Equipping Jeep Gladiator pickups with humongous Dodge Challenger Hellcat engines has evolved into a trend lately. The very idea of stuffing a 6.2-liter V8 inside the engine bay barely fit for a V6 seemed blasphemous at first, but a couple successful conversions caused quite a stir among tuners. This means we should be looking forward to more such engine swaps performed in the future. But those who wanted to build their own Hellcat-powered Gladiator truck purely for bragging rights should reconsider the idea: their chances of beating this monstrous Jeep Gladiator Maximus 1000 by Hennessey Performance are slim at best.
The off-road vehicle features the same kind of engine swap, but with the power output raised from the standard 707 hp (527 kW) to 1,000 hp (745 kW). In order to make it work, the Texas-based tuner had to upgrade the entire electrical, cooling, and fuel systems of the car, as well as make numerous other minor improvements.
Hennessey Performance also lifted the suspension by six inches (150 mm) in order to accommodate 20-inch diameter aftermarket wheels wrapped in BF Goodrich KD tires.
Other noteworthy features include new bumpers, LED headlights, and new leather upholstery for the cabin.
The company will release 24 copies of the Jeep Gladiator Maximus 1000 priced at a hefty U.S. $200,000 (including the donor vehicle).
Photos: Hennessey Performance