As you could probably guess, we’re rather fond of FCA’s monstrously powerful 6.2-liter Hemi V-8. You know, the supercharged badass in the Challenger Hellcat that lays down over 700 horses? If we had our way, that engine would be an option on every model FCA produces (and yes, we still think the Pacifica Hellcat should be a thing.) Luckily, it looks like we’re getting a little closer to that ideal with a possible Hellcatted version of the Chrysler 300 sedan.

The rumor comes from our friends over at Autoblog, who recently posted a series of spy shots depicting what appears to be some kind of 300 test mule. While the bodywork is more or less the same as any other 300 SRT model, the wheels are sporting incredibly wide 315-mm tires – the same rubber equipped on the recently released Challenger SRT Demon. In front, the 300 mule is also rocking SRT four-pot Brembo brakes, while the photographer reports that it’s got a burly blown V-8 soundtrack to accompany it. Could this be a forthcoming Chrysler 300 Hellcat? Read on for the details.

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The Details

Hellcat engine on the left, Chrysler 300 on the right. Is it a match?

Chrysler offered a hot-to-trot 300 in the past, fitting the engine bay with a 6.4-liter Hemi pumping out 470 horsepower, while rounding it out with faster steering, adaptive suspension, four-piston high-performance brakes from Brembo, and updated exterior styling. Unfortunately, the 300 SRT was removed from the U.S. stable a few years back, but it’s still sold overseas, including in the Middle East and Australia, leading some to speculate this mule could be a new Hellcat specifically aimed at those two markets.

And why not? High horsepower is definitely in demand in the Middle East and Australia, and without the Dodge brand on offer there to provide it, a Chrysler 300 Hellcat sounds like an excellent solution – widebody exterior, world-beating speed, and a tire-shredding symphony in back? Yes please. What’s more, the engine swap should be pretty straightforward production-wise.

Unfortunately, for the time being, it’s looking like interested buyers in the U.S. won’t have a chance to sample the latest bad cat, as it’s unlikely a 700-horsepower 300 would be sold stateside. But that’s okay – we still have Hellcat four-door goodness in the form of the Charger Hellcat.

Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Drivetrain Specifications

Type and description:

Supercharged 6.2-liter Hemi V-8, 90-degree V-type, liquid cooled

Displacement:

370 cubic inch (6,166 cu. cm)

Bore x Stroke:

4.09 x 3.58 (103.9 x 90.9)

Valve system:

Pushrod-operated overhead valves, 16 valves with hollow-stem, sodium-filled exhaust valves, 16 conventional hydraulic lifters, all with roller tips

Fuel injection:

sequential, multiport, electronic, returnless

Construction:

Deep-skirt cast-iron block with cross-bolted main bearing caps, unique aluminum alloy heads with hemispherical combustion chambers

Compression ratio:

9.5:1

Power:

707 hp

Torque:

650 pound-feet


Read the full Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat review here.

Read the full Chrysler 300 review here.