The V8 Ram 1500 Is Dead After 2024
Will the rest of the Big Three follow?
For the first time we can remember, a full-size pickup in the United States is not available with a V8 engine. The 2025 Ram 1500 has been revealed, and the only drivetrains available feature two trims of the new Hurricane inline-six and an electrified version of the 3.6-liter Pentastar. There is no Hemi—the V8 is gone. It's unclear if it will ever return.
Will Ram truck buyers care? That's yet to be seen. What is clear, however, is that the new Hurricane engines are about as capable as the outgoing V8s. The standard version of the new turbocharged six-cylinder puts out 420 horsepower and 469 lb-ft of torque. A high-output version is capable of 540 hp and 521 lb-ft of torque. For reference, the current 5.7-liter eTorque Hemi produces 395 hp and 410 lb-ft of torque.
The max towing out of the box for the new truck is said to be 11,580 lbs, with a maximum payload of 2,300 lbs. That will likely be the rating for the 540-hp trim of the 1500. The current Ram 1500's max towing is 11,300 lbs, with a max payload of 1,790 lbs.
The 700+ horsepower TRX is also dead. It's been replaced by a very similar truck called the Ram 1500 RHO (that's "Ram High Output"). It's effectively a TRX minus the V8, with big tires, long travel suspension, and widened fenders. The chance of the TRX's eventual return is also unknown.
The Stellantis V8 isn't dead completely, to be clear. Despite it likely not being offered in the new Charger or the standard full-size Ram, engines like the 6.4-liter V8 are still safe and sound in the Ram 2500. That will likely be the case for other American OEMs, too. GM is developing a new small block, but it may only be used for heavy-duty trucks. We'll just have to wait and see. For now, we know the V8 half-ton is still around in the form of the Ford F-150 and Chevy Silverado 1500.
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