THE final Hemi V8-powered Ram 1500 has rolled off the meeting line in Melbourne this week, the 28,495th instance of Ram Truck Australia’s remanufactured mannequin to make method for a turbocharged six-cylinder successor someday within the first half 2025.
The ultimate instance to be transformed to right-hand drive – a 1500 Restricted completed in Granite Crystal paint – was farewelled by greater than 100 Ram Vehicles Australia staff, who gathered in Clayton on Friday to mark the milestone event.
Ram Vehicles Australia employs greater than 250 workers throughout its manufacturing facility and engineering workforces, noting that greater than 2000 individuals have labored within the facility since 2015.
“All good issues should come to an finish and it’s time for us to farewell the enduring Hemi V8,” mentioned Ram Vehicles Australia normal supervisor Jeff Barber.
“Australians love their utes, and so they love their V8s, and the Ram 1500 delivered one of the best of each worlds.
“Our prospects – lots of whom have come from conventional utes and four-wheel-drives – inform us they admire the additional area, the additional consolation, and the stronger towing efficiency, and clearly that’s why these automobiles are so standard.”
Whereas the Ram 1500 will proceed with a brand new turbocharged six-cylinder petrol engine subsequent 12 months, Mr Barber mentioned there was sturdy curiosity from consumers who need to get a V8 earlier than it’s too late.
“We now have been overwhelmed by the response to the Hemi V8 runout, and we perceive some consumers who need one of many final V8s could miss out,” he defined.
“Nonetheless, we hope to have sufficient inventory to meet most orders.
“We may have a really worthy successor subsequent 12 months powered by a new-generation turbocharged six-cylinder petrol engine, however we may have extra to say about that nearer to native showroom arrivals.”
Mr Barber mentioned the ultimate Hemi V8-powered1500 has but to be allotted to a dealership, with one of many marque’s 70 Australian or New Zealand areas to obtain the particular mannequin anonymously.
“We haven’t put a ‘closing V8’ badge on this specific instance as a result of, to us, they’re all particular,” he added.
“However as soon as they’re gone, they’re gone.”
Ram Vehicles Australia has been remanufacturing US pick-ups from left- to right-hand drive since December 2015 – together with the RAM 1500 Hemi V8 since June 2018.
The automobiles arrive from the US of their authentic left-hand drive format and are remanufactured to right-hand drive on the meeting line in Clayton within the south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne, earlier than being transported to sellers throughout Australia and New Zealand.
Greater than 400 locally-engineered elements – manufactured to manufacturing facility high quality and security requirements – are fitted to every car to finish the transformation to right-hand drive.
From the beginning of the manufacturing line to the end, it takes roughly 14 hours for greater than 200 staff to finish the remanufacturing course of of every car.
