The Hurricane straight six has MASSIVE potential that most people don't understand. It's not special because it makes power. By itself, no power to speak of. What makes the SS special is its ability to endure harsh environments and be a reliable pack mule. By harsh environments, I mean forced induction.
Compare the Hurricane Six to the Hellcat engine. Without a supercharger, the Hellcat still makes great power. Small revisions, like dished pistons to lower base compression down to 8.5:1 and Hellcat is stable for modest boost. Change the pistons to bring base compression up to 9.5:1 or 10:1 and you have a great naturally aspirated engine. The 392 Scat Charger in my driveway is proof.
The Redeye version of the Hellcat is modified with an internally balanced crank and four-bolt main caps. That keeps it together to endure moderate levels of boost.
The inline six goes back to the drawing board and produces an ENTIRELY different engine design from the ground up. It is internally balanced by design but it makes shit for power. For that reason, a supercharger is not a great match for the inline six. Superchargers need engine power to turn them, AKA parasitic loss. The more supercharger boost, the greater the parasitic loss to the engine. The inline six doesn't have much to give. Besides that, the supercharger is an inherently inefficient engine design. It creates extra strain on the engine to net greater power. That strain affects risk of damage and costs longevity. But the boost it creates is highly controlled and metered and the V8 needs that to avoid throwing a rod.
The Hurricane engine doesn't have a lot of muscles like the Hellcat, but it DOES wear a bullet-proof vest of Kevlar. You can add STUPID forced induction power to it and the bullets of the harsh environment just bounce off of it. And, it can handle the ROLLER COASTER swings of boost that turbos produce without coming apart like a Hellcat engine would tend to do without extensive internal reinforcements.
That is why the TRX comes factory making 11 lbs of boost and the RHO comes factory making 26 lbs of boost. Even the Redeye engine is limited to 14-15 psi of boost from the factory from its 2.7 liter twin-screw supercharger. Put 26 lbs of boost through a Hellcat and you better have a lucky rabbit's foot in your pocket because confidence is LOW.
THIS IS WHY Stellantis went to the Hurricane inline six platform. FROM THE DRAWING BOARD it is superior engineering. Instead of having an engine that makes power AND can (sort of) handle a forced induction power adder, the straight six says, "I'll focus on being bullet proof and let the turbos focus on making power". It is a far more modular design and sound engineering.
It may take them a few years to sort out the bugs and get everything right, but I believe that very soon we will see ABSURD aftermarket mods on these things.
Guys bellyache and object to the weak, wimpy sound of the inline six engine and demand that Stellantis bring back the Hellcat engine because they don't understand what Stellantis is doing. When they start seeing trucks on the road that can handle 40lbs of turbo boost.... trucks that will WALK SIDEWAYS at a 100 mph roll... EVEN IN 4WD when you mat it to the floor.... they'll get a clue.
JM (not so) HO
www.full-race.com
