RAM Received 10,000 Orders for the 2026 1500 HEMI in the First 24 Hours

• The return of the V8 engine in RAM 1500 trucks is already proving popular.

• The brand’s CEO says the company’s recent sales figures are already reflecting growing interest.

• The 5,7L HEMI eTorque V8 will be optional on most 2026 RAM 1500 models, arriving later this summer.

About a month after announcing the return of the HEMI V8 engine in the 2026 RAM 1500 lineup, Stellantis has shared encouraging data about its popularity.

Indeed, the automaker says it received 10,000 orders in the first 24 hours following the announcement made in early June.

Considering that the company sold 373,120 pickups (including HD models) in the United States in 2024, these first-day orders already account for about 2.7% of that total.

These numbers are even more impressive when looking at Canadian sales figures, as the 10,000 early orders make up about 1/5th of all the Ram trucks sold in the country in 2024.

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This is great news for the brand, since it could mark the end of a sales slump which has seen it deliver fewer vehicles every year since 2020.

As a reminder, the 2025 model year of the RAM 1500 abandoned the HEMI V8 in favour of two versions of the new 3.0L Hurricane turbocharged inline-six-cylinder engine.

While this new powertrain is more powerful, more refined, and more efficient (at least on paper) than the older V8, a large proportion of truck buyers still prefer a traditional eight-cylinder unit under the hood.

For 2026 then, the smallest of the “Big 3” American automakers will adopt a similar strategy to Ford, which consists in offering both modern turbocharged six-cylinder and ancient but proven V8 engines in its full-size trucks.

Unlike before, the 2026 RAM HEMI engine can only be ordered with the mild-hybrid eTorque system, which replaces the alternator with a belt-driven motor/generator that can fill in torque gaps at low engine speeds and provide regenerative braking. eTorque also makes the start/stop system smoother in operation.

The results are an output of 395 horsepower and 410 lb-ft of torque, along with fuel consumption figures of 13,3 L/100 km in the city and 10,5 L/100 km on the highway, according to NRCan data for the 2024 model.

The Canadian 2026 RAM 1500 lineup will start with the 3,6L Pentastar V6, which will be standard on Tradesman, Express, Warlock, and Big Horn models.

The standard output, 420 horsepower, Hurricane turbo six will be optional on all of these trim levels and standard on Sport, Laramie, and Rebel versions.

The high-output Hurricane, rated at 540 horsepower, will be standard on Limited, Longhorn, RHO, and Tungsten models.

Finally, the 5,7L Hemi eTorque V8 will be optional on the entire lineup, except for the RHO and Tungsten trim levels.

At the moment, no words on the eventual return of the Supercharged 6,2L HEMI V8 that used to power the RAM TRX, but with the revival of the SRT division, announced earlier today, everything is possible.

Source: Motor1.com