The Iconic Hemi V8 could be under threat if the marketeers at Fiat-owned Chrysler get their way.
The moniker was first used in the 1950s and 1960s before the 1970s oil crisis killed it. But Chrysler brought the Hemi back in 2003 and has used it in various Jeeps, Dodges and Chryslers.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the US car maker is once again turning away from its iconic engine and its distinctive hemispherical combustion chamber in the search for a more refined (and fuel-efficient) image. Instead, more marketing prominence will be given to Chrysler's new Pentastar V6.
The V8 isn't dying though; it will remain in the Challenger and various other Dodges, bearing the 'Hemi' badge, and will continue in the Chrysler 300C and some Jeeps without the 'Hemi' name.
Chrysler's famous Mopar performance division, meanwhile, is busily ignoring the Hemi's new-found shyness, and has announced a full-model Mopar version of the Dodge Challenger.
The Mopar Challenger starts as an R/T-spec model, fitted with the 5.7-liter Hemi V8 and adds a bonnet-venting (sorry, sorry, hood-venting) system, a cold-air intake, front strut brace, a strut-tower brace, and a bespoke engine cover.
Inside, there are new leather seats, new gear shifters (for manual and automatic versions), and a bespoke leather-wrapped steering wheel.
Only 500 of the Mopar Challengers will be built, painted black and with a choice of red, blue or silver highlights. Other styling tweaks include a black chrome grille surround and black wheels.