Direct Connection Unveils Six Turnkey HEMI Crate Engine Packages at SEMA 2026

Direct Connection, the factory-backed performance parts arm of Stellantis' SRT Performance division, unveiled six new HEMI V8 crate engine packages at the 2026 SEMA Show on November 3, 2026. The packages pair each engine with a matching controller kit and range from 385 to 1,025 horsepower. PR Newswire published the announcement.

Six Turnkey Packages for Builders and Racers

The lineup covers the 345 and 392 cubic-inch HEMI engines in Street Strip and Super Stock versions, plus the Hellcrate Redeye 6.2L and Hellephant C170 6.2L supercharged packages. Each package includes a flashed powertrain control module, O2 sensors, an accelerator pedal, a wiring and power distribution center kit, and a branded crate with a serialized fender tag. Automatic applications pair with a TorqueFlite 8HP90 transmission kit, and manual applications use a TREMEC Magnum transmission. The engine packages carry a three-year / 100,000-mile warranty, while the transmission crates carry a 12-month / 12,000-mile warranty.

Tim Kuniskis, head of American Brands, SRT Performance and Direct Connection division at Stellantis North America, described the design goal: "Our philosophy is simple: one part, one solution. If you're going to build something serious, you shouldn't have to guess whether all the pieces are going to work together." Direct Connection also showed a restored 1967 Plymouth GTX fitted with the Hellcrate Redeye package and the TorqueFlite 8HP90 kit. "When we showed this GTX at SEMA in 2024, the original owner we bought it from wasn't exactly thrilled that we had turned his muscle car into an EV," Kuniskis said. "We heard him. So this year, we fixed it."

Direct Connection's Crate Engine History

According to akta.pro company records, Direct Connection reintroduced its brand in 2022 with more than 300 performance products and 14 all-new performance kits after 33 years operating as Mopar Performance. The same records show the 2022 launch of the Hellephant C170 6.2L supercharged crate HEMI at 1,000 hp and 950 lb-ft of torque as the flagship of the Crate Power line. The new Hellephant C170 package is rated at 1,025 horsepower and 945 lb-ft of torque on an E85 blend.

SEMA Peers Launch Their Own Builds

Classic Recreations debuted a 1967 Shelby GT500 with a carbon-fiber body and a 1,000-horsepower supercharged Coyote V8 at SEMA, PR Newswire reported on November 3, 2026. Holley Performance Brands used its first in-booth SEMA press conference that day to highlight its October 29 acquisition of SXTH Element, Stock Titan reported. Mopar introduced its limited-production Mopar '27 Dodge Charger package at $10,995, with dealer orders beginning in early January 2027, PR Newswire reported on October 27, 2026.

Availability in Early 2027

Direct Connection said the crate engine packages will be available starting in the first quarter of 2027, with final production content varying by package and pricing to be announced.