Ram Gives Fans The One Thing They Wanted

Not that long ago, the Hemi V8 was looking like an endangered species. It was dropped from the Jeep Grand Cherokee and eschewed by the redesigned Dodge Charger. The 5.7-liter engine also became persona non grata on the 2025 Ram 1500, which was offered exclusively with six-cylinder engines.

Fans had a lot to say about the move, but none of it was positive. Ram is now having a mea culpa moment and CEO Tim Kuniskis isn’t mincing words. Quite the opposite as he acknowledged the company “screwed up when we dropped the Hemi.”

Review: We Drove The New Ram RHO And Everyone Asked One Thing

Thankfully, this isn’t just an apology tour as we were on hand at the unveiling of the 2026 Ram 1500 earlier this week. It restores the 5.7-liter V8 to its rightful place under the hood of the Big Horn, Express, Laramie, Limited, Longhorn, Rebel, Tradesman, and Warlock trims.

Michael Gauthier / Carscoops

The Hemi is a $1,200 option on most versions of the truck and it’s exactly like you remembered as the mill continues to produce 395 hp (295 kW / 400 PS) and 410 lb-ft (555 Nm) of torque. That’s a sizable improvement over the entry-level 3.6-liter V6, but it trails the twin-turbo 3.0-liter Hurricane inline-six by a significant margin.

The latter produces an impressive 420 hp (313 kW / 426 PS) and 460 lb-ft (623 Nm) of torque. Not to be outdone, there’s a high-output variant with 540 hp (403 kW / 548 PS) and 521 lb-ft (706 Nm).

The high-output Hurricane comes standard on the Limited, Longhorn, Tungsten, and RHO. When asked about the latter getting Hemi power, Kuniskis seemed to downplay the possibility by saying the RHO is already a fantastic package. He also suggested a V8 might not be the right call for that trim, although he didn’t completely rule it out either.

Getting back to the Hemi, it’s “exactly” the same as it was before as Ram wanted to get it installed ASAP. As a result, it sports a number of familiar features including variable valve timing, cylinder deactivation technology, and an eTorque hybrid system. Customers can also expect a payload capacity of 1,750 lbs (794 kg) and a towing capacity of up to 11,470 lbs (5,203 kg).

A New Symbol Of Hemi Power

Michael Gauthier / Carscoops

While the V8’s return sparks a lot of déjà vu, there is one notable departure. The familiar “HEMI” badges on the front fenders have been replaced by a new “Symbol of Protest.”

It’s an eye-catching addition that follows in the footsteps of the Hellcat and Demon badges. However, this one features a Ram’s head at the front of a Hemi engine block. They’re joined by exaggerated exhaust tips, which help to convey performance.

We’ll have more to say about the Ram 1500 and the Hemi’s return, but the V8-powered truck will arrive at dealerships this summer. It’s currently available to order and the company is expecting to see a lot of initial demand.