Article on the engine
I guess they’re starting to ship:
Most blocks for new engine programs today are made of aluminum. The Hellcat, which is machined and built in Saltillo, Mexico, requires cast iron.
“It’s important to keep the bores as round and cylindrical as we can, and an iron block really helps in that respect,” Cowland tells journalists during a Hellcat deep dive here.
“If we switched from iron to aluminum, we couldn’t get the bulkhead stiffness we need under those firing loads,” he says.
Would factory sleeving of the block drive costs up that much? There are plenty twin turbo vipers and Lambos and gtrs with sleeved alum blocks making double the power of the hellcat.
And for the Hennessy mustang, my understanding is the block is aluminum in the 5.0? 3yr 36k mile warranty with it…why is dodge so stuck in 60’s with iron blocks?
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I am going to guess aluminum blocks in general and engineering a new block for a limited production vehicle would be cost prohibitive. They were trying to do this on the cheap and the sticker price reflects it.
Food for thought, a 6.0 LS2 is only about 60-75 lbs heaver then an iron LQ9. Aluminum block V8, can generally handle 1000-1200whp with little issue, on the other hand iron blocks are much stronger and couple with a 6 bolt head set up can reach upper 1xxxwhp if not 2000+ on c16 crazy set ups.
I have no issues with it being an iron block. It is kinda nice as you can prolly bore it out 60 over without issues.
Then why spew out all the bs in that article claiming it had to be iron to support the cylinder pressure and heat etc I hate when I read articles like that. Knowing that 700hp is sort of a lot unless your cougarspeed. If thy are so bent up on power why not just increase the displacement something retarded like a 7+ and keep it n/a. If the blower is only pushing 11psi, I feel the engine it’s self is producing upwards of 550 without boost.
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Because you build cars for longevity when your a auto manufacturer
When people build crazy sleeved race motors the life expectancy of a motor isn’t 100k of reliability.
Also getting anywhere near 700hp out of production engine is going to be tough…Look what GM pulled out of a 427 LS7 that was on 505hp.
Well its also just a bunch of sales bullshit. You need to appease the masses and the general public are generally idiots.
A solidly built NA 6.0 should be able to make 475whp and last a good while (50K+ miles). Add boost and a warranty, you’ll have to make it very strong to last 75K+ miles. I think Dodge did good on the Hellcat.
I’d buy one and take it to the track with slicks and skinnies every weekend, leaving it otherwise bone stock. See how many miles I could rack on it 1/4 mile at a time.
[quote=“HouseS2K,post:146,topic:269453"”]
Then why spew out all the bs in that article claiming it had to be iron to support the cylinder pressure and heat etc I hate when I read articles like that. Knowing that 700hp is sort of a lot unless your cougarspeed. If thy are so bent up on power why not just increase the displacement something retarded like a 7+ and keep it n/a. If the blower is only pushing 11psi, I feel the engine it’s self is producing upwards of 550 without boost.
Sent from my iPhone 6
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You have to understand what a manufacturer will do to test an engine. They have to test it in every conceivable thrashing that they think could happen. Cold start when the engine is minus 40 degree, and then hold it at WOT for 5 hours, etc, etc. Most likely the aluminum block THAT THEY CURRENTLY have is simply not up to the task of holding 707hp in a setting like that.
The last one I posted was more of a joke, this one might not be:
I would walk right in there and tell them to go fuck themselves. If a dealer thinks a Hellcat is so exclusive that they can warrant adding $20k to the sticker, just imagine what other shady shit they do to screw their customers.
you might, but there is always this guy, and he don’t care
‘Well, it’s official: The 2015 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat runs on unicorn magic. Chrysler has announced the car’s EPA figures, and against all odds, they don’t fall somewhere between 0 mpg and 0.1 mpg. The 707-horsepower, supercharged 6.2-liter V8 in the nose of the big sedan somehow managed to eek out 22 mpg highway.’ - Road & Track
Hellcat X = 805hp, 800 pound-feet of torque
You can get 800+ with a cam and tune. Not sure why they need to add turbos?
Because WWII Fighter Jet. (Watch the video) 
https://louisville.craigslist.org/cto/5129626416.html
DODGE CHALLENGER HELLCAT WITH VIN 666 - $89000
One of a kind Dodge Challenger Hellcat with VIN 666. This car is sure to become a collector’s item and will only increase in value.
That is a hot car! I had the opportunity to see one up close for the first time. I love the styling and the interior but I’m confused as to why a car with 707hp comes with 275 rear tires. That thing should have 305’s or 315’s out back.
$89k for vin 666 though… and it’s not even red. :tif: