If you were around in the early 2000s, then you probably remember Dodge’s “That thing got a Hemi?” television commercials, which were simultaneously catchy and annoying. Soon, people on the street were repeating the phrase and all of a sudden, Mopar was back on the muscle car scene. That engine in the advertisements would be the original 5.7-liter (345 cubic inch) Gen III Hemi V8 that first debuted in Ram pickup trucks for the 2003 model year, followed shortly by passenger cars like the 300 C, Charger, and Magnum.
There was immediate controversy among purists because the new Hemi’s combustion chambers weren’t perfectly spherical like the old ones from the 1960s and early-1970s. But with 345 horsepower and 375 pound-feet of torque, the new 5.7-liter V8 was one of the most powerful mass-produced engines at the time, which also happened to deliver decent fuel economy. Things got even spicier in 2009 when the updated 5.7 Hemi, nicknamed the “Eagle,” got better flowing cylinder heads and variable valve timing. Power output for the 2023 5.7 Hemi in passenger cars is 370 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque.
This is the Hemi’s Swan Song
Stellantis, the parent company of Dodge, Chrysler, and Ram, among others, has made it no secret that 2023 will be the final year of production for their iconic Charger and Challenger muscle cars. And with the death of those two models, the iconic 5.7-liter Hemi V8 will also fade into the sunset. Well, at least in passenger cars.
Buyers of Ram’s 1500 series of half-ton pickups can still opt for a 5.7-liter Hemi, but only with the 48-volt mild-hybrid “eTorque” technology. In previous model years, you could choose a conventional Hemi V8 without the complicated “eTorque” package, but it looks like every 2023 Ram will have eTorque. With the advent of Stellantis’ new “Hurricane” twin turbocharged inline-six cylinder, we’ll bet that within a very short time, gasoline V8 motors will be reserved for only Ram’s most heavy-duty pickups, the 2500 and 3500 series.
Here’s Where You Can Still Get One
Okay, so now that we’ve talked you into grabbing one of these future-classic motors while you still can, what’s the most cost effective way to go about that? To begin, every Dodge Challenger, Charger, and Durango with a trim level of R/T or higher has some form of V8 engine. The R/T trim in particular is the go-to for an entry-level V8, which is the 5.7-liter Hemi.
The 2023 Challenger R/T, with an MSRP of $39,385, is the most affordable V8-powered Dodge. The Charger R/T has the same drivetrain, but the four-door sedan starts at $42,780. Finally, the Durango R/T, an SUV, starts at $51,595. Though the Dodge name is normally associated with Hemi power, the cheapest vehicle with a Hemi V8 is actually a Ram truck: the 1500 “Classic.”
The Ram 1500 Classic is Still Around in 2023
When Ram Trucks launched the much lauded fifth-generation of its half-ton pickup truck for 2019, it made the unusual decision to continue manufacturing and selling the fourth-generation (2009-2018) truck right alongside the newer model. Ram badges this truck as the Ram 1500 Classic, ostensibly as a lower cost, more basic alternative to the fifth-gen model. And yes, this is all slightly confusing.
The regular-cab 4×2 1500 Classic has an MSRP of $30,695, plus an additional $2,495 for the Hemi V8, totaling $33,190. If you’d prefer the newer fifth-generation Ram 1500, and you really should – the interior alone is worth it, that’ll set you back $37,410 for a basic 4×2 quad-cab (the smaller four-door body), plus $2,995 for the V8, for a total of $40,405.
Although the pickup trucks weight more than the passenger cars, their V8s do make slightly more power. Due to a taller, roomier engine compartment, the Ram’s Hemi has a top-feeding intake manifold that flows better. Consequently, the trucks crank out 395 horsepower and 410 pound-feet of torque.
Replacing the vaunted Hemi V8 will be the GME T6 or the Global Medium Engine Turbocharged 6-cylinder, which has a nickname of its own; the Hurricane. To be fair, these smaller displacement engines produce more power and torque through technology, are more responsive in city driving, and are more fuel efficient than a V-8 engine. All that, and cleaner air from reduced emissions to boot. I will miss that unmistakable V-8 exhaust note, though.
