Dodge has been on a major muscle car comeback ever since they brought back the Charger name plate. The Challenger soon followed. That is where the obsession for more and more horsepower began. Or rather, restarted. Dodge’s original fling with horsepower started in the muscle car era where power production peaked with a renowned engine with a very large footprint.
Nicknamed the Elephant Engine, the original 426 cid Hemi Engine’s high power output had other auto manufactures sweating and enthusiasts wanting. However, the large physical dimension and heavy weight made it an impractical engine for most of the cars sold to the general public and only a limited number of them were produced for Dodge’s street cars. This only increased Dodge enthusiasts desire for the elephant though and the 426 Hemi remains an iconic power plant today.
At the 2018 SEMA show, Dodge announced the return of the 426 Hemi as a limited production 1000 horsepower crate engine; The Hellephant. Within two days, all of the new crate engines were spoken for. Despite enthusiast excitement over seeing the new crate engine in action, over a year later, we are just now getting our first glimpse into how much power the Hellephant actually puts to the tires.
One of the lucky Hellephant recipients was Demonology, a YouTube channel dedicated to the Dodge Demon. Demonology packed the massive power plant into a Challenger SRT Demon and threw it on the Dyno confirming the 1000 horsepower claims. With an unmistakable scream, the Hellephant put 944 horsepower and 877 lb-ft of torque to the ground, which, taking the Demons drivetrains parasitic loss into account, may actually put the Hellephant at a bit over the factory rating.
While big horsepower numbers are always impressive, it is going to be really interesting to see how it will translate to the track.
Elizabeth is hardcore horsepower enthusiast with unmatched intensity for making things faster and louder. She wakes up for power and performance and only sleeps to charge up for the next project that’s heading to the track. From autocross to drag racing, Elizabeth is there with you, so stay tuned for her unique perspective on horsepower news, builds, tech info, and installs — with her, it’ll never be boring!
