SEMA 2018: Mopar ‘Hellephant’ 746kW Hemi crate engine revealed

Mopar has announced a massive 7.0-litre supercharged Hemi V8 crate engine at the 2018 SEMA Show, calling it the ‘Hellephant’.

The 746kW/1288Nm V8 made its debut under the bonnet of the Dodge ‘Super Charger’ concept car, a 1968 Charger modified by FCA’s Product Design Office.

11

The engine, which Mopar says is essentially ‘plug-and-play’, is an all-aluminium block, derived from those used in Mopar’s Dodge Challenger drag racers and reconfigured for the road.

Head of passenger car brands at FCA North America, Steve Beahm, says the Hellephant is “a plug-and-play package that is unique in the industry.”

“Our enthusiasts crave power and performance and our new ‘Hellephant’ Mopar Crate Hemi engine and kit deliver huge horsepower and torque,” Beahm says.

“The 1968 Dodge Charger is one of the hottest classic cars, which is why we decided to use it as a starting point for the ‘Super Charger’ Concept. It’s an amazing vehicle and a great showcase for our ‘Hellephant’ engine.”

11

The Super Charger itself puts that 746kW to the ground through an unmodified six-speed Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat transmission, though there are no guesses as to how quick it would be.

Its design was taken in a ‘cleaner and more streamlined’ direction, Mopar says, with FCA’s designers removing aspects such as the door handles, and even fixing the headlights in place behind the grille rather than keeping the moveable ‘hidden’ headlights.

11

Mopar says its design has to be “adapted” when it came to the engine bay and surrounds to accommodate the Hellephant.

The Hellephant will be available in the US from early 2019, though Australian availability isn’t confirmed, nor it expected to be officially any time soon.