Ram farewells last Hemi V8-powered 1500

THE last Hemi V8-powered Ram 1500 has rolled off the assembly line in Melbourne this week, the 28,495th example of Ram Truck Australia’s remanufactured model to make way for a turbocharged six-cylinder successor sometime in the first half 2025.

The final example to be converted to right-hand drive – a 1500 Limited finished in Granite Crystal paint – was farewelled by more than 100 Ram Trucks Australia employees, who gathered in Clayton on Friday to mark the milestone occasion.

Ram Trucks Australia employs more than 250 staff across its factory and engineering workforces, noting that more than 2000 people have worked in the facility since 2015.

“All good things must come to an end and it’s time for us to farewell the iconic Hemi V8,” said Ram Trucks Australia general manager Jeff Barber.

“Australians love their utes, and they love their V8s, and the Ram 1500 delivered the best of both worlds.

“Our customers – many of whom have come from traditional utes and four-wheel-drives – tell us they appreciate the extra space, the extra comfort, and the stronger towing performance, and clearly that’s why these vehicles are so popular.”

While the Ram 1500 will continue with a new turbocharged six-cylinder petrol engine next year, Mr Barber said there has been strong interest from buyers who want to get a V8 before it’s too late.

“We have been overwhelmed by the response to the Hemi V8 runout, and we understand some buyers who want one of the last V8s may miss out,” he explained.

“However, we hope to have enough stock to fulfill most orders.

“We will have a very worthy successor next year powered by a new-generation turbocharged six-cylinder petrol engine, but we will have more to say about that closer to local showroom arrivals.”

Mr Barber said the final Hemi V8-powered1500 has yet to be allocated to a dealership, with one of the marque’s 70 Australian or New Zealand locations to receive the special model anonymously.

“We haven’t put a ‘final V8’ badge on this particular example because, to us, they’re all special,” he added.

“But once they’re gone, they’re gone.”

Ram Trucks Australia has been remanufacturing US pick-ups from left- to right-hand drive since December 2015 – including the RAM 1500 Hemi V8 since June 2018.

The vehicles arrive from the US in their original left-hand drive format and are remanufactured to right-hand drive on the assembly line in Clayton in the south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne, before being transported to dealers across Australia and New Zealand.

More than 400 locally-engineered parts – manufactured to factory quality and safety standards – are fitted to each vehicle to complete the transformation to right-hand drive.

From the start of the production line to the finish, it takes approximately 14 hours for more than 200 workers to complete the remanufacturing process of each vehicle.