Rumormill Update: Hellcat Hemi could offer 550-640 horsepower in Challenger, Cuda

Back in January we talked about the “Hellcat” 6.2L Hemi that is expected to serve as engine of choice in the next generation of the 8-cylinder powered Street and Racing Technology vehicles beginning with the new Challenger in 2014.  Rumors originally indicated that the Hellcat Hemi would pack roughly 600 horsepower and 550lb-ft of torque but the folks at Allpar are reporting a new range of power for the newest modern Hemi V8.

While the early estimated figure of 600 horsepower is still far from out of the question, an unnamed source within Chrysler told Allpar that the Hellcat Hemi would offer somewhere in the area of 550 to 640 horsepower.  When we first heard about the Hellcat offering 600 horsepower, I was surprised to see that the non-Viper SRT models would be treading so closely to the Viper. But the suggestion that the 6.2L V8 could make as much power as the Viper’s V10 brings about some interesting new possibilities.

We should first point out that the range of 550-640 horsepower could only have been thrown into the rumormill to give us all something to talk about while adding to the level of enthusiasm around the new engine. The initial rumor of 600 horsepower could be right on the mark – or perhaps the company has more than one variation of the Hellcat headed to production. The 2014 Challenger SRT8 could pack 550 horsepower and be substantially more powerful than the current 6.4L-powered Challenger SRT8 while still leaving plenty of room between itself and the 2013 SRT Viper. The next gen Challenger could instead offer the 600 horsepower while still not encroaching on the Viper…but what about 640 horsepower?

But what if the Hellcat packing 640 horsepower is not intended for the Challenger but instead – the rumored SRT Cuda?  There have long been rumors that SRT would introduce a second vehicle that would be based at least somewhat on the Dodge Challenger. Perhaps the Cuda will meet production and, like the SRT Viper, the SRT Cuda will pack 640 horsepower but from a supercharged V8 rather than a V10.  While the power output would be identical, the 2-passenger Viper and 4-passenger Cuda would be marketed to very different crowds so in-house competition wouldn’t be a big concern.

With the next generation Dodge Challenger SRT8 expected to debut at the 2014 New York Auto Show, we could be waiting quite some time before we get any official information on the new 6.2L Hellcat Hemi.  However, many expect that the non-SRT Challenger will debut ahead of the SRT models; perhaps we won’t have to wait until next year’s Big Apple show to learn more about the future of the mighty Mopar muscle cars.

Source: Allpar

Patrick Rall

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

Rall can be contacted at QuickMirada@Yahoo.com

Facebook   Twitter