Mopar releases a motor "Hellephant" of 1,000 horses on the occasion of SEMA 2018

While Chevy was presenting an electric race car at SEMA 2018, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles' (FCA) parts division Mopar has doubled its old-fashioned internal combustion power. At SEMA, Mopar launched "Hellephant", a powerful 1,000 horsepower V8 engine with 950 lb-ft of torque, which allows you to put this monster engine into your car.

The Hellephant is what is called in the industry a "cash engine". It is sold as a stand-alone item that hobbyists or professional builders can use in project cars (these engines are usually shipped in crates). Crate engines come in all shapes and sizes (Honda will sell you a Civic Type R engine, for example), but it's mostly a big American V8. The hellphant can be the biggest of all.

To understand why this engine is so important and why its name is so strange, you need a little history. In the golden age of American sports cars in the 1960s, few cars were as respectable as those equipped with the Chrysler (pre-Fiat) 426 cubic inch (H7) Hemi V8. This engine was known as the "elephant motor" because of its huge size. Today, 426 Hemi cars like the Dodge Charger and Plymouth Road Runner are in demand by collectors.

At the beginning of the 21st century, Chrysler is again selling Hemi motor cars. The supercharged 6.2 liter Hellcat engine is currently the most powerful. "Hellephant" is a coat rack of "Elephant" and "Hellcat" because it is related to the Hellcat engine. Mopar increased engine displacement to 7.0 liters to match the 1960s Elephant engine but retained the compressor.

According to Mopar, the Hellephant is designed for vehicles older than 1976, including road and off-road applications. It comes in kit with all the electronics and sensors needed to make it work. Mopar also offers a front accessory kit that includes an alternator, a power steering pump and more. The engine will be available for order in 2019, and prices will be announced at a later date.

To show the potential of his new engine, Mopar found himself stuck in a 1968 Dodge Charger, nicknamed "Super Charger". The car uses a six-speed manual transmission from the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and offers many modifications, including conversion, lowered suspension and 20-inch wheels. But even with 1,000 hp, the Super Charger will not have the most powerful Hemi V8 on the SEMA show. The SpeedKore tuner brought a 1,203 hp Dodge Challenger SRT Demon.