V8 Power Returns for Ram 1500, No Decision for Australia

The Ram 1500 pick-up will be offered with a V8 engine once again.

Ram made the announcement to the US market, with the 5.7-litre ‘Hemi’ V8 returning for the 2026 Ram 1500 – with sales expected to begin in the coming months.

The announcement confirms an earlier leaked email from the organisation, as reported by CarSauce in March 2025.

However, Ram Trucks Australia has poured water on the news.

“The return of the Hemi V8 is a decision that has been made for the US market,” a spokesperson for the company said in a written statement issued to CarSauce.

“As it stands today, there is no guarantee the Hemi V8 will return to Australian showrooms.”

The latest versions of the Ram 1500 are sold in Australia with the company’s new ‘Hurricane’ engine – a 3.0-litre twin-turbo six-cylinder making 313kW and 635Nm in the Laramie Sport – with the 1500 Limited offering 403kW and 707Nm.

“As with any development, we will continue to review and evaluate what options are made available to us from the vast Ram catalogue in the US,” the spokesperson for Ram Trucks Australia said.

“We know there are customers who love the sound of a V8, and the Hemi V8 is still available in our Ram 1500 Big Horn model while stock lasts.

“However, customers have also embraced the new Hurricane twin-turbo inline six-cylinder engine in our latest Ram 1500 models,” they said, adding: “The Hurricane engine remains an integral part of Ram’s future.”

With the introduction of the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard in Australia – the Federal Government’s new laws to encourage more fuel-efficient vehicles – it could mean the Hemi V8 is left off the menu for local buyers.

“With more power and torque – and better efficiency – than the previous 5.7-litre Hemi V8, we believe the new Hurricane engine series will over time become iconic in its own right.”