The purely electric Charger Daytona SRT Concept is taking center stage at Dodge's SEMA booth with its Stryker Red paint, but traditionalists will be happy to hear the combustion engine isn't being neglected. Through its ever-expanding Direct Connection performance parts lineup, the muscle car company is introducing a family of HurriCrate series of crate engines and an updated Hellephant portfolio with crazy power levels that reach four digits.
Beginning with the HurriCrate, it's based on the new 3.0-liter Hurricane inline-six engine with a pair of turbochargers. The Cat 1 version has been rated at 420 hp and 468 lb-ft (635 Nm) while the Cat 3 is good for 550 hp and 531 lb-ft (720 Nm). Mind you, Dodge says these are preliminary estimates, so the final output numbers could change.
Dodge HurriCrate and Hellephant crate engines
We do know the HurriCrate Cat 1 version has the full torque from 2,500 rpm while the beefier Cat 3 delivers it at 3,500 rpm. The more potent of the two will be the first to go on sale in Q2 2023 while the base version is slated for a market launch in Q1 2024. In addition, a HurriCrate Cat X race engine is in the works, complete with a Drag Pak and an estimated horsepower number in the mid-1000s.
As for the revamped Hellephant lineup, it now consists of four crate engines with a 3.0-liter supercharger. The C30 is good for 900 hp, followed by the A30 with 1,000 hp, the C170 with over 1,000 hp, and the A170 with more than 1,100 hp. The only torque figure released by Dodge is for the A30, which produces a massive 950 lb-ft (1,292 Nm).
If you're wondering about how the names have been chosen for these Hellephant crate engines, the letters "C" and "A" indicate whether it has a cast iron or aluminum block. The digits correspond to the alcohol content "proof" in the recommended fuel type: "30" for premium fuel (E15 max) and “170” for E85 fuel.
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Full and final details regarding specifications and pricing for both HurriCrate and Hellephant families of crate engines will be disclosed next year.
