Tim Kuniskis, who was once the driving force behind Dodge's iconic Hemi V-8 muscle cars, had announced his retirement from Stellantis, effective June 2024. Amidst a corporate shift towards smaller combustion engines and electrified powertrains, his successors were ready to step in. However, in a surprising turn of events, Kuniskis is making a comeback to lead Ram after a sudden vacancy in leadership at Stellantis.
Leading Dodge and Ram presented challenges, particularly when it came to convincing V-8 enthusiasts about the shift to electric vehicles—a task faced by his successor, Matt McAlear, at Dodge. Chris Feuell, who was initially planned to take over at Ram, will now focus on her role as Chrysler CEO and will also take over Alfa Romeo from Larry Dominique. Kuniskis' return to Ram allows him to focus exclusively on the brand, a decision confirmed by Stellantis to CNBC.
Kuniskis' career with Stellantis has been diverse. He oversaw Jeep and Alfa Romeo in 2018, steered Dodge's performance-first strategy, and integrated Ram into his responsibilities in 2023. He is well-known for launching powerful, emissions-driven models and championed the Hurricane family of engines as efficient successors to the phasing-out Hemi V-8.
Kuniskis introduced turbocharged innovations with the Hurricane inline engines, which include models for the 2025 Ram 1500 and the new Dodge Charger. His role is now pivotal in advancing the electrification of Ram products and establishing the inline-six engine as a high-performance choice.
Summary: Tim Kuniskis, after a brief retirement, is back to lead Ram amid Stellantis' strategic shift toward electrification. Known for his performance-oriented leadership at Dodge, his return will focus on leveraging his experience with inline-six engines to drive future innovations at Ram.
