Two questions have been floating around Mopar circles: is the Hemi really gone, and how can they make enough of the new six-cylinder “Hurricane” engines for Ram pickups, Jeep Grand Cherokees, and Dodge Chargers?
The answers are intertwined. Over the years that the Saltillo, Mexico plant has made Hemi V8s, they slowly phased in using flexible single-spindle CNC machines which could be used on either V8 or straight-six engines. One senior factory technician unofficially reported that a changeover is not too difficult, using the same machinery. A small number of older machines had to be replaced.
Stellantis has not reported its capacity to make the new 3-liter straight-six engines, dubbed “SST” by Ram, “Hurricane” by Jeep and overall, and “Six Pack” by Dodge. Reportedly, Saltillo has changed over completely to in-line six cylinder engines, though the Hemi will live on through 2024 in the Dodge Durango and Ram Heavy Duty and chassis cab series. Logically, Saltillo should be able to make as many Hurricane sixes as Hemi V8s.
Using old equipment for new engines is not without ample precedent; in 2011, when the 4-liter V6 was dropped, a great deal of its equipment was sent to Saltillo for building more Hemi V8s.
The move does suggest that once the 6.4 V8s run out, heavy duty Rams will have to move to the new sixes or something else. They do have a Cummins diesel option, and the Cummins ISB engines (which are also inline sixes) have been adapted to run on other fuels, including hydrogen. The Cummins has always come at a cost, but has an excellent reputation for durability.
Social media and forum participants have expressed concern about the six-cylinder replacing V8 engines which is, at least for the 6.4, more than twice their displacement; however, the engines appear to have been created with durability under high stress in mind. In addition to being able to competently handle truck duty, they should be able to reach higher power ranges than the 550 hp announced for the Charger—in time. Most likely, development has been focused more heavily on long-term durability in the full range of Ram trucks.
