The last Ram 1500 with Hemi V8 engine rolls off the production line in Australia
Australia, the final frontier for new Ram 1500 HEMI V8 trucks, has rolled the last Ram 1500 with Hemi V8 engine off the production line.
Ram Trucks Australia has said goodbye to the iconic HEMI V8 engine with the Ram 1500
Ram Trucks Australia has said goodbye to the iconic HEMI V8 engine. The last Ram 1500 equipped with this powertrain, a Limited Night Edition model in Granite Crystal hue, rolled off the Walkinshaw Automotive Group production line on Dec. 6, 2024.
The iconic V8 HEMI marked an important chapter in the history of the Ram 1500 in Australia. However, with the arrival of 2025, the brand has decided to embrace the future, adopting the twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter HURRICANE I6 engine. This generational change, as highlighted by Jeff Barber, marks the end of an era, but at the same time opens the door to new possibilities and performance.
Ram 1500 in Australian market, sales decline
The Ram 1500’s unchallenged reign in the Australian market for American pickup trucks seems to have suffered an eclipse in 2024. Sales have plummeted nearly 50 percent from the previous year due to intensifying competition. However, Ram is not letting up and is preparing to relaunch with the new HURRICANE engine and 2025 models. Meanwhile, to stimulate sales of the latest HEMI units, advantageous promotions have been put in place.
Ram Trucks Australia: 28,000 V8s converted and counting
Since 2018, Ram Trucks Australia has transformed the former Holden Special Vehicles plant in Clayton into a center of excellence for converting American pickup trucks into right-hand drive vehicles. Each HEMI-powered Ram 1500 DT undergoes elaborate remanufacturing, including the replacement of more than 400 parts and 14 hours of hand machining, to ensure compliance with Australian standards and meet the needs of local customers. This operation has resulted in the conversion of more than 28,000 vehicles, reflecting the high demand for the powerful V8 engine.
The history of the V8 engine, solid backbone of the Ram Trucks product range
As we mentioned a few months ago, the history of this engine began in 1951 with Gen 1 , produced until 1958, and named after the shape of the combustion chamber of the cylinder head. Gen 2 was produced from 1964 to 1971, mainly for race cars and expensive muscle cars. Jeff Barber , general manager of Ram Trucks Australia, commented, “Hemi V8 and Ram Trucks go hand in hand, so now is the perfect time to grab a future classic.
The legendary Hemi V8 has been the solid backbone of the Ram Trucks product range since the early 2000s, offering unparalleled drivability, outstanding towing capability and, of course, that unique V8 rumble for more than 70 years in various incarnations.” According to Ram Trucks Australia , the popular Ram 1500 with a 5.7-liter Hemi V8 engine is “officially sold out,” meaning that there will soon be no new models for sale anywhere in the world. The Gen 3 was produced from 2003 onward and now its career has ended.