Rumors of Possible Chrysler Inline-Six Engine Intensify, Could Feature Twin-Turbo Variant
The goal is to achieve a Hemi-like power rating with a smoother torque curve.
After a lengthy hiatus, now we’re hearing whispers (and not for the first time) that a Chrysler inline-six is on its way back to production. Chrysler has had a few famous inline-six motors like the 4.0-liter that famously powered the Jeep Wrangler and Cherokee (and was technically an AMC engine), as well as the fabled slant-six. The latter was in production for a little over 40 years, powering a wide variety of vehicles including the Dodge Ram, Chrysler LeBaron, Plymouth Barracuda, and many more.
Rumors have swirled before about an all-new Chrysler inline-six coming back to relieve the Pentastar V6 of duty and now those are being renewed by Mopar enthusiast site Allpar. The outlet reports that a new inline-six, which could be codenamed “Tornado,” is on the way and could see duty in the new Jeep Wagoneer, the next-generation Grand Cherokee, the Dodge Charger and Challenger, and serve as the new base engine in the Ram 1500.
In a previous report it sounded like the new Tornado inline-six would be little more than the GME inline-four currently in use, but with two more cylinders added. Now it seems as if the Tornado is a clean sheet design and will employ forced induction via either a twin-turbo setup or a single twin-scroll turbo. The goal is to get close to the 5.7-liter Hemi V8’s horsepower rating with a smoother torque curve. Displacement is alleged to be just a hair under 3.0 liters in order to avoid displacement taxes in international markets.
The old Chrysler slant-six was famous for its use in a wide variety of vehicles and it sounds like the rumored Tornado could be the same way, powering everything from pickup trucks to family SUVs to Italian performance cars and pretty much everything in between.