HEMI V8 returns to Australia in Ram 2500 Warlock

The HEMI V8 is returning to the local Ram line-up after a two-year production hiatus, with the 6.4-litre petrol engine joining the Ram 2500 Heavy Duty range in the new Warlock variant.

The Ram 2500 Warlock will be sold in Australia for the first time, priced from $157,950 plus on-road costs. Customer deliveries are due to commence next month, with the first examples rolling off Ram Trucks Australia’s remanufacturing assembly line in Melbourne earlier this month.

The 6.4-litre HEMI V8 produces 306kW at 5600rpm and 582Nm at 4000rpm, with an eight-speed automatic transmission and selectable two-wheel-drive high, four-wheel-drive high and four-wheel-drive low modes. The petrol V8 sits alongside the Cummins diesel in the Ram Heavy Duty range rather than replacing it.

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The Warlock is an off-road-inspired version of the Ram 2500 Heavy Duty, with Bilstein suspension, 20-inch alloy wheels and 285/60 R20 all-terrain tyres. It also gets black fender flares, side steps, bumpers, mirror scalps and a black front fascia, along with Warlock decals and a spray-in bed-liner.

The 2500 measures 6066mm long, 2220mm wide excluding the mirrors and 2043mm high, with a 3785mm wheelbase. It has a 4495kg GVM and 1275kg payload, while kerb weight is listed at 3220kg. Towing capacity is rated at 3500kg with a 50mm tow ball and 4500kg with a 70mm tow ball. That rises to 6700kg when fitted with a genuine gooseneck accessory and air brakes, while GCM is listed at 10,001kg.

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“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,” said Jeff Barber, the General Manager of Ram Trucks Australia. “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.

“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. We have seen a market shift towards Heavy Duty in recent years, as customers get even more serious and more demanding with what they want from a truck – whether it’s for work or play.

“So when we were assessing the suitability of the Warlock for our market, we decided to go all in and bring the HEMI V8 back with it.”

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The Warlock last appeared in Australia in July 2020 in 1500 guise, priced from $104,450 and powered by the 5.7-litre HEMI V8 with 291kW and 556Nm. The locally remanufactured special edition featured a factory one-inch suspension lift, Rebel-style grille, 20-inch alloys, RamBox storage and a 4500kg braked towing capacity. The Warlock name has continued in the US, where it is now applied to the current-generation Ram 1500 and remains part of the 2026 range.

The return of the 6.4-litre HEMI also comes as Ram prepares to bring the Ram 1500 TRX back to Australia in the first half of 2027. The performance pick-up will use an uprated supercharged 6.2-litre HEMI V8 and is priced from $259,950 plus on-road costs, with initial Australian production allocations set to be limited.

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The previous HEMI V8 offered locally was a 5.7-litre Ram 1500 Limited, with the last example remanufactured in late 2024.

Five colours will be available, with metallic paint adding $950 to the manufacturer’s recommended retail price. Service intervals are set at 12 months or 12,000km, whichever comes first, while warranty coverage is three years or 100,000km, whichever occurs first.

The arrival of the Warlock comes less than 12 months after Ram Trucks Australia introduced a major facelift and technology upgrade for its Heavy Duty range, described as the biggest change to the line-up since 2021.

Ram 2500 Warlock: Standard equipment

• Black front fascia and headlight surrounds
• Black front and rear bumpers
• Black fender flares
• Black side steps
• Black mirror scalps
• Warlock decals
• 20-inch alloy wheels, up from 18-inch on Laramie
• 285/60 R20 all-terrain tyres, versus highway-terrain tyres on Laramie
• Bilstein off-road shock absorbers
• Coil-spring rear suspension
• LED headlights
• Spray-in bed-liner
• 12-inch infotainment screen
• Six seats, with a centre console when the middle front seat is not in use
• Forward collision warning and autonomous emergency braking, including pedestrian and cyclist detection
• Radar cruise control
• Speed sign recognition
• Rear-view camera
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Blind-zone warning
• Rear cross-traffic alert
• Driver fatigue monitoring
• Updated lane-keeping assistance
• Tow-bar receiver and 12-pin wiring harness
• Trailer sway control
• Valve-type tyre-pressure monitors