The V8 Roars Again: Ram 1500 Brings Back the HEMI With a Modern Twist

When Ram announced last year that it was retiring its iconic 5.7-liter V8 HEMI, the collective howl from heartbroken car enthusiasts echoed across oceans. But now, it’s time for an apology. Brand chief Tim Kuniskis said what few executives dare admit: “We got it wrong.” Thankfully, that mistake has been fixed—the V8 is back, and it’s better than ever.

The all-American pickup icon, the Ram 1500, once again houses an engine that growls like an angry lion and tows like a freight train. This time, though, it comes in a modernized package: the HEMI V8 eTorque. That means classic muscle with a mild electric assist, resulting in 400 horsepower and 555 Nm of torque—a powertrain that scoffs at trailers and highways alike.

After a yearlong detour pushing the technically sound but soulless “Hurricane” 3-liter biturbo V6, Ram has finally heeded the voice of its customers. Sales had slumped, the truck dropped out of the top three favorites, and the message was clear.

Curiously, the HEMI’s comeback isn’t a carbon copy of the old one - it’s a hybrid. A contemporary touch that could even make fuel consumption bearable, at least by V8 standards. And the price bump is modest: just $1,200 more than the base model, which offers a more subdued 309 horsepower.

There’s even talk of an even wilder return: the 6.2-liter HEMI, the same beast that turned the TRX into a road-legal tank, could soon be back in action.