Mopar HurriCrate twin-turbo six announced

Update, November 2, 2022:

It is no secret that straight sixes are a favourite choice for many in the modified car world, with Ford’s Barra, Toyota’s 1JZ & 2JZ and Nissan’s RB series amongst the most popular. Now the Mopar boys have entred the fray, with a crate version of the Jeep-derived, 3.0-litre Hurricane twin-turbo six being unveiled in time for SEMA Show.

Dubbed the HurriCrate, the new mill is based around aluminium head and block and features, liquid-cooled intercooler, direct injection and variable valve timing. The exhaust manifolds are liquid cooled and integrated into the head.

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The HurriCrate will be offered in two specs. The ‘Cat 1’ spec runs 10.4:1 compression, runs 22psi peak boost and features cast aluminium pistions with cast iron top ring land inserts. It is rated at 420hp and 468 Ib-ft. of torque by 2500rpm.

The ‘Cat 3’ has a 9.5:1 compression ratio, with oil-let cooled forged pistons, 26psi peak boost and dual inlet intercooler. It is rated at 550hp and 531 lb-ft. of torque at 3500rpm.

A ‘Cat X’ race version is also in the works, with speculation abounding around SEMA of outputs in the 1000hp range.

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Update, March 28, 2022:

Stellantis, the parent company of Jeep, has released more details of its new 3.0-litre twin-turbo six-cylinder engine, designed to offer V8 performance with greater efficiency.

The GMET6 engine, nicknamed ‘Hurricane’ – not ‘Tornado’, as earlier rumours had suggested – comes in two versions: a standard-output (SO) tune, and a high-output (HO) variant.

While exact figures will vary when fitted to models across Jeep, Ram, and possibly Chrysler ranges, the SO engine has been confirmed to have “more than” 294kW, while the HO puts out in excess of 368kW.

Torque is rated at 612Nm and 646Nm respectively.

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“As Stellantis aims to become the US leader in electrification, with a 50 per cent battery-electric vehicle (BEV) sales mix by 2030, internal combustion engines will play a key role in our portfolio for years to come and we owe it to our customers and the environment to provide the cleanest, most efficient propulsion possible,” said Stellantis’s head of propulsion systems, Micky Bly.

“The Hurricane twin-turbo is a no-compromise engine that delivers better fuel economy and an important reduction in greenhouse gases without asking our customers to give up performance.”

The parallel turbos will produce peak boost of 22psi on the SO, and 26psi for the HO, feeding a water-to-air intercooler.

The basic engine architecture of the inline-six, including bore and stroke and cylinder spacing, is actually shared with the 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine found in the Jeep Wrangler, Wrangler 4xe, Cherokee, and Grand Cherokee 4xe.

Stellantis says the first Hurricane-powered models will be in US showrooms in 2022, though there’s no word yet on when we can expect to see the engine in Australia.

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The story to here

March 25, 2022: Jeep’s all-new six-cylinder engine has been revealed, with the company adding the powertrain as an upgrade within a US online configurator.

While Jeep has provided few details on the engine, the image all but confirms it is the 3.0-litre twin-turbo inline-six getting ready to be used across the Stellantis family of brands.

Though the image doesn’t show the exact number of cylinders, we can see it is an inline motor with twin overhead camshafts, and the engine cover has a number of markings alluding to six cylinders – as well as the obvious ‘Twin Turbo’ script.

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The evidence suggests this is indeed the all-new ‘Tornado’ engine – known internally as GMET6 – which is rumoured to put out more than 370kW in high-output (HO) form.

Standard-output (SO) and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrains are also said to follow in 2024, according to Mopar Insiders, while mild-hybrid assistance may be offered with the HO engine.

The Tornado was spotted as a somewhat cryptic ‘Engine Upgrade’ on Jeep’s configurator for the new Grand Wagoneer, which can be optioned for US$2000 for those not wanting the standard 6.4-litre V8.

The deliberate omission of details on the ‘Engine Upgrade’ suggests this was a deliberate move by Jeep rather than an accidental addition.

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December 30, 2021: A new six-cylinder turbo engine may be about to replace the ageing V6 and V8 found in Jeep and Ram models.

Nicknamed ‘Tornado’, the twin-turbo 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine was listed on a website for a Stellantis factory in Mexico, with information suggesting the powertrain began production on November 22.

A sleuth from the Allpar forums made the discovery before the page was removed, but Autoevolution has since unearthed information from a Fiat dealership (with Fiat also being part of the Stellantis group, alongside Jeep) showing the turbo six will be fitted to the Jeep Wrangler, Gladiator, Grand Cherokee, and the recently-unveiled Wagoneer.

The document also shows the engine will also make its way into the Ram 1500 pick-up.

Known internally as the Global Medium Engine Turbo Six, or GMET6, the engine also has a high-output (HO) version – possibly adopting mild-hybrid technology.

While the engine has been rumoured since patent filings were discovered in November 2019, the website leak confirms it will become a reality.

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The Tornado twin-turbo inline-six is expected to replace the Pentastar V6 and the Hemi V8 found across the Jeep and Ram line-ups, likely offering fuel-economy and emissions benefits with roughly equivalent performance.

In the Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator, the 3.6-litre Pentastar V6 produces 209kW and 347Nm, while the 5.7-litre Hemi V8 found in the Ram 1500 pick-up puts out 291kW and 556Nm.

Jeep and Ram have yet to officially announce the Tornado engine, but given the engine appears to have already entered production, it’s likely the new powertrain will make its debut in the coming months.