Many Truck Buyers Won't Even Consider A Brand Without A V8
Even if they don’t commit to a V8 engine, Ram says that 40 percent of pickup buyers still want to see a V8 option.
THE BREAKDOWN
- Ram CEO Antonio Filosa says 40 percent of truck buyers want to see a V8 option.
- Around 25 percent of F-150 and 50 percent of Silverado sales are V8.
- Filosa says buyers won't consider a truck brand if it doesn't offer a V8.
The V8 is an American institution. The iconic eight-cylinder engine has powered pickup trucks for as long as anyone can remember, and that memory apparently plays a huge role in what truck buyers want—even here and now in 2026.
In an interview with The Drive, Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa said that 40 percent of buyers shopping for a pickup truck won’t even consider one if it doesn’t offer a V8. In fact, it doesn't even matter if that buyer ends up in a V8-powered pickup truck at all.
Yet that statistic has shaped the market. Ram famously dropped its Hemi V8 in the face of tougher emissions regulations. Despite the Hurricane inline-six offering more power and fuel economy compared to the old Hemi, Ram sales still suffered—which is why the V8 came back so quickly.
2027 Ram 1500 Rumble Bee SRT
The Ram Strategy
Filosa expanded on Ram’s quickly evolving powertrain strategy:
'In the US we are really reshaping our powertrain strategy in what we call Freedom of Choice. Once you remove the emissions regulation target by the administration, we understood our customers were interested in different options, including a very powerful internal combustion engine.'
Still, Filosa didn’t provide much data to back up the 40 percent figure. As it stands, about 25 percent of Ford F-150 sales are V8-powered, while the Chevy Silverado boasts a V8 sales volume of around 50 percent. Ford made a much harder push toward six-cylinder engines, with a variety of EcoBoost options, however. GM has always centered its strategy around V8 engines.
Why V8?
It all comes down to choice, which all three major truck brands now offer. Pickup truck buyers, who are often conscious of simplicity and longevity, simply want the choice to have a V8 engine, even if they’ll be convinced in showrooms by objectively superior turbocharged six-cylinder engines.
Pickup trucks also have to be critically dependable. Perhaps this shows that buyers are still warming up to turbocharged powertrains in their workhorses and need some convincing to think otherwise. The vast majority may not even notice, but a significant enough core exists for Ram to change strategies.
Motor1’s Take: The truth of the matter is that a significant number of buyers are worried about longevity, especially looking at the fallout from Toyota’s V6 engine recall saga. A big V8 is simple and proven, while smaller turbocharged engines are more highly stressed and complex by nature.
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