Ram Drops $40K Truck, Brings Back HEMI Power
Ram ends its $40K truck era, brings back the HEMI V8, and shifts focus to higher-margin retail sales in a bold 2025 strategy pivot.
Why does this truck matter right now?
Because the $40,000 full-size pickup is dead, and Ram isn’t even pretending to resurrect it.
“If you’re still comparing things to pre-COVID, stop,” said Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis in a press briefing that pulled no punches. “Getting back to the $40,000 price point average? It’s impossible. You can’t do it. That’s a midsize truck today.”
There’s no way around it. The regulatory burden, technology costs, and inflationary pressure have closed the door on entry-level full-sizers. Kuniskis admitted that even the stripped-down Tradesman can’t close the gap. “You tell me what I’m going to strip out of it… I’m gonna save a thousand bucks, maybe.”
The message is clear: Ram isn’t chasing the bottom. Instead, they’re pushing value into trims like the Black Express and Warlock, and repositioning midsize as the new budget frontier.
How does it compare to rivals? Ford and GM are still juggling rebates and base trims. Ram? They’ve exited the price war altogether.
The strategy is already paying off. Ram’s total sales might look flat, but retail tells another story. “We were heavy into rental and fleet, and we backed out,” Kuniskis said. “Retail sales are up 25%. That’s where the growth is. Private customers, not fleet.”
In other words, Ram’s not sacrificing brand value to chase numbers. They’re doing the opposite, boosting transaction prices and cutting channel clutter.
Who is this for, and who should skip it? This pivot is not for bargain hunters. It’s for loyalists. And Ram knows exactly who they are.
One group made enough noise to change the product roadmap: HEMI V8 fans. After Ram replaced the HEMI with the new twin-turbo T6, a vocal minority let the brand have it. “Some of them said, ‘I will not come back and buy your truck because it doesn’t offer me the HEMI,’” Kuniskis said. “They hate the fact that we took away the freedom of choice.”
So Ram brought it back. The HEMI returns this summer as a $1,200 upgrade, complete with GT Sport exhaust and badging that sets it apart. “You hear that?” As the truck was revved. “That’s our HEMI and it’s saying, ‘I’m back,’” Kuniskis quipped.
Notably, this isn’t a nostalgia play. It’s about sound, sensation, and giving customers control. “They’re buying it for the sound. That’s why we’re putting a sport exhaust on every single one of them,” he said.
The reintegration, led by SRT veteran Darrell Smith, happened in a blistering six months. “He’s a machine,” Kuniskis added. “He cut development time by two-thirds.”
What’s the long-term significance? Ram is setting up for a future built on emotional connection and high-margin sales. The HEMI might not be the volume leader, but Kuniskis projects a take rate between 25 and 40 percent, and it’s a brand beacon. “HEMI has become a brand in and of itself,” he said.
In short, Ram isn’t trying to win a race to the bottom. They’re aiming to lead with loyalty, profitability, and just enough theatre to stir the soul.
“The $40K truck is gone. Can’t. Just can’t do it,” Kuniskis repeated. And honestly, maybe that’s not such a loss. In its place, we’re getting something with more muscle, more meaning, and yes, more margin.
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