At SEMA last year, Mopar announced it would offer the 707-hp supercharged V8 from the Dodge Charger and Challenger Hellcat in crate form, creatively called the Hellcrate. This year, Mopar is upping the ante to the tune of 1000 horsepower and 950 lb-ft of torque. Meet the "Hellephant." It's the modern 426 Hemi of your dreams.
The Hellephant is loosely based on a standard Hellcat engine, but a bigger bore and stroke bring displacement up from 6.2 to 7.0 liters. The Hellcat's iron block is ditched in favor of the all-aluminum block used in the Dodge Challenger Drag Pak race car, helping save significant weight. A new supercharger makes an appearance here, as does a set of custom forged pistons and a high-lift cam. The valvetrain is borrowed from the 840-hp V8 used in the Dodge Challenger Demon.
Mopar claims the Hellephant is the first 1000-hp crate engine offered by an OEM, and amazingly, it plans on selling it as part of a plug-and-play kit for pre-1976 vehicles. On top of that, Mopar will offer a "Front End Accessory Drive" kit, which includes an alternator, power-steering pump and all the belts and pulleys you may need.
1968 Dodge Super Charger
To show off the Hellephant, Mopar installed one in a 1968 Dodge Charger it's cleverly calling the "Super Charger." In the Super Charger, the Hellephant is paired with the stock six-speed manual from a Challenger Hellcat, and there are other modern parts found throughout to give it a modern look. It's about as ideal a home as you could find for this wild new engine, though we hope someone finds a way to stick this in a modern Hellcat.
The Hellephant will be available starting next year, though pricing hasn't been announced yet. Expect it to cost a good bit more than the $20,000 of the Hellcrate.
A car enthusiast since childhood, Chris Perkins served as Road & Track's engineering nerd and Porsche apologist.
