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500+ hp Stellantis 'Hurricane' I6 previews a world without Hemis

After years of rumored development, Stellantis has revealed its new six-cylinder engine family. The 3.0-liter, twin-turbocharged "Hurricane" I6 will offer V8 power, forced induction torque and six-cylinder efficiency in a package designed to fit into any of the company's North American rear-wheel-drive platforms.  What is "V8 power," exactly? Well, in standard output guise, the new I6 cranks out more than 400 horsepower (the specific figure will vary by application) and 450 pound-feet of torque, while the high-output variant is good for more than 500 horses and 475 lb-ft. The final figures will be dependent on the application. We'll save you a little legwork: In current Ram, Jeep and Dodge products, the 5.7-liter Hemi tops out at about 395 hp and 410 lb-ft, give or take, and the 6.4-liter around 485 hp and 475 lb-ft.    This is a clean-sheet design that is only related to the company's turbocharged four-cylinder by some common measurements. The I6 is exclusively direct-injection (no hybrid/port-injection here) and the two I6 variants share 96 common parts, including the block and oil pan design. The differences are found in their internals, intake plumbing, valvetrain components and the turbochargers themselves. Stellantis is not yet ready to share specs or supplier info for the turbos but says announcements will come from its partners soon.  The standard-output I6 has a compression ratio of 10.4:1 and revs to 5,800 rpm. It will run on regular fuel, albeit with reduced performance; 91 octane is recommended for maximum output. The high-output variant has a compression ratio of 9.4:1 and will rev to 6,100 rpm. That one will require premium. The new I6's advantages go beyond basic power output. Every Hemi family engine currently in production is based on an iron block design, so they're heavy. The aluminum-block I6 shaves weight off the total engine package, even if some of that gets added back thanks to the turbos and their associated plumbing. The standard-output I6 weighs 430 pounds, Stellantis engineers told us; the high-output adds just another 11. Fully dressed 5.7-liter V8s are in the 550-560-pound ballpark, and 6.4-liters close in on 600 pounds.  You may be wondering, "Why a clean-sheet gasoline engine now, when the industry is moving toward battery-electrics?" A valid inquiry, and one Stellantis was prepared to address. While the company will be pivoting to electrification over the next decade, it won't be instantaneous.

Dodge Grand Caravan reportedly will cease production in 2020

The Dodge Grand Caravan looks like it may finally be reaching its demise next year. A report from Automotive News Canada says the old Dodge minivan will cease production in May 2020. The report cites AutoForecast Solutions as the source of its news. FCA confirmed to us that the van will be going away eventually, but the company is not ready to put an official end date on it yet. For the time being, it looks like the Grand Caravan’s long run will eventually grind to a halt in Windsor, Ontario, the vanÂ’s only production site. With the introduction of the Chrysler Voyager as the budget minivan option from Chrysler, FCA may think it no longer has any use for the outdated Dodge. The Grand Caravan has a starting price of $28,535, whereas the new Voyager is priced from $28,480. ThatÂ’s an almost identical starting point, but we still donÂ’t know what kind of incentives FCA will offer for the Voyager. There are typically big cuts for the Grand Caravan, which have pushed recent average transaction prices down to $24,972. We imagine itÂ’ll be much more difficult for FCA to offer discounts of that magnitude to Voyager shoppers. Still, AutoForecast Solutions told Automotive News it believes FCA will transition folks away from the Grand Caravan. “For the 2020 model year, theyÂ’ll likely run to fleet and then get the consumers to buy the new Voyager,” says Sam Fiorani, vice president of global vehicle forecasting at AutoForecast Solutions. Eliminating the Grand Caravan would be a strong bet on ChryslerÂ’s strategy of splitting the Pacifica into two different model lines. Nearly every month, FCA sells more Grand Caravans than Pacificas. The Pacifica is the far superior minivan to own, but you canÂ’t argue with a cheap price. Once the Grand Caravan is gone, budget minivan buyers will have no choice but to buy a Voyager if they want the cheapest new option out there. Entries from the few other manufacturers that produce minivans are all going to be more expensive than the Voyager. The 2020 Pacifica and Voyager team are slated to reach dealers later this year, but it wonÂ’t be until next year that weÂ’re able to fully take stock of how this plays out for FCA.

'Baby Driver' is a car chase movie set to music

The Fate of the Furious is certainly the 6,000-pound SUV in the garage of automotive movies, but that doesn't mean gearheads are starved for options. The upcoming film Baby Driver looks to be a winner for car guys, featuring exciting chases with cars including a "hawk-eye" Impreza WRX, a Dodge Challenger, and a 1980s Chevy Caprice. The movie is written and directed by Edgar Wright, whom you may know as the man behind movies such as Sean of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. And based on the two trailers released so far, seen above and below, it's about a young man by the name of Baby, who is a getaway driver for criminals. He's apparently the best in the business, and the secret to his success is the music he listens to while he's driving. He also wants out, but his boss, played by Kevin Spacey, has no intention of letting him go. Spacey is one of a number of major stars in the film, including Jamie Foxx and John Hamm. The driving action shown in the trailers definitely looks entertaining. The WRX is seen doing an array of drifts and J-turns. There is some driving precision on display here that wouldn't be out of place in a Gymkhana video. And it looks like Wright's attention to detail in his shots and transitions, as well as some solid comedy relief, are all going to be present. The film comes out this August. Related Video: News Source: Sony Pictures Entertainment / YouTube via Road & TrackImage Credit: Sony Pictures Entertainment / YouTube TV/Movies Chevrolet Dodge Subaru Videos baby driver