If the Mopar Hellephant could feed the world, we would all starve before the hunt was over. Despite having incredible fanfare at her debutante ball, this 426-cubic-inch all-aluminum 1,000-horsepower Hemi crate engine from Mopar Performance has been playing coy with the public ever since.
But, this may be the moment we've been waiting for. The time is right, and the vibe is right. The world is starting to bounce back from that whole pandemic thing. We're almost at a point where we can remember to call FCA "Stellantis." Will the Hellephant come out of hiding? And, if she sees her shadow, does she hide for another three years?
I'm Sorry, Did You Say 1,000 Horsepower?
If you missed it, be thankful we live in the digital age, because you can stay up all night drooling over this beauty.
At the 2018 SEMA show, Mopar casually dropped a super-sexy modified 1968 Dodge Charger called "Super Charger" to announce the next in their lineup of supercharged engines. Get it? Great marketing.
Bear in mind, there were never any plans to drop the Hellephant in a production car, but if you're like most of us, you're casually nodding, saying "Right, right, right. So where do I enter my credit card details?" Because, deep down inside, we all need a supercharged crate Hemi engine, and we need it right now.
Hellcat, Hellcrate, Hellephant: One Helluva Legacy
So, the legend of the Mopar Hell-on-Wheels series starts with the Hellcat. The Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat, to be precise. Rewind back to 2015, and you may remember the 6.2L supercharged V8 that coughed up 707 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque, earning an "excuse me?" from anyone who saw the production car rolling around town.
The great news is that you don't have to have a Dodge Challenger in order to have this engine. Uncle Mopar has gifted us all with the ability to add a giant, powerful crate engine to our personal vehicles, thanks to their "plug and play" series, which includes the 6.2L V8 from the Hellcat, known as the Hellcrate.
Not enough. We understand, and Mopar certainly understands. Perhaps you require the Hellcrate Redeye 6.2-liter Supercharged HEMI V8 instead. This engine kit allows you to drop 807 horsepower and 717 lb-ft torque in your very own at-home muscle car. This particular engine debuted in the 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon, and continues to impress in models such as the Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye and the Challenger SRT Super Stock.
Bring Me My Hellephant Crate Engine
If the "demon-possessed" level of power of the Hellcrate Redeye isn't enough for you, you'll need to stand in line for the Hellephant rides.
According to legend, on Hemi Day, 4/26/2019 (again with the clever marketing), Mopar allowed a 48-hour window for ordering the beast of 1,000-horsepower, 950 pound-feet of torque. These were pre-orders only, as those who dropped a cool $29,995 for the engine would need to wait at least 14 months for production and delivery. And, please don't forget your $2,265 426 Hemi Supercharged Crate Engine Kit, which will allow you to actually use this massive crate engine in your personal vehicle.
The 1,000-HP Hellephant 426 in Action
Some people (some very, very lucky people) have actually done this. The folks at Demonology quite appropriately dropped a Hellephant in a 2018 Dodge Demon. Dyno and quarter-mile video circulating the internet demonstrates the Demonology crew coaxing more like 1,200-horsepower out of the supercharged crate engine.
They are out there. They exist. And, we have proof. But, until a Hellephant is spotted in the wild, we will all wait with baited breath. Clearly, someone has these babies lying around, and we are all just dying to see them blow around the track.
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This post was originally published on May 10, 2021.