There is an Indian fable that tells of six blind men and an elephant. Each one feels the elephant in a different place and forms an opinion of what the animal is, based on his experience. One says like a spear, because he is touching the tusk. One says like a rope as he interprets the tail. Another feels it’s side and concludes it is like a wall, tall and strong. They each paint their own picture about the elephant.
Click here to listen to a reading of the fable.
Much like the fable, consumers draw conclusions about various manufacturers. Independently choosing a favorite is based, many times, upon previous affairs with a particular brand that might even harken back to childhood or the teen years with the first car experience they ever have either riding in or owning a piece of transportation. Their interpretation, like the men of the fable, rests on personal exposure.
A lifelong love of MOPAR (the parts, service, and customer care within the Fiat Chrysler Automobile brand) and its creations (MOPAR designs and creates a few custom vehicles) was surely evident at SEMA 2018.
A hybrid of the word “MOtor” and “PARts”, it lured hundreds of press and MOPAR fans alike to a large corner of the Las Vegas Convention Center entrenched in everything MOPAR.
Standing room only with observers five to ten deep, the appointed time of 4:26 p.m. had come, a SEMA tradition. The current President and CEO of MOPAR Global, Pietro Gorlier was greeted with a loud roar of applause as he was announced by Steve Beahm head of Chrysler, Dodge, SRT, Fiat brands, and MOPAR North America. Bigwigs like this don’t just show up for nothing, this press conference was about to get interesting, and by the looks of the items under wraps on-stage, we were all in for a couple of real treats to be revealed.
Off came the first sheet, exposed in all it’s glory the 1968 Dodge “Super Charger” concept car. Inside it, the “Hellephant” 426 Supercharged Crate HEMI® Engine. Lower and wider than the original 1968 it’s 117 inch wheel base went to 119 inches. 20 inch wheel/tires on the front and 21 inch on the rear. A “massive” spoiler was added. It’s concept design is sure to delight MOPAR fans.
The Hellephant 426 Supercharged Crate HEMI® Engine boasts 1000 horsepower and 950 lb ft of torque and take this namesake of the original 426 Hemi Elephant into future engine bays to the delight of designers everywhere.
Mark Worman, host of Velocity Channel’s Graveyard Carz and a huge MOPAR fan, was present to help with the formalities of lighting up the engine on-stage and making sure the audience was treated to a few revvs before exiting with it as a gift from FCA. He was shocked and honored to receive it for a future MOPAR project vehicle sure to be detailed on his show.
Click here to view the reveal on my YouTube channel.
No one complained about the exhaust smell by the way…it seemed like a sweet perfume to the plethora of gear heads in the room.
Each person at that press conference was touched by the complete picture of the new Hellephant 426 Supercharged Crate HEMI® Engine. Seeing is believing.
I have a feeling THIS Hellephant is going to have hands all over it too.
Wonder what their verdict will be…we may have a new version of that fable on our hands.
julesonwheelz
Leave a Reply