Mopar opens preorders for the 1,000-hp Hellephant crate engine
From just $29,995, you can get four-digit horsepower in your project car.
Is there such a thing as too much horsepower? The folks at Mopar, FCA's parts and service brand, don't seem to think so. Mopar on Friday opened up the preorder process for buyers who are interested in the Hellephant crate engine, which is rated for a frankly ludicrous 1,000 horsepower and 950 pound-feet of torque.
The Hellephant was first revealed at last year's SEMA show, stuffed into a resto-modded 1968 Dodge Charger dubbed, appropriately, the Super Charger. Beginning preorders today is appropriate as Mopar dubs April 26 "Hemi day" -- paying reference to the original, 426-cubic-inch displacement of the Hemi V8. Interested buyers can sign up at www.cratehemi.com.
The Hellephant crate engine is even more extreme than the prior 707-hp "Hellcrate" engine introduced in 2017, which was essentially a Charger/Challenger Hellcat motor for DIYers. The Hellephant's all-aluminum block retains the famous 426-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) displacement, with a supercharger on top helping boost output to 1,000 hp.
You'll pay $29,995 for the Hellephant, which sure seems like a lot of horsepower for the price of a Honda Accord . Of course, you'll have to install the motor in something, a task that Mopar makes easier if you opt for a $2,265 engine kit that includes the various sensors, wiring looms, throttle pedal and other electronics you'd need to easily drop the big V8 into a car. That kit is specifically designed for fitting the Hellephant in pre-1976 vehicles because those models predate CARB and EPA requirements for catalytic converters and other emissions equipment. But we suspect tinkerers who live in states without emissions testing or more lax rules on engine swaps might find their way to swapping this engine into a newer car.
Mopar says public reaction to the Hellephant has been strong, with nearly 1,000 people expressing interest in buying one since the engine debuted at SEMA. We can't wait to see what types of project cars the monstrous V8 gets used for -- especially since we know it sounds incredible.
