Every sales figure, product release, and rumor from Dodge and Ram seem to bring forth disparaging remarks from people who insist that the company is “digging its own graves by making nothing but BEVs.” Yet, even before the first battery-electric Dodge has been put up for sale, before the Hemi V8 stopped being optional, people commented that the 2023 sales drop was because “they stopped making V8s” and “they’re forcing us to buy electric cars.”
The gasoline powered car is still available and will continue to be at least through 2030. At least a couple of rumor sites claim the Ram 1500 will have a V8 option in (early) 2025 models (as well as any remaining Ram 1500 Classics). The 2024 Durango will keep V8s for their full run, and the Wrangler still has its 392 for 2024.
More to the point, Stellantis’ recent release on the STLA Large platform doesn’t just say there is capacity for gasoline engines; one is quite clearly shown in one of the photos, labeled with the acronym ”ICE” (Internal Combustion Engine). You can see it with a transmission and rear differential.
We even have a closeup of this engine and transmission. Pure combustion (rather than hybrid form) is specifically mentioned in the press release.
STLA Large (detailed more thoroughly at Motales, which lent these versions of Stellantis’ images) is an impressive platform on paper—covering a wide variety of lengths, widths, heights, and ground clearances. It can fit different suspension types and drive the front or rear wheels—or both. STLA Large seems to be as flexible as it needs to be to cover everything from, say, a Dodge Challenger all the way up to a minivan or a future Dodge Durango. Read more…
