Heritage is back on the menu, folks — and Stellantis is serving it up with a side of octane nostalgia. After a turbulent year of boardroom musical chairs, the automotive giant seems to have rediscovered the magic words that make American buyers weak in the knees: Hemi V-8.

Enter Tim Kuniskis, the recently reinstated Ram Trucks boss — the same man who practically bleeds Mopar blue. His first order of business? Put the 5.7-liter Hemi back where it belongs: under the hood of the Ram 1500. After a brief, one-year sabbatical, the burbling eight-cylinder is back, and—surprise, surprise—truck sales are roaring again. Turns out, torque and nostalgia still move metal.

But Stellantis isn’t stopping there. With whispers of the Hemi returning to the new Dodge Charger, the company is clearly intent on reminding everyone that muscle cars and trucks still matter — even in a world obsessed with kilowatts and carbon credits. And so, with momentum building and fans howling for more, Mopar’s rolling up its sleeves for a good old-fashioned SEMA spectacle.

The Purple Haze Persuasion

First up: a tantalising glimpse of what’s believed to be a Dodge Charger Scat Pack Sixpack, finished in a deliciously deep Purple Haze. And no, this isn’t the EV version — this one drinks dinosaur juice the old-school way. A blacked-out, bulging hood gives it the stance of a street brawler, while an illuminated badge and non-stock rims make it look ready to rumble down the Strip, legally or otherwise.

The Charger’s return to muscle form is more than a teaser — it’s a statement. Stellantis knows its audience. The loyalists never asked for silence or sustainability; they asked for something that makes their neighbours’ windows rattle at idle.

The Sublime (or Sub-Lime?) Street Truck

Next, we catch a glimpse of the 2026 Ram 1500 in an unmissable Sublime Green — a shade that looks one part retro throwback, one part radioactive. (Honestly, Stellantis, “Sub-Lime” would’ve been perfect. Missed opportunity.)

The truck wears the ‘Symbol of Protest’ badge proudly on its fender — Stellantis’ subtle wink that a V-8 beats within. That same fender also seems to be riding dangerously close to the tire, suggesting a lower, meaner stance. Could this finally be the street-spec Ram enthusiasts have begged for? One that’s more drag strip than dirt trail? Stellantis isn’t saying… yet.

Viva Las Vegas, Viva Mopar

We’ll have all the answers soon enough. Both vehicles — and plenty more Mopar-massaged metal — are set to debut at SEMA, held at the Las Vegas Convention Center from November 4th to 8th. If these teasers are anything to go by, Stellantis is gearing up to remind the industry that muscle isn’t just alive — it’s having a midlife crisis in the best possible way.

Because no matter how many EVs the future holds, nothing says “America’s back” like a purple Charger and a green Ram rumbling their way into Vegas. And as far as we’re concerned, the louder, the better.

Source: Stellantis