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" .
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Leider die Zuverlässigkeit der VM MOTORIE 3L CRD eingebaut in Jeep Grand Cherokee ist katastrophal!!! Stelantis hat aber keine Interesse die schlechte Qualität zu zugeben und Technische Verbesserungen einzuführen. Die Motoren gehen leiser Reihenweise bei 15000 bis 100000km kaputt. Nach Garantie verlauf ist der Kunde der Lackmeier! Warum der Jeep Commander von der Zusammenarbeit mit Mercedes immer noch wie ein Uhrwerk läuft und die aktuelle italienische Produktion um Welten übertrifft??
Vielleicht erst mal an der Rechtschreibung üben,bevor man irgendwelche unqualifizierten Bemerkungen schreibt.
Dann können sie ja auch den V6 aus dem QV weiterhin einbauen. In der nächsten Gulia...
Ram bekommt hemis. Jeep und Alfa 3 Zylinder.
Fxxx Stellantis. Hoffe die gehen unter. Schlechteres Management als in der UdSSR.
You keep banging on about Co2 without it we all starve , so please stop this crap talk!!!
Ich fahre ein hemi v8 aber diese Herz ❤️ klopfen gibt keine andere Marke für mich
Ich schreibe das ist die beste Nachricht was habe gehört. Diese Gefühl was gibt ein v8 gibt überhaupt nichts bei andere Marken .
Ich liebe diese Auto zum fahren.❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Yes, the future of the planet is of no concern to the Americans. And local pollution, including noise, is no different. It has to be said that their big cities don't pose too many problems. In Europe, where we live on top of each other in the city, we're fed up with all these diesels and other 2-wheelers or cars with engines that are too audible (American V8s are too noisy). It makes you want to have a bazooka!
Get out to nature and hike and camp. I go out to The Ghost, to ice climb in winter, and camp in summer. My V6 Pentastar Gladiator Rubicon makes this easily, through mountain logging roads, and rock crawling. We in Alberta need the power of the big block engines, for farming, heavy pulling jobs, and long distance traveling. The V8 is NASCAR, from the days moonshiners use to race thought the woods avoiding regulators, and thus evolved into racing. Rubbings racing. If you ain't rubbing you ain't racing!
Richtige Entscheidung getroffen. So ein RAM ist einfach nichts ohne 8 Zylinder. ist nen riesen Auto und der braucht auch einen Motor mit einer hohen Grundumsatz. Mir als Verbraucher hätte der RAM auch nie als 6 Zylinder gekauft. Motortechnisch gesehen kann man den Verbrauch auch beim 8 Zylinder ganz weit nach unten drücken mit gewissen Komponenten. Dafür braucht man keinen 6 zylinder für kaputt jubeln unter so nen schönen Auto.
Eine alte Weisheit besagt: "Nichts geht über Hubraum!"
Unabhängig hiervon ist das einseitige Denken nur noch e-Mobilität zu fördern einfach verfrüht, zumindest solange, wie eine entsprechende Infrastruktur an Ladestationen fehlt. Auch sind die vorhandenen Netze bei Weitem noch nicht ausreichend um allen Anforderungen gerecht zu werden.
In der heutigen Zeit wären e-Fahrzeuge mit eine e-Reichweite von mindestens 150 km (auch im Winter) und einem Benzinmotor als Reichweiten-Booster das Vernünftigste.
Der Benzinmotor würde nur im günstigsten Drehmoment laufen und der Antrieb des Fahrzeugs profitiert von dem e-Power des elektrischen Antriebs.
So könnte man beide Vorteile der grundverschiedenen Antriebe nutzen.