If there was ever such a thing as preaching to the choir, it’s trying to convince a bonafide gearhead that the Hellcat is the most powerful production V8 ever made. Named after the Grumman F6F Hellcat WWII fighter jet, the Hellcat engine has to live up to expectations. It can race from zero to 100 mph in 3.6 seconds and tap out at 199 mph. Just in case you missed it, we said 0 to 100 in 3.6 seconds, not 0 to 60.
Dodge’s Hellcat engine replicates its namesake’s doggedness by delivering a dust-razing 707 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque, cranked out by a 6.2-liter supercharged Hemi V8 engine. Just like the American carrier-based fighter jet, this engine got named after, it was well-known for its IHI supercharger.
No doubt, the supercharged 6.2-liter Hemi SRT Hellcat is the mill for such individuals who suffer from a need for speed. You will experience a well-rounded American performance behind the wheel of a Hellcat-powered muscle car thanks to the satisfying combination of power and matching handling.
The Dodge Hellcat Supercharged Hemi V8 Engine Is A Demon’s Heart And Soul
One of the major highlights of a year afflicted and mangled by the novel coronavirus was Mopar’s November 2020 announcement of an 807-horsepower Hellcrate Redeye 6.2-liter supercharged V8 crate engine, available for $21,807.
“With the addition of this new supercharged Hemi, Mopar now offers five Hemi crate engines with a range of 375 to 1,000 horsepower,” said Mark Bosanac, Head of Mopar Service, Parts and Customer Care for FCA – North America. “All Mopar crate engines are quality-tested and factory-backed to deliver proven performance to our enthusiasts.”
It was the remarkable opportunity of a heart transplant by sticking the heartbeat of the legendary Dodge Challenger SRT Demon into whatever car, truck, or SUV you’re building. In other words, the crate engine allowed you to give your project the 807-hp heart and soul of the Challenger SRT Demon.
Before then, Mopar had never offered builders and enthusiasts a more powerful production muscle car engine. Yes, the Hellephant is beastlier, but remember that the 1,000-hp Hellephant 426 Supercharged Mopar crate Hemi engine is not a production engine just yet. The Hellephant is just too wild to stick in a production car, but you can certainly buy one and stick it in your garage project.
If juiced with 91-octane pump gas, the 6.2-liter Supercharged Hemi V8 crate engine is a force to reckon with, belching out 807 horses and 717 lb-ft of torque. Mopar offered the Hellcrate Redeye 6.2-liter supercharged Hemi V8 crate engine with a supercharger along with a throttle body, front sump oil pan, coil packs, fuel injectors, water pump, and flex plate. Of course, the power plant ships with a detailed installation guide.
The Power And Performance Of The Supercharged 6.2-Liter Hemi SRT Hellcat V8
On the SRT Hellcat, the supercharged 6.2-liter Hemi V8 engine boasts a factory compression ratio of 9.5:1 to generate 707 horsepower and 717 lb-ft of torque at 6,000 rpm. On the regular, the SRT Hellcat Redeye produces an impressive 797 horses at 6,300 rpm, while the Super Stock makes 807 horsepower at 6,400 rpm. At the apex of the hunt is the SRT Demon, with 808 horsepower and 840 lb-ft of torque at 6,300 rpm.
Notably, Dodge offered the 6.2-liter Hemi V8 alongside the 6.4-liter SRT Hemi V8. You’ve seen, heard, and experienced it on the 2015 Dodge Charger and on the Challenger, and later on the 475-horsepower Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT with 470 lb-ft of torque.
Contrary to widespread rumors at the time, the Hemi SRT Hellcat V8 did not feature Chrysler’s multi-displacement engine technology known as MDS (Multi-Displacement System), which is a fuel-saving cylinder deactivation technology that saves fuel by up to 20%.
As the SRT powertrain chief Chris Cowland explained, by reducing the stroke, the automaker cut back the displacement from 6.4 to 6.2-liters to further strengthen the camshaft. Dodge pairs the Hemi Hellcat with a manual transmission in the Challenger, and an eight-speed automatic in the Challenger and Charger.
The Hellcat Is Quick And Not For The Faint Hearted
If "faint of heart" isn’t in your dictionary, the Hellcat offers an unforgettable driving experience, and we’re not just talking about the furtive glances from other road users. Thinking about how fast the Hellcat leaps reminds us about the Dodge Charger Daytona, Mopar’s fastest four-seater that leaped over the 200 mph threshold in 1970. What propelled the Charger Daytona? The memorable 426 Hemi V8.
A few years ago, AllPar forum members discussed the modern Challenger's ability to beat the Daytona's record. A forum member with the handle "AutoTechnician" wrote, “The power required to overcome aerodynamic drag increases with the cube of the speed (e.g., 20 mph requires eight times the power as 10 mph to push through the air.) Factor in mechanical losses, rolling resistance, etc… and you're easily well over 600 hp required at the crankshaft to do 200 mph.”
We liked to think that the dexterous eight-speed automatic and ZF axle should help the SRT achieve that goal by cutting said parasitic losses. At the time, the 638-horsepower ZR1 could manage 205 mph, while the Hellcat Challenger touched 202 mph during testing, but you wouldn’t expect the production versions to achieve a similar top speed.
Flash forward to today, Dodge proudly announced the 2022 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody as “the fastest GT production car,” with a top speed of 203 mph “while staying quick off the line.” In other words, the Hemi-powered Hellcat Redeye Widebody boasts the fastest top speed of any production muscle car.
The Hellcat Will Die, But The Hellcrate Is Still Ours
It was still early last year when Dodge CEO Tim Kuniskis admitted to CNBC that time was almost up for the beloved supercharged Hellcat V8 engine, with the whine of electric power plants to replace the roar of superchargers. “I will have this car, this platform, this powertrain as we know it through the end of '23… There's two more years to buy a Hellcat, then it's history,” Kuniskis said.
Dodge is closing the chapter with six “Last Call” special edition Hellcat models, after which the all-electric Banshee takes over with a promise of an 800-volt eMuscle powertrain. However, although the Hellcat badge will die after 2023, we expect the automaker’s SRT division to continue building and selling the Hellcrate to hotrodders and enthusiasts. Why not?
Sources: Allpar, Dodge, Stellantis, Dodge Garage, CNBC, Chrysler Factory Plans