It's nice to finally get a bit more information on the new Hurricane family of engines. With all of the negativity of EVs, the strike and everything else going on. It's nice to see something positive, fun and exciting. I genuinely feel that the powertrain's sound issue comes from the fact that it has that integrated cylinder head and no actual exhaust manifold (same issue with the 3.6L Pentastar). While it may contribute to cleaner emissions, the fact that they have that head design literally kills any kind of decent sound tuning that can be had from induvial tubes coming from each combustion chamber. it's one of the reasons V8s still sound so good in comparison to everything else, they still have exhaust manifolds or headers. You listen to the difference of a 5.7L Hemi and a 6.4L Hemi and the difference in sound is clear. Even if you put the same catback on both cars, the 6.4L has a much different sound that that of a 5.7L Hemi, reason being, the exhaust manifolds on a 6.4L are actually mid-length headers, where as the exhaust manifold on a 5.7L is more of a long style manifold. the length of pipes tunes the sound. While I'm sure alot of exhaust systems can do different things with this, I think that Borla would probably have the best shot at making a system that can help with the sound on this. There's a reason why I say this. Borla truly tunes his exhausts system like he's tuning an instrument and alot of his designs reflect that. While I'm not a fan of overly loud exhaust systems, Borla uses technology like Polyphonic harmonizers, Acoustically Tuned Applied Kinetics (ATAK) and hybrid balance tubes (Switchfire) crossover pipes, to tune sound in ways that get specific results. If anything, I think a resonated version of a Borla ATAK system on this with Polyphonic & Switchfire technology with a kind of toned down sound with active exhaust valves, this new powertrain has the potential of sounding good
I'm still under the impression that this powertrain is going to be a big improvement over the current "Hemi" V8 engines in alot of ways. I'm not as much concerned about the fuel economy as I am about it having the ability to be responsive to bolt on modifications. If even the standard output powertrain can best the 6.1L Hemi, to me, that's impressive. Especially considering that the Hurricane engines, as they currently sit, don't even really tap into their full potential with the way that they are tuned. Dodge has already shown us that this car can house massive wheel and tire packages that exceed what the current widebody cars use So to think of the next gen car with handling capabilities that exceed what the current cars have along with an AWD powertrain that could take a lot of cues from vehicles like the Trackhawk with factory high-stall speed converters like what the 1320 Cars or the Redeye cars have and things like that as a factory "Super Track Pack" option, you start to really see what this car can potentially be about. You then add certain things like Direct Connection options, Stage kits with tunes, performance fuel systems like what's on the Demon 170, intakes, intercooler upgrades, bolt on 50-state legal turbo kits from Garrett, and things like that and you now have factory tuner cars that can do alot more than what the current cars can do. You start to realize that hey, this car has amazing balance and agility but also has power and comfort, more so than a mustang or a regular pony car and you begin to see what this new 2-door Charger is really going to be. Taking it a step beyond that, realizing that this powertrain and platform are going to underpin some kind of low riding 3-row SUV that promises to be more dynamic than the current Durango and a midsize truck and you start to realize that Dodge is shifting it's triple threat muscle car lineup to vehicles that have even more power than what we currently have along with more capability. But then you look even further into this and think about the fact that the Standard Output 3.0 with 420hp and 468lb-ft of torque produce similar numbers to the 6.2L V8 in the GM 1500 series pickups while the 510hp/500tq high output outclasses the Ford Raptor's 3.5L Ecoboost and these are going in the general production version of the Ram 1500. While everyone thinks this new spy truck is a TRX, that is running around. I personally am more inclined to believe that it's a Rebel and that the TRX is not going to be powered by a Hurricane I-6 (at least, not any version of it that we've seen) The 3.0L HO doesn't play in that kind of category. It runs with the regular Raptor and the Tundra TRD Pro. I don't see Dodge throttling back the TRX when it has placed each hurricane so far above the Hemi offerings of their class. It doesn't make sense. Stellantis does have an 800hp Hybrid version of the 3.0L Nettuno V6 twin turbo powertrain that may grace the new TRX and could power the next SRT models in Dodge but only time will tell. Having the Nettuno Hybrid at one end of the internal combustion offerings and a 2.0L Hybrid at the low end would still give Stellantis 2-hybrid and 2-ice powertrains and make room for an 880hp 800v Dual motor Banshee and a 1326hp tri-motor Banshee R at the top so 2-hybrd, 2-ICE, 2-EV. That right there could truly make just about everyone happy and outside of the 2.0L 4Xe hybrid powertrain, this lineup could go in vehicles like a STLA Large Durango, the Wagoneer/Grand Wagoneer, Ram 1500, Chrysler SLTA Large & frame vehicles and the STLA: Large Cherokee & Grand Cherokee models (adding back in the 2.0L 4Xe). It also would work in the Wrangler/Gladiator family of vehicles as well. Still, all of that leaves room for an improved 3.6L pentastar to soldier on in the minivan market and Promaster market, while small hybrid vehicles make up the STLA: Medium group. At that point, there is something for just about everyone.
