Ram returns Hemi V8 to Australia, but Hurricane six here to stay

V8 power won't once again become widespread across the Ram Trucks Australia lineup, according to the brand’s local boss, despite the return of the Hemi V8 for the first time in nearly two years.

The Ram 2500 Warlock was announced this week with a 6.4-litre petrol V8, marking the first time in a decade that a V8 has been offered in the larger 2500 body locally.

However, its arrival won't prompt Ram to replace the 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged Hurricane inline-six used across the core 1500 range.

Those models were powered exclusively by Hemi V8 engines until a facelift launched in 2025 brought the new Hurricane six.

Instead, V8 power will return to the 1500 in flagship performance models such as the 'apex predator' Ram 1500 TRX SRT, which has been confirmed for Australia.

Ram Trucks Australia is also working to secure the V8-powered Rumble Bee, which hasn't been confirmed for the local market but sits at the top of the company’s wish list.

“Ram has a huge range of products in its portfolio and, unfortunately, the engineering cost is such that we can’t have them all,” Ram Trucks Australia general manager Jeff Barber said at the local launch of the 2500 Warlock.

“We already have the largest range in the segment in Australia. Some customers want the Hemi, some customers want a more affordable or even more capable heavy-duty. The Warlock is designed to tick both of these boxes.

“We also have the Hemi coming back in the 1500 TRX and are working hard to get the Rumble Bee into the lineup. That would give us three options for those looking for a Hemi, so, at this stage, we don’t see the need to add the Hemi to any other models.”

Before the arrival of the 2500 Warlock, the last Hemi V8 sold in Australia was the 5.7-litre engine fitted to Ram 1500s remanufactured in right-hand drive until December 2024.

The 1500 is Ram’s local sales leader against rivals including the Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado and Toyota Tundra.

Its V8 was replaced by the new twin-turbocharged Hurricane inline-six across the core range in Australia and overseas.

Ram announced the Hemi V8’s US return in the 1500 in June 2025, meaning it came back after only one V8-free model year. Production of the new Hemi-powered trucks began in the US in September 2025.

“I wish we could have all of them, but each one has to be engineered and the spend is massive to do it right – and we’ll only do it right,” Mr Barber told CarExpert.

“We’ve got to make sure that whatever we choose to bring to market, the business case stacks up and the demand is there.”

The Ram 1500 TRX is scheduled to arrive in Australian showrooms in early 2027.

It uses a supercharged 6.2-litre petrol V8, with Ram claiming it's the world’s fastest petrol-powered production off-road pickup truck; the Rumble Bee SRT pips it to 60mph by just 0.1 seconds at 3.4 seconds, allowing the brand to boast it's the world's fastest petrol-powered production pickup.

In addition to its high-performance powertrain, the TRX features leather upholstery, a larger 14.5-inch central touchscreen and a 19-speaker Harman Kardon sound system.

“We believe the demand for the Hemi mostly comes from performance enthusiasts,” Mr Barber said.

“They want not just the Hemi, but the rest of the package that goes with it.

“In the US, where consumers have the choice of a Hurricane or a Hemi, 60 per cent choose the Hurricane.

"The mistake was that it should have been a choice for consumers, to give people the choice of either that heritage and the sound of the Hemi V8 or the new technology that's in the in the Hurricane, so it's important to have it back in our range and to have both of those engines."

“That’s why, while we’re super excited about the return of the Hemi V8, we’re still very proud of the performance of the Hurricane twin-turbo six-cylinder. The Hurricane absolutely remains part of our future.”

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