also be heard from Alfa Romeo or Maserati, where the weight of image and history plays just as fundamental a role as emissions figures. A message in line with John Elkann's speech " we'll launch the right models, with the right engines, at the right time" .