Direct Connection unveils HEMI V8 engine packages with up to 764 kW
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Direct Connection combines engines and matching control electronics in six new HEMI V8 packages to simplify classic car conversions and street and race car builds. The range runs from a 287 kW naturally aspirated engine to the supercharged Hellephant C170, developing up to 764 kW on E85 fuel. The company plans to begin sales in the first quarter of 2027.
Engine and controls come in one box
Stellantis unveiled the new range from Direct Connection, SRT Performance's performance parts division, at the SEMA show in Las Vegas. The news centres not only on power, but also on bringing the engine and the components needed to control it together in a single package.
The kits include a wiring harness and power distribution centre, a programmed powertrain control module, oxygen sensors and an accelerator pedal. Versions intended for automatic transmissions add a gear selector and brake pedal switch. Each engine also receives a data plate with a unique serial number.
The transmission itself comes in a separate kit. The engine packages are compatible with the corresponding TorqueFlite 8HP90 automatic transmission kit or a TREMEC Magnum manual transmission. The integrated engine control solution therefore reduces the work involved in matching components, but the term “complete package” does not mean a set of all the parts needed to build a car.
345 HEMI, approximately 5.7 litres: 287 kW and 565 Nm; Street Strip with a reconditioned block, Super Stock with a new block and upgraded lubrication.
392 HEMI, approximately 6.4 litres: 362 kW and 644 Nm; forged steel crankshaft, 10.9:1 compression ratio.
Hellcrate Redeye Super Stock, 6.2 litres: 2.7-litre supercharger, up to 660 kW and 1067 Nm in high-octane fuel mode.
Hellephant C170 Super Stock, 6.2 litres: 3.0-litre supercharger, up to 764 kW and 1281 Nm on an E85 fuel blend.
All packages include engine control electronics; the transmission is separate. Sales are planned to begin in the first quarter of 2027; pricing and European availability have not been announced.
Street Strip and Super Stock differ in durability, not power
The range starts with the approximately 5.7-litre 345 HEMI, developing 287 kW and 565 Nm. The approximately 6.4-litre 392 HEMI offers 362 kW and 644 Nm. Both are available in Street Strip or Super Stock form, so these two engines account for four packages in total.
Street Strip uses a reconditioned cast-iron block, while Super Stock uses a new block. Power and torque remain the same across the versions of both engine families, but Super Stock gains Redeye valve springs, a Hellcat oil pump and an SRT oil cooler. The 345 Super Stock also adds a larger SRT oil filter.
The extra money for Super Stock thus goes primarily towards valvetrain reliability and better control of lubrication and oil temperature under heavy loads. According to the equipment list, these upgrades do not increase peak power.
The engineering also differs between the engine families: the 345 uses a high-strength cast-iron crankshaft and a 10.5:1 compression ratio, while the 392 has a forged steel crankshaft and a 10.9:1 compression ratio.
Supercharged range-toppers require the right fuel
The Hellcrate Redeye Super Stock's 6.2-litre V8 uses a 2.7-litre IHI twin-screw supercharger. In high-octane fuel mode, output reaches up to 660 kW and 1067 Nm. The announcement does not specify the octane rating required for this mode, so there is no basis for linking peak power to a particular grade of petrol sold at European filling stations.
The Hellephant C170 Super Stock takes the same 6.2-litre displacement to up to 764 kW and 1281 Nm on an E85 fuel blend. Its 3.0-litre IHI supercharger gains an upgraded intercooler, a larger front section of the air intake tract and an approximately 76.7 mm pulley. The throttle body diameter is 105 mm.
The C170 includes an ethanol sensor, a higher-flow fuel rail and injectors, and billet steel crankshaft main bearing caps for increased strength. Both supercharged engines have a 9.5:1 compression ratio and a forged alloy steel crankshaft. The C170's peak figures must be read in the context of the specified fuel, rather than as a result guaranteed with every fill-up.
Eight speeds and different warranty periods
The TorqueFlite 8HP90 automatic transmission kit offers eight speeds, a 4.71:1 first-gear ratio and an overall ratio spread of 7.06:1. Seventh and eighth are overdrive gears. The kit also includes a high-performance original starter motor.
For the Redeye and C170, the manufacturer specifies a particular 8HP90 kit for automatic transmission installations. For the naturally aspirated engines, it lists the corresponding kit as a recommendation.
The manufacturer promises a warranty of three years or approximately 161,000 km for the engine packages. The automatic transmission kit has a shorter warranty: 12 months or approximately 19,300 km.
Plymouth GTX swaps electric power for a HEMI again
Direct Connection is bringing a 1967 Plymouth GTX to SEMA to demonstrate the new solution. The same car appeared at the 2024 show with an electric powertrain; it now pairs a Hellcrate Redeye Super Stock engine with a TorqueFlite 8HP90 automatic transmission.
The GTX gets Frostbite Blue paint, lowered suspension, 18-inch forged magnesium wheels and Pirelli P Zero PZ4 tyres. Inside, more supportive seats adapted from Jeep Wrangler seats replace the original front seats, while removing the centre rear seating position creates a 2+2 layout.
Key questions remain unanswered for European buyers
Direct Connection plans to begin selling the engine packages in the first quarter of 2027, but pricing has not been announced and the final contents of the production kits may still change.
The announcement does not address European availability, local warranty terms or approvals for road use. For European project car builders, the engines' technical capabilities are therefore known, but the terms of purchase and use require separate confirmation.
