Top 10 Vehicles We Want to Drop the Hellcat Crate Engine Into
The biggest news to come out of the 2017 SEMA Show this week was Fiat Chrysler’s announcement that it will finally begin to sell its 707-horsepower Hellcat V8 in crate engine form. This got us thinking – if price and logistics were no object, what would we drop the venerable 6.2-liter supercharged V8 into?
We tried to dream up some truly wacky creations for this Top 10, but it wasn’t easy. The possibilities are almost endless here, so if you think of a theoretical project car you’d like to see Hellcatted, feel free to share it with us in the comments!
10. Jeep Renegade
Our inspiration for a Hellcat-powered Renegade came from the Nissan Juke Nismo R. The Juke R was powered by the Nissan GT-R’s twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6, giving it supercar-shaming levels of performance. We’re not sure if the big Hellcat would fit in the front of the Renegade, but it’s nothing a plasma cutter can’t fix! If that doesn’t work, throw it where the back seats are, Renault Clio V6-style. Just don’t forget your earplugs.
9. Datsun Sports
We could have picked any Z car, but instead, we went with the granddaddy of Nissan sports cars – the Datsun Sports roadster. This is partly because it’s extra small and super light (plus a Miata would be too obvious), making it the perfect candidate for a high-horsepower engine, but also because one of our editors owns one and we know first-hand just how terrifying and dangerous it would be if it were Hellcat-powered. Maybe this one is best left on the ideas desk.
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8. Ram 1500
It may be predictable, but we couldn’t leave the Ram off this list. FCA’s truck brand already expressed a desire to drop the Hellcat into the Ram 1500 with the Rebel TRX concept, and we’ve been tapping our feet waiting for a production version ever since its debut. Ram already gave us the SRT10 – the Ram Hellcat only makes sense.
7. Tesla Model S
Does this one even need an explanation? Drop a Hellcat in the Model S’s front storage compartment and go troll the folks with vanity plates like “MPG LOL” that have had too much Tesla Kool-Aid. You just might manage to anger the people who want the internal combustion engine dead, and you’ll have a fast, luxurious sedan to boot. What could be more ironic that a Hellcat-powered Tesla?
6. W211 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
The W211 Mercedes E-Class platform was developed alongside the LX platform that is used in the Charger and Challenger. That means the Hellcat might fit perfectly underneath the hood of the German executive sedan – making it a wonderful candidate for a Hellcat swap. Think of it as a less refined, old-school AMG. It would also be quite the sleeper.
ALSO SEE: Top 10 Cars That Look Fast But Aren’t
5. Ferrari 360
This choice was inspired by an LS-swapped Ferrari 360 GT racecar we stumbled across on the internet a few years ago. Allegedly, the owner had blown the Ferrari’s 3.6-liter V8 and elected to drop a 1,000-horsepower, twin-turbocharged GM-sourced V8 in its place. We’re sure a 360 with a blown engine can be had for pretty cheap…
4. Volvo 960 Wagon
This is another one inspired by a project we saw on the internet. Once upon a time, Paul Newman called up David Letterman and asked him if he’d like one of the supercharged Ford V8-powered Volvo 960 wagons he’d just ordered. Letterman said yes and shortly after, the former Late Show host had a 400-horsepower Volvo wagon sitting in his driveway. This creation would be much the same – except with 700 horsepower. It’ll be one wild ride, but at least Volvos are safe?
3. Caterham 7
If you have a death wish, this one is for you. The Caterham 7 weighs a smidgen over 1,000 lbs, so it’s safe to say the 700-hp Hellcat motor would be overkill in this application — and that’s exactly the point. It might ruin the famously good handling characteristics of the 7, but it will be very fast down the straights. And who cares if the engine’s sticking out of the hood? Everyone will know not to mess with you and your little bug-eyed track special.
2. Chrysler Pacifica
FCA chief designer Ralph Gilles dreamt this one up on his own. Gilles once drew up the Pacifica Hellcat in Crayon whilst at dinner, jokingly saying he was “thinking about tracking” his minivan. Again, we’re not sure if the huge Hellcat engine would fit in the front of the minivan, but we’re sure there’s a way to make it work. What do you say, FCA, could this be a concept for SEMA 2018?
1. Jeep Wrangler
Like the Ram, the Jeep Wrangler is a perfect candidate for the Hellcat engine. FCA has already put the Hellcat into a Wrangler, creating the Wrangler Trailcat concept, and some other aftermarket shops have also performed the swap to create a so-called Wrangler Hellcat. We think this could be a pretty awesome answer to the Ford Raptor, but unfortunately, Jeep would probably never do it. Not that we’re complaining – we were shocked to see them actually go ahead and put the Hellcat in the Grand Cherokee.
Discuss this article on our Jeep Trackhawk Forum
Sam McEachern holds a diploma in journalism from St. Clair College in Windsor, Ontario, and has been covering the automotive industry for over 5 years. He conducts reviews and writes AutoGuide's news content. He's a die-hard motorsports fan with a passion for performance cars of all sorts.
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this nonsense is expected when the children have had too much sugar in their cocoa... the hellcat engine is a poor excuse for a LS with balls... heavier and expensive beyond any real comparison... and putting it in an overweight truck? grow a brain...
Can you put a hellcat engine in a 2015 Jeep renegade if so I would like to know could you write me back