The future of Chryslers famous HEMI is in doubt

A recent Chrysler announcement has us pondering a HEMI-less future. In an interview with Automotive News, Chrysler co-president Jim Press stated that, “The HEMI is not the powertrain of the future” .

The future is never easy to predict but there are two issues that we know for certain will continue to change the face of the motor vehicle – the rising price of oil and the need to reduce green house emissions. In the U.S. and Europe there are of course the continually tightening fuel economy requirements of government to contend with as well, none of which bodes well for large capacity V8’s.

Jim Press went on to explain that the famous “HEMI’ name, for decades synonymous with ‘high performance’ in the Chrysler range, doesn’t hold the same cache with young people. Instead, the modern performance car will continue to see the evolution of smaller capacity compact engines, that use forced induction and hybrid technology to achieve their performance goals.

But don’t expect to see the famous HEMI V8 skulk away with its tail between its cam-valley just yet. Chrysler expect to eek a few more years out of the HEMI, through the addition of technologies that will improve efficiency such as cylinder deactivation and direct injection.

Many will say that it is inevitable that the HEMI and similar V8’s from other manufacturers face extinction in the not too distant future. like the dinosours that they are so often compared to, their relevance in the motoring world is dwindling rapidly. It will certainly mark the close of a mythical era in the evolution of the motor vehicle and one that will be fondly remembered many.

[Source: Automotive News via MotorAuthority]