The V8 engine could soon make a big comeback.
Speaking to US website Mopar Insider, Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis says the company is expected to build more than 100,000 V8 engines in 2026, up from 30,000 in 2025.
Kuniskis said demand for the V8 is still strong in the U.S., even though Ram is introducing the twin-turbocharged Hurricane 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine in 2025.
Even with 30,000 “Hemi” V8 engines built, the company says it has received more than 50,000 orders from North American buyers after its reintroduction in 2025.
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“But specifically about the Hemi V8 – honestly, I didn’t know it would be such a lightning-quick statement,” Mr. Kuniskis admitted.
“When we said we got 10,000 Hemi orders in one day, everyone said, ‘Oh my God!’ “It took on a life of its own,” he explained. Ram then took another 40,000 orders.
Ram reintroduced the 5.7-liter Hemi V8 last year and recently revealed that the supercharged 6.2-liter Hellcat V8 also returns in the resurrected Ram 1500 TRX. A 6.4-liter V8 called the Apache continues to be available in heavier-duty Ram pickups in North America.
While the automaker works to expand production of engines within the Hemi V8 family, the Ram boss says the Hemi’s actual market launch rate compared to the Hurricane has not yet been determined.
“So 2026 will really show what the real mix is between (Hurricane six-cylinders) and (Hemi V8 engines). Because I firmly believe that (turbo six-cylinder) is a great engine,” he said.
“If you drive them back to back, the Hemi’s hit rate is maybe about 35 percent.”
Ram is not the first manufacturer to opt for the V8. Rivals Ford and General Motors continue to produce the engine, while European brands such as BMW and Mercedes-Benz say they have no plans to phase out their eight-cylinder engines at this time.
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