Mopar just introduced its crazy ‘Hellephant‘ 426 Hemi crate engine at SEMA. The company says the engine has been designed for use in pre-1976 vehicles but we’re a little more open-minded than that.
With the right tools, some determination, and hard work, we’re sure many experienced mechanics could (and probably will) eventually shoe-horn this engine engine into a variety of more-modern vehicles. Here is a list of five vehicles we’d love to see receive Hellephant power.
5. Toyota A90 Supra.
Okay, let’s start with something really out-there. The new Supra is just around the corner and will be sold with the option of either a four-cylinder or six-cylinder engine. Early reviews suggest that the balance is on point and that it’s a worthy successor to the Supra’s we all fell in love with. However, with horsepower maxing out at an expected 335 hp, it’s not the most powerful car out there.
Thanks to its huge 6,980 cc capacity, eight cylinders, and massive supercharger, the Hellephant delivers a more healthy 1000 hp and 950 lb-ft (1,288 Nm of torque). Would it fit in the Supra? Who knows. But with the hood permanently removed, it could make for one hell of a drift car.
4. Nissan Cube
Sensing a trend here? This list isn’t about being sensible, it’s about being imaginative and thinking outside the box.
Speaking of boxes, we have the Nissan Cube next on the list. This tiny MPV has a hood barely any longer than a 12-inch ruler so fitting the Hellephant up front would be impossible. However, we’re sure they’d be room inside the Cube’s cabin if the rear seats were removed, making for an unassuming, mid-engine monster.
3. Ariel Atom
A V8-powered Ariel Atom already exists but it uses a tiny (well, comparatively speaking) 3.0-liter powertrain. It’s debatable if the Hellephant could fit in the rear of the tiny Atom but by extending the wheelbase, it could probably be sandwiched in there somehow. If it was, it would result in a car so accelerative that it could probably rip your face off. The car would probably spin the rear tires through all six gears but what’s life without a little danger, right?
2. Pontiac Aztec
Ah, the Pontiac Aztec, perhaps one of the ugliest vehicles ever produced. No matter what angle the Aztec is viewed at, it’s hideous. How it ever received approval for production simply beggars belief. But, if GM simply wanted to create a cult classic, they certainly did it with the Aztec, even though it’s remembered for rather unsavory reasons.
Like some other cars on this list, fitting a 6.9-liter V8 under the hood could be a struggle but little is impossible in the world of engine swaps. An insane sleeper could be the result. If an Aztec owner were particularly braze, we’d suggest making the Hellephant-powered SUV front-wheel drive. Why? Why not?
1. Chrysler Pacifica
In early 2016, FCA designer Ralph Gilles posted a sketch of a Hellcat-powered Chrysler Pacifica he created with a crayon. That mythical car is the inspiration behind our number one on the list.
Nothing says drab, dreary, boring, and downright sad quite like a minivan, no matter how nice the Pacifica might be. Throw out the second and third-row of seats and you could create a vehicle almost as ridiculous as the infamous F1-powered Renault Espace from the mid-1990s.
So there you have it. A list of five vehicles we want to see powered by the Hellephant crate engine. Will any of them happen? Who knows but never say never.
What vehicle would you like to see powered by Mopar’s new V8?
Don’t think it can be done? Check out some of these crazy engine swaps:
Acura Integra with an 8.2-liter twin-turbo V8
V8-powered Toyota Prius
BMW M6 with six-rotor engine