The iconic HEMI V8 will return to Ram Trucks Australia showrooms almost two years after the last example was remanufactured locally. Its comeback comes courtesy of the brand’s 2500 Warlock – an off-road inspired version of the heavy duty offering.
It is the first time the Ram 2500 Warlock has been offered in Australia, and the first time in 10 years the HEMI V8 has been available in the Heavy Duty range locally. It’s set to come with a whole host of extras too.
That includes Bilstein suspension, 20-inch alloy wheels, all-terrain tyres, black fender flares, black side steps, black bumpers, and a black front fascia. Set to arrive in showrooms in October, it will be priced from $157,950 plus on-road costs.
“Australian customers told us loud and clear they wanted the HEMI V8 to come back, and the Warlock was our first opportunity to do so,” Ram Trucks Australia GM Jeff Barber said.
“We had also been exploring the option of an off-road inspired Ram 2500 Heavy Duty model for some time, so the Warlock was the perfect opportunity to bring the HEMI V8 back and deliver customers a broader choice,” he added.
“The Cummins diesel is still very much a part of the Ram 2500 and 3500 Heavy Duty line-up, but we know there are also customers who want the HEMI V8.”
The last HEMI V8 – a 5.7-litre Ram 1500 Limited – was remanufactured locally by Ram Trucks Australia in late 2024. This time round it’s back as a 6.4-litre Ram 2500 Warlock, which began rolling off the remanufacturing assembly line in Melbourne earlier this month.
To be offered in five colours, it broadens the range to now include the Ram 1500 in Express Black, Laramie Night, Rebel and Limited variants, all with a Hurricane twin-turbo six-cylinder, and this new Warlock, with its 6.4-litre HEMI V8.
Beyond that, there are 2500 and 3500 Laramie offerings, both with a 6.7-litre Cummins diesel. The arrival of the Ram 2500 Warlock HEMI V8 comes less than 12 months after the local introduction of a major facelift and tech upgrade to the Heavy Duty range.
Other features include coil spring rear suspension, LED headlights, a spray-in bed-liner, 12-inch infotainment screen, six seats, and a safety suite that includes forward collision warning, AEB (including pedestrian, cyclist), radar cruise control and speed sign recognition.
There’s also a rear-view camera, front and rear parking sensors, blind zone warning, rear cross-traffic alert, driver fatigue monitoring, lane keep assist, a tow bar receiver with a 12-pin wiring harness, trailer sway control and tyre pressure monitoring.
The 6.4-litre HEMI V8 in the Ram 2500 Warlock offers 306kW of power and 582Nm of torque via an 8-speed automatic transmission, with 2WD high, 4WD high and 4WD low. It has a 117-litre fuel tank and measure 6066mm in length.
It offers a 14.6m turning circle, a 22.9-degree approach and 25.8-degree departure angle, and tips the scales at 3220kg. Payload is 1275kg, with a GVM of 4495kg and a GCM of 10,001kg.
Towing capacity (braked) with a 50mm tow ball is 3500kg, or 4500kg with a 70mm ball. You can also opt for a genuine goose nexk and air brakes to allow for up to 6700kg. It’s backed by a 3-year or 100,000km warranty.
You can find out more from your local Ram Trucks Australia dealership.
