The Chrysler HEMI may soon fade into history, another victim of CAFE and modern realities

In a stunning statement of the obvious, Chrysler Co-president Jim Press told Automotive News (subs req'd) that "The Hemi is not the power-train of the future." Given rising fuel prices and new fuel economy requirements, the days of the legendary HEMI are surely numbered, at least in cars and lighter trucks. Over the past decade Chrysler has resurrected the HEMI in many trucks, SUVs and rear wheel drive trucks. But going forward it will undoubtedly be supplanted by smaller, more efficient and more modern power-plants. Those new power-trains will include the likes of the new Phoenix V-6 engine family that's coming next year and, further out, electrified power-trains. Just as GM has canceled a new V-8 program and Ford is launching their EcoBoost engines Chrysler's engines will get smaller. Nonetheless in the short-term Chrysler is still refining the HEMI with an updated version coming this year in the just-introduced 2009 Ram pickups that has ten percent more power and four percent better fuel economy. It will also be paired up with the Two-Mode hybrid system in the Durango/Aspen later this year and the Ram in 2010.

[Source: Automotive News]