08-03-2025
Can Ram's returning CEO Tim Kuniskis bring back the Hemi?
Can Ram's returning CEO Tim Kuniskis bring back the Hemi?
When petrol-head Tim Kuniskis returned to Stellantis and his old role as Ram brand CEO in December, having retired in June, the most-asked question was whether he would bring back the Hemi V-8 that was dropped from the 2025 Ram 1500 lineup. The storied engine was dropped in favor of the Hurricane family of more powerful and efficient 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged I-6 engines as part of the refresh of the fifth-generation light-duty fullsize truck.
The answer is not simple and won't be fully answered until the botched launch of new 2025 Ram 1500 is fixed and Kuniskis can get some real-world data on sales with the I-6 and whether the loss of the Hemi is to blame. Personally, the man associated with muscle cars like the Dodge Demon loves the Hemi, he tells MotorTrend in an interview. But as a prudent executive he says he knows he has to be realistic. 'If I am being honest, and objective, and not being myself, if I look at the T6 versus the Hemi, the T6 (Hurricane I-6) is a great engine, a far superior engine to the Hemi. The one place it falls short is the sound.' To make a humungous bet and investment to restore the Hemi based on the sound, he would need compelling data showing the market wants it.
The executive does not have that data yet because the updated 2025 Ram 1500 launch has been a mess. The full range of the fullsize light-duty truck was supposed to launch in June 2024, which is when Kuniskis retired. 'We should have had the full range of this truck out at volume last summer.'
Ram 1500 launch is still a mess
That still has not happened. The truck is not yet at full production at the Sterling Heights Assembly Plant. The trucks rolling off the line don't have all the tech that they should. 'We don't even have all the trims out that we should have," Kuniskis says. 'We still have less than two-week's supply of RHOs, less than a two week's supply of Tungstens. We're struggling with all the different trims.'
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The result is light-duty truck sales are down 30 percent. When he gets more trucks to market, Kuniskis says he will be better able to gauge whether the loss of then Hemi is an issue. 'Until that is fixed, I won't know.' If sales are still down 20 percent after the launch is fixed, then he will have a clearer picture of the impact of losing the Hemi.
Does the industry want V-8s anymore?
But he does not think that is what the data will show. He admires Ford which has done an excellent job of marketing the EcoBoost 3.5-liter V-6 in its F-150 trucks while continuing to offer the 5.0-liter V-8. Even with the choice, the take rate on the V-8 is only 25 percent, he says. He looks at the growth of the Toyota truck sales, which also ditched the V-8 in the latest generation. The industry has a V-8 take rate of about 30 percent, largely because GM is heavily reliant on the 5.3-liter and 6.2-liter V-8s.
'Personally, I would love to have a Hemi but does the marketplace want it? I don't know yet because I haven't fully launched this truck. If I fully launch this truck, and I still have a gap, will I be scrambling [to bring back the Hemi], maybe, if I can convince everybody that it is still going to be OK with our compliance plan.' The other unknown is changes to emissions regulations under the new Trump Administration.
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MotorTrend evaluated three trims: the budget Warlock work truck, performance RHO and premium Tungsten, with the standard and high-output Hurricane engines. We were impressed enough to name the Ram 1500 the 2025 MotorTrend Truck of the Year.
Ram Heavy-Duty launch
For those who really want the V-8, the 6.4-liter V-8 is still available on Ram's heavy-duty trucks. Kuniskis is bullish on the new 2025 Ram heavy-duty pickups launching now but not because of the Hemi. He is more excited about the upgraded 430-hp, 1,075-lb-ft Cummins 6.7-liter diesel engine that is now available in the 2500. It is mated to a ZF eight-speed transmission with more torque multiplication. In the past, the high-output I-6 diesel was only offered in the Ram 3500. Now it is in both trucks.
The 2500 is in the heart of the market, accounting for 70 percent of Ram heavy-duty sales. While the 3500 customer is more work-focused, the 2500 buyer is both work and personal. In this battleground, Ram is fortified with a 2500 with 70 percent more torque. 'That's the game changer,' Kuniskis says. Creature comforts and big screens are the cherry on top for these buyers, but you need the right powertrain to be in the game.
Ramcharger versus REV
As Ram expands its lineup, the automaker will start taking orders for the 2025 Ramcharger extended-range EV plug-in hybrid in May. The truck will be available early in the second half of the year, but Kuniskis is trying to pull it forward even further.
Even before he left the company in June, Kuniskis tried to prioritize its launch ahead of the Ram REV electric pickup because the Ramcharger presents a unique selling proposition for Ram. No one else offers an extended-range or EREV truck where the motor acts as a generator, providing 690 miles of range and more towing capability than a battery-electric model. Ram would have the advantage of being first until the competition caught up, Kuniskis said.
'I lost that fight, and the decision was to prioritize the REV.' But that decision was made in the absence of any real-world data. Fast forward a year and sales of electric trucks are not at projected rates. One of his first acts upon his return in December was to swap the launch cadence, moving the Ramcharger up and pushing the REV back to 2026. He says he has heard from the never-BEV crowd who have told him they find the Ramcharger interesting for overcoming fears of losing range and towing capability.
I don't want to be the ultra-CEO
With the departure of Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares in December — Kuniskis came out of retirement a week later to resume his Ram duties — is he interested in the top job ultimately?
'No. No. Not a snowball's chance in hell. No way. First, not smart enough. Second, zero interest. I love product, not politics. Life is so much easier when you understand who you are and what you like and what your limitations are. I started out as a dealership mechanic. I went from a mechanic to the sales department to working as a sales rep for this company and now I have this job. I have gone way beyond my IQ. I like this job. I screwed up leaving last time. I just needed a vacation. I didn't need to retire.'
And since he has already run pretty much every brand, he says he is happy to stay with Ram and postpone a second retirement for awhile.
Photos by Manufacturer and MotorTrend staff
