May
15
For most of the 1990s and into the early 2000s, the 360-based 5.9-liter Magnum V8 was the only Chrysler engine that truly kept the spirit of classic Mopar muscle car engines alive. However, that all changed in 2003, when Chrysler resurrected the Hemi name for an all-new 5.7-liter V8 to power that year’s Dodge Ram 1500, 2500, and 3500 trucks.
Hemi wasn’t just a marketing gimmick for the new engine, either. The new 5.7-liter engine sported hemispherical combustion chambers similar to those of its predecessors, living up to the Hemi name. Other notable features included aluminum cylinder heads and dual spark plugs, akin to some classic Mopar drag-racing engines. This first-generation 5.7-liter Hemi was good for 345 horsepower and 375 lb-ft of torque in the 2003 Ram truck and would later be the standard engine for the revived Dodge Charger in 2006.
Chrysler upgraded the 5.7-liter Hemi V8 in 2009 to coincide with the resurrection of another classic Mopar name, the Dodge Challenger. Among the upgrades was the introduction of variable valve timing, which significantly improved fuel economy and power. The 2009 version also had tweaked cylinder heads with better airflow, increased compression, and a new engine block. The final result of the changes was a cool 375 horsepower and 404 pound-feet of torque.
While the 5.7-liter Hemi isn’t the most powerful modern Mopar Hemi engine, it’s ground zero for every other modern Hemi V8 since — including monsters like the 6.2-liter Hellcat V8. For that, it deserves a place in the history books.