From Chrysler’s Storied Hemi Motor Helps It Escape Detroit’s Gloom:
The new Hemi engine, which debuted in 2002, takes its name from rounded, or hemispherical, tops of its cylinders, and gives an exhilarating boost to a car’s acceleration. The name and design are based on a legendary engine Chrysler produced in the muscle-car era. After Nascar’s Richard Petty won 27 races in 1964 driving a 426-horsepower Hemi-powered Charger, the racing circuit banned the engine, thinking it gave drivers too much of an edge. After it was allowed back, with some restrictions, the Hemi enabled drivers to hit speeds of over 200 miles per hour.Every customer who opts for a Hemi adds thousands of dollars to Chrysler’s bottom line. That’s because the Hemi’s simple design makes it no more expensive to build than a smaller, standard V6 engine. A basic Chrysler 300 — the broad-shouldered sedan that has wowed customers from rappers to retirees — lists for $23,370. The Hemi version, called the 300C, sells for almost $10,000 more. While that model includes leather seats and other expensive features, analysts believe most of the difference is pure profit.
Some modern-Hemi technical history:
First, the team chose a decades-old design that was inexpensive to build. Second, they borrowed an idea from auto racing and gave each cylinder two spark plugs instead of one. They rounded the cylinders’ tops to crowd fuel and air into the center where the mixture burned quickly and cleanly. That boosted power and reduced emissions.To help with fuel consumption — just in case the V8 engine was ever put in a passenger car — they also developed a system for automatically shutting off four of the eight cylinders while cruising on the highway.