The V8 Is Back! RAM 1500 Gets The Legendary HEMI V8 In The UAE

For more than a year, RAM 1500 buyers in the UAE had to live with a six-cylinder engine. The twin-turbo Hurricane inline-six is a capable unit, no question. But it never delivered the one thing that made a RAM feel like a RAM: the deep, unmistakable rumble of a HEMI V8. Now, the wait for the V8’s much-awaited return is over!

Al-Futtaim Trading Enterprises, the official distributor of RAM Trucks in the UAE, has confirmed the return of the legendary 5.7-litre HEMI V8 across three trims: the Rebel, Limited, and Limited Night Edition. Their campaign message is simple and direct: “We Heard You.” For once, marketing material actually feels true. Buyers never stopped asking for the V8, and RAM has delivered.

Why the HEMI Still Matters

The HEMI name is not marketing fluff. It traces back to the 1950s and the original Chrysler hemispherical combustion chamber designs. The most famous of them all, the 426 HEMI of the late 1960s, became a legend in American drag racing and muscle cars. That engine earned the nickname “Elephant” for a reason: it was massive, powerful, and near-unbeatable in its day.

The modern 5.7-litre HEMI that powered RAM trucks for years, carried that same cultural weight even if the technology had evolved. It was never the most advanced or the most efficient engine in its class. What it offered was character: a broad torque curve, a proper V8 soundtrack, and the sense that the truck had a soul. 

When RAM switched the 1500 range to the Hurricane six-cylinder for the 2025 model year, many owners felt something essential had been removed. The truck was still powerful on paper. It just no longer sounded or felt like the one they had fallen for. That frustration is exactly why this return matters.

The Legendary HEMI V8

The 5.7-litre HEMI V8 with eTorque mild-hybrid assistance produces 395hp and 556Nm. It is paired with an eight-speed automatic and can tow up to 5,266 kg. The specified payload is 748kg, but RAM owners and fans know it can carry a lot more than that. And the fuel tank holds 125 litres, making it one of the largest fuel tanks.

eTorque is a 48-volt mild-hybrid system that replaces the conventional alternator with a belt-driven motor-generator. It delivers short bursts of torque on acceleration, smoother stop-start behaviour, and a small efficiency gain. Importantly, it does not silence the V8. The exhaust note and the way the engine responds under load remain pure.

Three Flavours Of The V8: The Trims

Rebel

The adventure-focused version pairs the HEMI with performance-tuned suspension, an electronic locking rear differential, skid plates, all-terrain tyres and a sport performance hood. Inside you get the large 14.4-inch Uconnect touchscreen, 19-speaker Harman Kardon audio and a dual-pane panoramic sunroof.

Limited

This is the luxury-oriented take. Premium leather seating, real wood accents, the same big screen and audio system, plus the panoramic roof. It is the HEMI for buyers who want refinement without giving up the V8 character.

Limited Night Edition

Essentially the Limited, but with a darker attitude: 22-inch black aluminium wheels and black exterior trim accents. Same power, but with more visual drama.

This Is Only the Beginning

RAM has made it clear that the return of the 5.7-litre HEMI is the first step in a broader V8 comeback for the Middle East. The high-performance 1500 TRX SRT and the Rumble Bee muscle truck are both planned for the region in 2027.

Globally, the new TRX has already been revealed with a 777 hp supercharged 6.2-litre Hellcat V8, which is a significant jump over the previous generation. When that truck eventually reaches the UAE, the HEMI revival will feel complete. Until then, the Rebel, Limited and Limited Night Edition give local buyers the V8 they have been demanding.

You can read more about the high-performance side of the range in our earlier coverage of the 2027 RAM 1500 TRX. Current RAM trucks available in the UAE are also worth a look while the new V8 models start arriving.

Editor’s Take

Sometimes the market simply wants what it wants. As long as government policies allow, manufacturers should give buyers exactly what they want, and RAM deserves all the applause in the world for doing the right thing. 

The Hurricane six-cylinder is a powerful engine, but it never delivered the same emotional hit as the HEMI. By bringing the V8 back on the Rebel and Limited, RAM and Al-Futtaim have answered the loudest request from UAE buyers. The real celebration will come when the TRX follows in 2027. Until then, the rumble is back where it belongs.

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