Which Cars Have Chrysler's 6.4L 392 HEMI Engine Under The Hood?
Chrysler's HEMI engine gets its name from its special domed-shaped combustion chamber that is more or less hemispherical. Chrysler's HEMI engines are special, with the legendary 426 HEMI firmly rooted in muscle car lore.
The first-generation HEMI engines for use in Chrysler automobiles debuted in the early 1950s and included a version with a 392 cubic inch displacement, though it was far different than the modern 6.4L HEMI. While the horsepower output from the HEMI engine design showed potential, it was too expensive and heavy to make mass production worthwhile at the time.
Following the success of the Gen II 426 Street HEMI in the late 1960s and early 1970s, HEMI production lay dormant for 30 years. Its popularity resurfaced in 2003 with the Gen III 5.7-liter HEMI and continued with the 6.4-liter HEMI's debut in 2011. The 6.4L HEMI, also known as the 392 HEMI depending on its application, is found under the hoods of various vehicles from Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram ranging from sports cars and SUVs to heavy-duty pickup trucks.
[Featured image by Bubba73 via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY-SA 3.0]
Chrysler vehicles with the 6.4L HEMI under the hood
Chrysler has used a variety of V8 engines in its Chrysler 300 through the years, including the 6.1L Hemi. Maintaining that tradition, the 2012 Chrysler 300 SRT-8 was among the first luxury sedans to get the new 392 cubic inch 6.4L HEMI, delivering a combination of style, luxury, and power that lasted through the 2014 model year.
Car and Driver compared the 2012 Chrysler 300 SRT-8 to the more expensive supercharged Cadillac CTS-V. While the upscale SRT-8 trim certainly delivered comfort and power, the naturally aspirated 6.4L HEMI fell just short of the supercharged GM LSA V8 powering the Cadillac. The numbers, as they stood in 2012, saw the Chrysler 300 SRT-8 with 470 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque compared to the Cadillac CTS-V's 556 horsepower and 551 lb-ft of torque.
Chrysler closed the book on its 300-series cars with the 2023 Chrysler 300C being the final chapter. In a fitting tribute, the 6.4L HEMI provided power while its own farewell loomed on the horizon. For 2023, Chrysler coaxed more power from the 6.4L HEMI, topping out at 485 horsepower and 475 lb-ft of torque capable of propelling the 300C from zero to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds, rocketing through the quarter mile in 12.4 seconds, and achieving a top speed of 160 mph.
[Featured image by Jeremy via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY-SA 2.0]
392 HEMI powered Dodge vehicles
Dodge's use of the 392 HEMI followed a similar trajectory as Chrysler's although it started a year earlier in the 2011 Dodge Challenger SRT-8/SRT models. The following year, Dodge upgraded the Charger's top engine option to the 6.4L HEMI from the previous year's 5.7-liter version.
Early SRT-8/SRT Chargers and Challengers shared the same 392 HEMI specs delivering 470 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque. However, Dodge upped the ante in 2015 with the 392 HEMI Scat Pack generating 485 hp and 475 lb-ft of torque in both the Charger and Challenger. The Scat Pack trim, a call back to Dodge's collection of 1968 muscle cars that included the Charger R/T, Coronet R/T, and Dart GTS, although more powerful than the SRT-8/SRT versions, actually carried a lower sticker price thanks to some downgraded brake, suspension, and sound system components.
The final iteration of 392 HEMI powered Dodge vehicles is the 2018–2024 Dodge Durango SRT. The Durango SRT's 392 HEMI provides enough power (475 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque) to propel the 5,000-plus pound three row SUV from zero to 60 mph in under five seconds.
Jeep vehicles with a 392 HEMI
The first Jeep vehicle to use the 392 HEMI was the 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8. While 2021 marked the final year of the Grand Cherokee SRT, 392 HEMI use continued in the 2022–2023 Grand Wagoneer and 2021–2024 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon 392.
MotorTrend reported the 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8's 392 HEMI had 470 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque, enough to push the 5,223-pound SUV from zero to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds and sprint the quarter mile in 13.2 seconds at 103.2 mph. However, the model tested by Car and Driver was a tenth and two tenths slower, respectively. By 2021, the 392 HEMI Grand Cherokee SRT8's performance had improved to 475 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque resulting in a 4.4-second zero to 60 mph acceleration and a quarter mile time of 13 seconds flat, according to Car and Driver.
Jeep lists the 2023 Grand Wagoneer 392 HEMI's horsepower at 470 with 455 lb-ft of torque. A MotorTrend review of the 2022 model with similar specs found it capable of accelerating from zero to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds and covering the standing quarter mile in 14.1.
The only Jeep still available with the 6.4L HEMI is the 2024 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon 392 with an MSRP over $92K. Jeep's most potent Wrangler, the Rubicon 392 rolled out for the 2021 model year with the same 470 horsepower HEMI it has today. While the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon 392 isn't necessarily built for speed, it is highly regarded for its off-road prowess.
Ram trucks using the 6.4L HEMI
The 6.4L HEMI first appeared in Ram 2500 and 3500 pickup truck engine options lists in 2014 as a re-tuned version of 392 found in other Chrysler SRT vehicles. Car and Driver tested a 2014 Ram 2500 equipped with the 6.4L HEMI and reported its 410 horsepower and 429 lb-ft of torque propelled the heavy-duty crew cab 4x4 pickup from zero to 60 mph in 7.9 seconds with a quarter mile time of 16.1 seconds at 88 mph.
Ram Trucks reports the same horsepower and torque values for the 6.4L HEMI powered 2024 2500 pickup and, while it may not be blistering fast, with its 17,730-pound towing capacity, it can out-tow about any gas-powered pickup truck in its class. In addition to Ram 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks, the 6.4L HEMI is also found under the hood of Ram 3500, 4500, and 5500 chassis-cab model trucks.