Dodge's New Hellephant Crate Engine Makes 1,025 HP And Comes With A Warranty

Direct Connection just made the jump from 385 horsepower to 1,025 horsepower a matter of checking a box on an order form. Stellantis unveiled six turnkey Hemi V8 crate-engine packages at SEMA 2026, each built to drop into a custom build with its own matched controller and wiring already sorted out.

The lineup spans entry-level Gen III Hemis up to the Hellephant C170, and every package ships with a transmission-ready control system. Builders can spec a TorqueFlite 8HP90 automatic or a TREMEC manual without hunting for a separate tuning solution.

Every package includes a wiring harness, a power distribution center, a flashed powertrain control module and oxygen sensors, plus an accelerator pedal and starter relay. Automatic versions add a shifter, a transmission control module and a brake switch.

From 385 To 1,025 HP

Direct Connection 392 Crate Hemi Engine Package

Photo by: Stellantis

The entry point is the 345 Hemi, a 5.7-liter unit offered in Street Strip and Super Stock trim, both rated at 385 hp and 417 lb-ft of torque. The Street Strip version uses a remanufactured block, while Super Stock gets a brand-new block and the high-RPM valve springs borrowed from Redeye-spec engines.

Step up to the 392, a 6.4-liter Gen III Hemi also sold in Street Strip and Super Stock form, and output climbs to 485 hp and 475 lb-ft. It shares its displacement and general output with the current Durango R/T, though these crate versions are packaged as performance swap engines rather than direct service parts.

The Hellcrate Redeye jumps to a supercharged 6.2-liter format, producing up to 885 hp and 787 lb-ft of torque in High Octane Mode. That mode requires higher-octane fuel to unlock the full rating, a detail that affects anyone budgeting a build around premium gas versus a flex-fuel tune.

Every package carries a 3-year/100,000-mile powertrain limited warranty, a notable commitment for engines destined for swaps, restorations and race builds rather than factory installs. Direct Connection says the six packages will be available to order in early 2027, giving shops time to plan installs around the rollout.

Gallery: 2027 Direct Connection Hemi V8 Crate Engine Packages

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Source: Stellantis

Hellephant C170 Power Depends On E85 Fuel

The range-topper is the Hellephant C170, a 6.2-liter supercharged Hemi that produces 1,025 hp and 945 lb-ft of torque on an E85 blend. That figure is not available on pump gas alone, so anyone chasing the full rating needs access to flex-fuel at the pump or in the garage.

Hardware behind that number includes a 3.0-liter IHI supercharger with a 3.02-inch pulley, a 105-millimeter throttle body, an ethanol sensor, an upgraded fuel rail and higher-flow injectors. The ethanol sensor lets the controller adjust timing and fueling automatically as the blend ratio changes.

For context, the Hellephant A30 crate engine uses a 7.0-liter 426 Hemi and is rated at 1,000 hp without the flex-fuel tune. The 25-hp gap between that figure and the C170’s peak highlights how much more power the newer 6.2-liter package delivers when it is optimized around E85 and upgraded hardware.

Builders chasing four-digit output elsewhere in the aftermarket, like the 1,200-horsepower crate V8 from independent shops, now have a factory-backed alternative with a warranty attached. That is a different proposition than a bespoke build, since every component in the Hellephant package is validated and sold as one unit.

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