Bigger powerplant adds grunt to chunky saloon

Chrysler is to unleash an all-new, beefed-up 6.1-litre 425 bhp Hemi V8 engine in the new 2005 Chrysler 300C SRT8 next spring. Preliminary performance targets are 0-60 mph in the low five-second range and a quarter-mile time in the high 13-second range, says Chrysler.

The company adds that the naturally aspirated engine will be the highest specific output V8 engine ever offered by Chrysler, its 69.8 hp-per-litre rating exceeding even that of the legendary 1966 "Street HEMI." However, it compares poorly with engines such as the Honda VTEC housed in the S2000, which extracts 240 bhp from two litres, a specific output of 120 bhp per litre. Torque from the Hemi will be 420 lb-ft.

"Without question, the Hemi continues to play a critical role in building momentum for the Chrysler Group," said Ridenour. "With the introduction of the 6.1-litre Hemi, we're taking the legendary Hemi to a new level of benchmark performance."

Since first introducing the all-new 5.7-litre Hemi V-8 engine for the 2003 model year, Chrysler says it's sold more than 300,000 vehicles with a Hemi inside. Where Hemi is offered, it claims the take-up rate is 46 per cent.

"The Hemi continues to resonate with consumers and has essentially become a brand within our brands," said product manager Eric Ridenour. "And with MDS, our modern cylinder deactivation system, the Hemi seamlessly moves from eight cylinders to four cylinders and back. The only thing customers notice is a savings in fuel economy of up to 20 per cent."

On a product-by-product basis, the Hemi remains a popular engine choice, says Chrysler. For Dodge Durango, the take-up rate is 54 per cent. The 2005 Dodge Ram is at 46 per cent while Dodge Magnum and Chrysler 300C are at 43 per cent. Jeep Grand Cherokee's take-up rate is 29 per cent.