2023 Ram 1500 Hemi V-8 Hurricane Concept – Stellantis has big news today. It officially released details about the new Hurricane 3.0-liter twin-turbo I-6 engine that will power its Ram trucks as well as commercial vehicles. The 5.7-liter V-8 Hemi will no longer be used in the refreshed 2023 Ram 1500.
2023 Ram 1500 Hemi V-8 Hurricane Concept
2023 Ram 1500 Hemi V-8 Hurricane Concept Review
Let’s begin with the new engine, and then we will discuss why the 5.7-liter V-8 Hemi is leaving. First, the Hurricane engine has an inherently balanced design. Each turbo feeds 3 cylinders. This will give it better off-the-line performance. Stellantis claims it will tow like a V-8 while delivering 15% more fuel economy. According to the automaker, there will be two versions of the engine: one tuned for high-performance output (HO), and one tuned for standard-performance output. Stellantis has released a press release stating that the HO version will be “optimized to great performance (more than 500 horsepower/475 pounds-feet torque) while maintaining significant fuel efficiency during heavy use such as towing.” The SO version will have “optimized fuel economy” and use cooled exhaust gas circulation (EGR) to deliver more power and torque (more than 400 horsepower/450 pound-feet). The engine has been designed to use a “broad and flat torque band”, with 90% peak torque at only 2,350 RPM. This torque will be maintained all the way up to the engine’s red limit. Stellantis claims that this engine will be the “primary internal combustion power plant of North America in the future for vehicles using STLA Large or STLA Frame platforms.” It is highly unlikely that the Hemi V-8 will ever be used again as the engine of choice.
2023 Ram 1500 Hemi V-8 Hurricane
2023 Ram 1500 Hemi V-8 Hurricane Concept Revealed
Global emission standards are the main reason why I believe that the V-8 has died. Many people blame the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and past presidents for V-8s’ death. But global emissions standards play a key role. Ram is a global brand and therefore must meet Euro 6 standards. Companies can also set their own targets to reduce emissions by half by 2030. China, the largest market for automobiles in the world, has also adopted Euro 6 standards. This is a good thing for business. Companies don’t want different engines for different markets. These lower emission standards can’t be met by the Hemi V-8 in its current form. Companies are switching to smaller displacement turbocharged engine designs, which can reduce emissions by 40% right away — as the 2022 Toyota Tundra did. Some people may want to have a hybrid V-8 and more transmission gears, but the truth is that the V-8 can’t. These small V-6 engines will replace them. We will get better performance and fuel efficiency, but we’ll lose the V-8 rumble and make engines more difficult to use.
2023 Ram 1500 Hemi V-8 Hurricane Specs
The current base engine is the Pentastar V-6. Its days are numbered. It is not worth keeping it around after the Hurricane engine is released. Stellantis could also endanger this V-6 option, just as Toyota and General Motors did with the 2.7-liter 4-cylinder. Simply put, the days when a treeman was fixing his truck are long gone. These new complex engines will continue to be the norm with increasing electrification. This is the only way you can meet international emissions standards and produce vehicles that are more efficient and economical. This is how it should be.
