Dodge’s future may be electric, but the performance brand will continue to look after those customers with gasoline in their veins for years to come via Direct Connection, an in-house performance parts division offering everything from mild engine tunes to carbon-fiber body shells and even a complete body-in-white for drag racers.
Direct Connection also offers crate engines, and the portfolio will soon be expanded with two lines that should prove popular. Dodge on Tuesday presented at the 2022 SEMA show in Las Vegas a new family of Hellephant supercharged V-8 crate engines as well as the first crate engines based on Stellantis’ Hurricane twin-turbo inline-6.
Mopar Direct Connection DC Hellephant Crate Engine
The Hellephant is a more powerful, 7.0-liter version of the Hellcat supercharged 6.2-liter V-8, which was first launched by Mopar in 2018. The original version generates 1,000 hp, and Dodge will soon offer three more versions. Two will displace 6.2 liters and deliver estimated outputs of 900 hp and 1,000-plus hp. The third will match the 7.0 liters of the original Hellephant but deliver an estimated output of more than 1,100 hp.
Mopar Direct Connection 1500 Hemi Crate Engine
For the truly power hungry, there’s a crate engine to rival the quad-turbo 8.0-liter W-16 in the Bugatti Chiron hypercar. Thanks to its continued partnership with Don Schumacher Racing, Dodge will offer via Direct Connection a supercharged 7.0-liter V-8 with a dyno-verified 1,500 hp when burning E85 fuel. The mighty motor’s price tag is a mighty $59,990.
Mopar Direct Connection 1500 Hemi Crate Engine
Buyers looking for more modest performance will also be catered to via Direct Connection. Dodge also presented at SEMA the first of two new Hurricrate engines based on the Hurricane twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-6. The engines include a Cat1 option with an estimated 420 hp and a Cat3 option with an estimated 550 hp.
Dodge said the Hurricrate is an ideal option for restomod builders and racers looking for V-8 performance but with fewer emissions.
Dodge has also confirmed plans to launch a Hurricrate with a targeted output in the mid-1000-hp range. This will be designed for competition use and feature bespoke designs for the block and head, as well as the turbo system.
Dodge will announce further details including final specs and pricing information for the new Hellephant and Hurricrate engines in 2023. The engines will be available starting in the second half of that year through the Dodge Power Brokers, a network of nearly 100 Dodge dealerships suited to advising on and installing all of the performance parts offered via Direct Connection.
