V8s are back on the menu: 2026 RAM 1500 bets on big engines but will they return to Australia to take on Ford F150 and Chevrolet Silverado?

Stellantis is reportedly relying on the return of the V8 to one of America’s favourite ‘trucks’ to float its profits in 2026.

The 2026 Ram 1500 has its eight-cylinder Hemi engine back after previous Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares culled the engine on a path to electrification and lower emissions, but the brand has since reinstated its iconic V8 under new Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis.

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According to Automotive News, Stellantis is looking at sales of the 2026 Ram as a key part of its goal to grow shares by 25 per cent this year.

According to the outlet, executives told dealers the goal “equates to 1.15 million US retail sales this year”.

New Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa said the goal is to sell 100,000 V8-equipped Ram 1500s in the US this year, after the engine wasn’t available in the full-sized ute in 2025.

Here in Australia, the V8 engine option hasn’t been placed back on the table by the brand’s local distributor.

At the time of the US reversal on the V8’s cull, a spokesperson for Ram Australia told CarsGuide there is no guarantee that the Hemi will return to our shores in newer model years.

A Ram Trucks Australia spokesperson reconfirmed to CarsGuide that the brand’s position remains unchanged since that time.

“The return of the Hemi V8 is a decision that has been made for the US market. As it stands today, there is no guarantee the Hemi V8 will return to Australian showrooms,” a spokesperson said.

The Ram Australia website still has Hemi V8 models listed as older model years, but the newest Ram 1500s available are powered by the inline six-cylinder Hurricane engine.

Aside from the statement from Ram Trucks Australia, there are two more reasons we wouldn’t expect to see the V8 make a return any time soon.

The government's recently-implemented new vehicle efficiency standard (NVES) emissions rules are a deterrent for carmakers to sell thirstier engines, especially for a brand like Ram that only sells vehicles that already aren’t very compatible with NVES rules.

The other is that the engineering approval process would need to take place again to bring the V8s back to Australia where the cars are converted locally, this process being both costly and time-consuming.