HEMI®-Powered 2026 Ram 1500 Hits Dealer Lots

The HEMI®-powered 2026 Ram 1500 has officially arrived at dealerships. Just a week after we reported that trucks were leaving the Sterling Heights Assembly Plant (SHAP), these V8-powered pickups are now parked on dealer lots and ready for customers to take home.

We stopped by our friends at St. Clair Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep®, Ram in St. Clair, Michigan, earlier today, where four brand-new HEMI trucks were lined up. Seeing them in person really drove home the fact that the legendary 5.7-liter (345 cubic-inch) HEMI V8 is back. 

Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis summed up the excitement best: “When we announced the return of the legendary HEMI for the Ram 1500 in June, we received 10,000 orders in the first 24 hours, proving that we made the right decision to bring back this iconic engine for this truck.” That kind of instant demand says everything you need to know about how important the HEMI is to Ram buyers.

Ram has even given HEMI-equipped 2026 Ram 1500 models a unique identity. Each truck features a new fender-mounted “Symbol of Protest” badge, showing the Ram’s head charging forward with a HEMI V8 block powering it. It’s a simple but powerful reminder of what’s under the hood, and a statement piece for customers who want the V8 back.

The HEMI is being offered in a wide range of trims: Tradesman, Express, Warlock, Big Horn, Laramie, Limited, and Longhorn. Rebel buyers will also get the option, though it will come later in the model year. From basic work truck to a loaded luxury model, there’s now a HEMI-powered Ram 1500 to fit just about every type of customer.

Ram’s product rollout over the last year has been fast and aggressive, and this HEMI return is one of the biggest moves yet. For fans who thought the V8 era might be over, today was proof that Ram still knows what its customers want. We went, we saw, and the HEMI is truly back—sitting proudly on dealer lots across America.

HEMI-Powered 2026 Ram 1500 Big Horn Night Edition Crew Cab 4×4: