It’s worth pointing out that Chrysler’s success during the mid-to-late 20th century had a lot to do with “Hemi” engines. The 426 Hemi is perhaps the most iconic Hemi in history, finding its way into many classic Dodge and Plymouth models. However, nowadays, the bulk of the Hemi’s popularity is shouldered by Dodge and RAM. Since we may not see another Hemi V8 in the coming years, it’s important to embrace such colossally-sized feats of engineering.
So to honor loyalists, Mopar went ahead and revealed a series of high-horsepower crate engines at SEMA 2022. Dodge’s Direct Connection brand, specializing in factory performance parts, has announced two new crate engines—the Hellephant and HurriCrate series for street and drag applications.
Ranging in sizes and outputs, Dodge’s Hellephant V8 series is about experiencing authentic Hemi rawness, while the Hurricane inline-6 lineup (marketed as HurricCrate) offers resto-mod builders and racers a technologically advanced, high horsepower crate engine solution.
Based on preliminary estimates, the supercharged Hellephant series of V8 crate engines produce between 900 to over 1,100 horsepower. The HurriCrate I6 engines, on the other hand, put out between 420 and 550 horsepower, based on preliminary estimates.
Meet The New Hellephant Supercharged V8 Crate Engines
Direct Connection, Dodge's exclusive source of factory-backed performance parts, continues to grow after its 2022 debut. Available through Dodge Power Brokers dealers, these high-performance parts unlock enhanced tuning potential by allowing enthusiasts to elevate their latest street or drag builds to greater heights.
“We’re bringing the Hellephant back and adding new HurriCrate engines to augment the Direct Connection lineup with two new families of crate engines. The demand from enthusiasts for performance parts for the street and strip continues to grow, and Direct Connection will continue to be there to feed it,” said Dodge CEO, Tim Kuniskis.
Dodge’s family of Hellephant engines all feature a 3.0L IHI supercharger and GEN III Hemi engine block available in cast iron or aluminum. The brand’s new lineup of high-horsepower crate engines is launched with a new naming convention. Engine names beginning with an “A” or “C” denote aluminum or cast-iron block, followed by a numeric representation of the fuel type—“30” for premium fuel (E15 max) or “170” for E85 fuel.
Expanding from the original 1,000-horsepower Hellephant 426 cu.in. crate engine introduced in 2019, Dodge is offering new variants for 2022, namely, C30, A30, C170, and A170, with upgraded hardware and fuel systems to maximize power output. Direct Connection’s C30 is the entry-level supercharged crate engine in the Hellephant lineup with an upgraded 376 cu.in. cast-iron block, a larger throttle body, stronger rods, pistons, and an improved valvetrain to produce approximately 900 horsepower. The C170 builds on the C30 with an upgraded fuel system and flex-fuel capability, delivering over 1,000 horsepower with E85 fuel.
Formerly known as the Hellephant 426 Supercharged HEMI crate engine, the A30 makes use of a 426 cubic-inch bored and features 4340 H-beam rods, forged aluminum pistons, and a 3.17-inch supercharger pulley to achieve 1,000 horsepower. The A170 builds on the A30, much like how the C170 is, but preliminary estimates tout the engine producing over 1,100 horsepower on E85. As for price, the A30 starts at $29,995; pricing for the rest of the lineup remains unannounced.
Introducing Dodge Direct Connection Twin-Turbo HurriCrates
Derived from the 3.0L Hurricane twin-turbo engine, Dodge’s HurriCrate Series engines deliver more horsepower, more torque, and fewer emissions than many naturally aspirated V8s. The HurriCrate engines are available in three variants—Cat 1, Cat 3, and Cat X. The Cat 1 engine gets cast aluminum pistons, runs 10.4:1 compression, and has twin turbochargers delivering up to 22 psi of peak boost. All this translates to the Cat 1 crate engine producing an estimated 420 horsepower and 468 Ib-ft of torque. Dodge’s Cat 3 engine packs 550 horsepower and 531 lb-ft of torque, courtesy of two Garett turbos running 26 psi, forged aluminum pistons, and a 9.5:1 compression ratio.
Direct Connection has plans for a racing variant with a possible Drag Pak featuring the HurriCrate Cat X. The crate engine, however, is currently under development. Also, pricing remains undisclosed for all HuriCrate engines. Expect full details to be announced in 2023.
As for Hellaphant and HurriCrates’ production and availability, Dodge says the HurriCrate Cat 3 will be available in Q2 next year, with the Cat 1 available in early 2024. Expect the A30 to start shipping around Q2 of 2023, with the C170 to follow in Q3. The C30 crate engine, on the other hand, will likely be offered in Q4 of 2023. However, the all-aluminum A170 won’t be available for purchase anytime soon, with shipping estimated to start around Q2 of 2024.
Sources: Stellantis, Dodge Direct Connection