The final Ram 1500 pick-up in Australia powered by the Hemi V8 has rolled off the Melbourne production line ahead of a turbocharged six-cylinder petrol power next year.
Limited stock of the V8 remains in showrooms before an updated model arrives in the first half of 2025.
The Ram 1500 Limited, finished in Granite Crystal paint, is the 28,495th Hemi V8 from the previous DS Series and current DT Series to be remanufactured from left-hand drive to right-hand drive by RAM Trucks Australia.
More than 100 workers gathered on December 6, 2024, to celebrate the completion of the final RAM 1500 V8 on the assembly line in Clayton, in the southeastern suburbs of Melbourne.
Today, Ram Trucks Australia employs more than 250 people across its factory and engineering workforces – and more than 2000 people have worked in the facility since 2015.
“All good things must end, and it’s time for us to farewell the V8,” said Ram Trucks Australia GM 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 that’s why these vehicles are so popular.”
While the Ram 1500 will continue with a new turbocharged six-cylinder petrol engine next year, the RAM Trucks Australia boss says buyers have expressed strong interest in a V8 before it’s too late.
“We have been overwhelmed by the response to the Hemi V8 running out, and we understand some buyers who want one of the last V8s may miss out,” Barber says.
“However, we hope to have enough stock to fulfil 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.”
Ram Trucks Australia is yet to allocate the final 1500 Hemi V8 to one of its 70 dealers nationally.
“We haven’t put a ‘final V8’ badge on this particular example because they’re all special to us,” Barber says. “But once they’re gone, they’re gone.”
Ram Trucks Australia has been remanufacturing US pick-ups from left-hand drive to right-hand drive since December 2015, including the 1500 Hemi V8 since June 2018. It is the only Ram distributor in Australia and New Zealand with full factory backing.
The vehicles arrive from the US in their original left-hand-drive format. They are then 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.
To complete the right–hand drive transformation, each vehicle is fitted with more than 400 locally engineered parts manufactured to factory quality and safety standards.
More than 200 workers complete the remanufacturing process of each vehicle in approximately 14 hours, from the start of the production line to the finish.
