Ram Trucks Australia has confirmed it’ll bring the new twin-turbo, six-cylinder 1500 pickup to Australia in 2025 – more than 18 months after it was unveiled in North America.
In November 2023, Ram unveiled the facelifted DT-generation 1500, resulting in its long-standing 5.7-litre Hemi V8 engine being axed and replaced by a newer 3.0-litre twin-turbo inline petrol six.
While US deliveries have already started, the brand’s official Australian distributor has until now been tight-lipped about when – or even if – we would get the ‘Hurricane’-powered pickup in local showrooms.
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Ram 1500 Laramie
That’s now changed, with Ram Trucks Australia general manager, Jeff Barber, confirming it’ll be released here at an undisclosed time in 2025.
“We have been overwhelmed by the response to the Hemi V8 runout, and we understand some buyers who want one of the last V8s may miss out,” Mr Barber said in a media statement.
“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.”
The Ram 1500’s new twin-turbo six-cylinder engine
As reported in October, Ram has received approval from the Australian government to sell five variants of the 1500 across two body lengths and with two engine outputs.
The standard-output 3.0-litre twin-turbo engine (named SST SO) produces 313kW and 636Nm, while a high-output version (called SST HO) develops 403kW and 706Nm.
For context, the Hemi V8 produces 291kW and 556Nm.
Regardless of output, the Hurricane engine will be mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Approved variants include the Big Horn short-wheelbase (SWB) and long-wheelbase (LWB), the Laramie (with or without Rambox) and the flagship Limited, which is the only grade available with the more potent engine.
The 1500 Tungsten isn’t yet approved for Australia 
The six-cylinder Ram 1500 is classified as an NB1 vehicle – rather than the V8’s NA classification – which means its gross vehicle mass is between 3.5 and 4.5 tonnes, and it will be exempt from certain safety regulations such as ADR 85/00 (Pole Side Impact Performance).
Not included in the approval documents are the fancy new Tungsten flagship, or the sportier Rebel or RHO variants. Also missing is the new Ramcharger, which features a range-extender powertrain with a large battery and a 3.6-litre petrol V6 used as a generator.
It’s unclear if any of these variants will follow at a later point.
Beyond the new engine, changes to the updated Ram 1500 include freshened exterior styling, as well as an improved 12-inch infotainment touchscreen or a new 14.5-inch unit, plus a 10.25-inch passenger display.
The Ram 1500 will join the Ford F-150 and Toyota Tundra in only being available with six-cylinder power – though its rivals feature V6s, not straight-sixes – as the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 becomes the only model remaining in the segment with a V8 engine.
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