Most car lovers have heard of the Hemi engine that can be found in Dodge performance cars and Ram Trucks. For example, it's under the hood of the Challenger SRT Demon. When we think of Hemi, we imagine powerful and big engines.

For many years, many automakers have used the Hemi design, from Ford to Alfa Romeo. It was first trademarked by Chrysler in the '60s, making it a name through advertising campaigns.

So, what's a Hemi engine? It represents a setup with "a hemispherical combustion chamber, consisting of dome-shaped cylinders and piston tops. With a smaller surface area than a typical flat-head engine design, less heat is able to escape."

Hemi engines produce higher peak pressure, which results in more power. Engine valves can be larger and allow for better airflow, which means more exhaust gases are sent out. Here are 15 reasons auto fans love the Hemi engine.

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14 Higher Power Output

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Hemi engines burn all the gas in the cylinder, which taps energy. This results in high heat, more energy, and more combustion. Besides, very little energy gets lost when absorbing air and fuel into the combustion chamber. This engine conserves heat better due to its unique size (smaller surface area) and shape.

13 Bigger Valves

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This is one of the main advantages of the Hemi. Since the valves sit on opposite sides of the head, there is more room for them. The engine design that was popular before the Hemi had valves in line with each other, which restricted their size. With the Hemi, valves can be huge.

12 The Concept Is Constantly Evolving

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The Hemi engine is an ongoing concept. Chrysler keeps making upgrades to improve its efficiency. New versions feature diverse camshaft profiles and larger valve sizes. Advanced engines can produce even more power more efficiently, which makes them a favorite in muscle cars. It can be found in racing vehicles that require a lot of power.

11 It Changed The Shape Of Car Power

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When Chrysler trademarked its first Hemi V8 series, it changed the shape of motor power. That first engine was the 5.4-liter Chrysler FirePower that delivered 180 hp, which was quite impressive at that time. The FirePower engine helped the company win the horsepower race and put pressure on Dodge and Ford.

10 New Combustion Chamber Setup

Combustion chamber set up
commons.wikimedia.org

70 years later, the Hemi can be found under the hood of the most powerful cars. The newest version took the best parts of the 50s Hemi and worked out the kinks. The evolution of the Hemi introduced the new combustion chamber setup that allowed the engine to have up to 5 valves.

9 It Came Full Circle

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The updated Hemi setup was offered in the early 2000s. It changed the twin spark plug location. It also got a pinched chamber that doesn't have the typical hemispherical combustion chamber. Surprisingly though, it closely resembles the '50s polyspherical chamber that Chrysler developed as a low-cost option for its cars.

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8 The Variable Camshaft Timing System

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In 2009, Chrysler made significant revisions to the Hemi. They came up with the Variable Camshaft Timing system. It added a new control valve that restricted oil flow to a camshaft sprocket. This unit can retard or advance the camshaft timing. It results in consistent combustion and reduced emissions.

7 Model-Specific Intake Manifold

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For the newest Hemi, Chrysler revised cylinder heads to increase flow. For the first time, "the intake manifold is now model specific." For example, trucks and non-hybrid electric vehicles get an active intake manifold with a short valve to optimize horsepower. The valve is opened at high speeds to increase hp.

6 Multi-Displacement System

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One of the biggest advantages of the new Hemi is the Multi-Displacement system. When the engine recognizes that not all cylinders are required, it can shut them down and save fuel. It takes less than .04 seconds to shut the cylinder down. Since its introduction, there have been 0 reported issues.

5 It Never Loses Its Charm

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The appeal of the Hemi lies beyond its technical characteristics. Fans of muscle cars continue to hold it in high regard. There are many "street Hemi" high-performance production cars that give chase to the pony vehicles. It's used in AHRA and NHRA drag racing. In other words, it doesn't lose its charm.

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4 It Rises In Popularity

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With the rising popularity of Ram trucks, the Hemi engine stays in the public eye. It helped the Chevrolet Silverado to rank 2nd among the best-selling trucks. The 5.7-liter V8 delivers 396 hp and 510 lb.ft. of torque. While there are more powerful engine setups, the Hemi has made a powerful impact on technology.

3 It Passes Longevity Tests

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You may consider a Hemi engine in your truck for one advantage Chrysler has been offering for years. When they released the 6.4L HEMI in the early 2000s, engineers performed a torture test. They ran the engine without oil at full throttle and it took them hours to fail the unit.

2 It Can Be Found In Alfa Romeos

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Alfa Romeo is known for producing Hemi-head engines. One of their best examples is the 2.5-liter V6, which has been cited as "the most distinctive sounding production engines (even in its latter 24v forms) of all time." Thanks to the straight exhaust port, the engine makes a clear loud sound.

1 Ford's Hemi

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Ford was the first one who used the Hemi-like technology on an available V8. Then it produced an engine with 2 overhead cams known as the Cammer. It was designed in 90 days for use in racing. It also sells the Hemi engine to racers and those who need to power supercharged Top Fuel dragsters.

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