The 2027 Ram 1500 HEMI models were making news worldwide today as Ram’s parent company released its Q2 2026 estimated consolidated shipments. The term “shipments” describes the volume of vehicles delivered to dealers, distributors, or directly from the Company to retail and fleet customers. While the numbers are great, they don’t translate directly to sales, but it means the vehicles are on their way to dealers and fleets. Stellantis as a whole says shipments are up 10 percent but shipments in North America are up a whopping 38 percent!
In a statement Stellantis said, “In North America, Q2 shipments increased by approximately 122 thousand units, or 38% year-over-year. The majority of the growth was driven by new or refreshed products and powertrain offerings, including the Ram 1500 (light-duty) HEMI V8, the new Ram 1500 TRX SRT, the refreshed Jeep Grand Wagoneer and Grand Cherokee, and the refreshed Chrysler Pacifica, in addition to the continued ramp-up of the all-new Jeep Cherokee and the all-new Dodge Charger 2-door and 4-door SIXPACK; it also reflects preparations for the planned summer production shutdown.”
What the Numbers Mean
Stellantis says it shipped 445,000 vehicles in North America in the second quarter compared to 323,000 vehicles shipped last year. It doesn’t help the company if the vehicles are languishing on dealer lots but so far it appears they are selling.
As I reported earlier, sales numbers released this week show that the investment into Ram is paying off. Ram 1500 sales jumped 27 percent in the second quarter, helping Stellantis post its fourth consecutive quarterly U.S. gain. Other brands like Jeep, Dodge and Chrysler did not do nearly as well. Now Stellantis is crediting Ram for a surge in shipments of vehicles.
“Consolidated shipments for the three months ended June 30, 2026, were an estimated 1.6 million units, up 10% year-over-year. Growth was driven primarily by North America and Enlarged Europe”. Stellantis says sales were lower in the Middle East and Africa because of the war with Iran. Sales were also off in South America, where a weaker Argentine market is dragging down sales.
Can Ram and Jeep Continue Driving Momentum?
Truck wars are heating up in the U.S. with Chevrolet and GMC unveiling its 2027 Silverado and Sierra models. Both brands are aggressively discounting their 2026 models to make room for the 2027 trucks.
Ram has just started shipping its highly-anticipated 2027 Ram TRX SRT models with an astonishing 777 horsepower. The truck has been in high demand ever since Ram announced in January that it would be back and better than ever. Ram has also introduced three different muscle trucks that have HEMIs under the Rumble Bee name. The Rumble Bees are shorter and sportier than the regular Ram 1500s, which may provide a boost with the younger buyers. The Rumble Bees should be delivered later this year.
The redesigned 2026 Jeep Cherokee shows great promise. The Cherokee with a hybrid powertrain is getting great reviews as a more affordable family vehicle. TorqueNews Founder Armen Hareyan describes the reborn Cherokee this way, “Jeep let the Cherokee sit out for a couple of years while it reworked the formula from scratch, and the result is a vehicle that has stopped trying to be the extreme Jeep. It has become the everyday Jeep. I am not talking specs here. I am talking philosophy. Jeep designers told me directly that the new Cherokee was built so there is no learning curve between it and the larger Grand Cherokee L, with controls placed in the same spots in both cabins. That is not the mindset of a brand chasing rock crawlers. That is a brand chasing commuters.”
The Jeep Grand Wagoneer, Grand Cherokee and the Chrysler Pacifica have all been refreshed which should help boost sales in those categories. Jeep is also continuing its 2026 Wrangler Twelve 4 Twelve campaign stirring interest in the ultimate off-roaders.
Ram Results are Paying Off
Clearly, Stellantis was smart to focus its future investments on its main brands. With Ram’s sales being up 27 percent in the first half of the year, Ram is helping keep the parent company afloat while it struggles to recover from its lost EV investments. Stellantis needs to keep its focus on its high profit margin vehicles like Ram trucks. It got into trouble under its previous executives for raising its prices too high and letting quality slide. Hopefully, it will stay on the right road.
Image by Ram
About the Author
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 at @MaryConwayMedia on X and on Facebook, and send her car news tips for future stories. Mary Conway is an esteemed automotive and business reporter who was inducted into the Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame in 2019. Mary is a member of the Automotive Press Association, Rocky Mountain Automotive Press, Society of Professional Journalists, and NATAS.
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