Ram is Going Retro For SEMA Bringing Back "The Dude"

Ram and Mopar are throwing it all the way back to the 1970’s with a special sport truck concept called “The Dude”. The sublime green 2026 Ram 1500 HEMI channels a popular sport trim package from the early 1970s with a lowered stance for a street machine appearance. After a couple of lean years, Mopar is heading back to the annual Specialty Equipment Market Association Show or SEMA. Mopar is blasting back with huge horsepower displays. The 2026 Ram 1500 HEMI is in high demand and Mopar is customizing it with an incredible shade of Sublime Green.

Darren Bradshaw, senior vice president of Mopar North America, said. “We bring our latest creative designs and innovative engineering to life at the SEMA Show every year, demonstrating our capability at Mopar to assist owners in customizing a ride that fits the personal blueprint of their individual lifestyles.”

The Dude Ram 1500 Concept 

The "Dude" concept brings the sport truck persona of the Ram to life with a design theme inspired by a popular sport trim package from the early 1970s. 

The original Dude “tough truck” design was first used by Dodge. It blended utility with unique style. The new “Dude” is based on a Ram 1500 Big Horn. The “Dude” brings back the vintage “Dude” C-stripes in contrasting satin black, running the full length of the truck. 

Other black exterior features include: 

• Hood side and scoop bezel stripes on the custom performance hood
• Lower front grille and grille surround
• Roof and mirrors
• Tailgate with Ram-branded graphic 

The lowered Dude concept rides on satin black 22-by-10-inch wheels. A custom front splitter and side sills accent the lowered stance. Adding to the performance look, side-exit exhausts with black tips empty out in front of the rear wheels on both sides. The truck is upgraded with a Mopar cold-air intake. 

The truck is outfitted with leather seats, front and rear, with bright green stitching surrounded by dark door trim pieces. A custom designed instrument panel badge features The Dude logo in bright green. Mopar adds an in-console safe to secure valuables, a multi-accessory instrument panel rail and all-weather floor mats.

The 2026 Ram 1500 HEMI

When Ram announced the return of the 5.7L HEMI for 2026, it received 10,000 orders in the first 24 hours. All of the Ram HEMI V-8s are the eTorque engines. The truck is rated at 395 horsepower and 410 lb.-ft of torque. The HEMI is available pretty much across the board in 2026 model-year Ram 1500 Tradesman, Big Horn, Express, Warlock, Laramie, Rebel, Limited and Longhorn.

Ram fans were furious when Ram discontinued its HEMI engines in favor of the more fuel-efficient Hurricane Straight Six Turbo engine. The Ram 1500s with the HEMI V-8, are already in dealerships. I believe the move that will do the most to convince customers to invest in the Rams is the new Limited Powertrain Warranty, Ram will warranty the 2026 trucks for up to 10 Years/100,000 Miles. With most vehicle prices expected to rise because of tariffs and chip shortages, this makes an expensive purchase easier to rationalize.

SEMA Show November 4-7

The annual SEMA Show gives Mopar the opportunity to showcase its huge display of performance parts and accessories. Attendees get first looks at innovative, new designs and advanced technologies tailored for customizing vehicles. Often, the Mopar concepts end up being developed into special trim packages that can be ordered straight from the factory.  This year, the Mopar display in the South Hall spotlights customized vehicles from Ram, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, plus hundreds of factory-backed performance parts and accessories.

While SEMA is usually restricted to auto industry professionals, this year, SEMA is open to the public on November 7th.

Ram Photo

Mary Conway is a professional automotive journalist and has decades of experience specializing in automotive news analysis. She covered the Detroit Three for more than twenty years for the ABC affiliate, in Detroit. Her affection for the Motor City comes naturally. Her father ran a gas station while Mary was growing up, in Wisconsin.

Follow Mary Conway at @MaryConwayMedia and send her car news tips for future stories