Ram’s Hemi Comeback Is Paying Off

The story is well known by now— former Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares scrapped the popular V8 engine in favor of a new turbocharged inline-six despite vocal opposition from American dealers and consumers. That decision seemingly got him fired; shortly after, new leadership reversed course. Now, shoppers are responding fast as Hemi-powered pickups are flying off dealer lots.

According to Stellantis’ third-quarter U.S. sales report, early deliveries of the revived Ram 1500 Hemi are turning over on dealer lots in just five days on average. That’s lightning quick by industry standards, where the fastest-selling models typically linger for at least three to four weeks before finding buyers.

Now that Tim Kuniskis is back at the helm, Ram wasted no time reinstating the 5.7-liter V8 option. The move appears to have tapped into pent-up demand from loyal customers who rejected the six-cylinder-only lineup introduced earlier this year.

Ram retail sales are up 26 percent year-over-year, while 1500 sales alone climbed 10 percent—there's really no other way to interpret the results: the Hemi's return is absolutely powering Ram's rebound.

Sure, the rapid dwell time of trucks on dealer lots is likely a result of pent-up demand from shoppers who really didn't want an in-line pickup, but that doesn't change the story significantly. After correcting the V8-sized mistake, the brand’s full-size pickup lineup is proving to be a compelling option, and data suggests it's hitting home with traditional truck buyers — particularly those skeptical of electrification.

Overall, Stellantis posted a 6 percent increase in U.S. sales, driven by strong performances from Jeep and Chrysler — the latter potentially helped along by buyers eager to lock in plug-in hybrids before the expiration of the federal EV tax credit in September—although I'm skeptical of that narrative considering Jeep is by no means a destination choice for shoppers eager to get into a hybrid vehicle.

Dodge sales were down 2 percent, though bright spots included the Charger Daytona EV, which recorded its best quarter yet with 2,776 sales, and the Durango, which had its strongest three months in 20 years.

For Ram, however, the takeaway is clear: the Hemi still sells. Look for that lesson to be applied as often as possible across Stellantis' American portfolio.

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