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Jeep has not announced a supercharged Hellcat-powered variant of its full-size Wagoneer SUV. Jeep has unveiled a 500+ horsepower engine for its 2023 Grand Wagoneer. In search of even more power, some hot-rodding enthusiasts have even crammed a Hellcat engine into a vintage Wagoneer. Finally, a newly trademarked Jeep name has some automotive journalists wondering if a Hellcat-powered Waogneer is in the works.

The 2023 Jeep Grand Wagoneer will make 500 horsepower

The standard engine in the 2023 Grand Wagoneer may not come from a Hellcat, but it is certainly no slouch. The entry-level Grand Wagoneer offers the 6.4-liter naturally-aspirated HEMI V8 from Dodge’s “Scat Pack” cars. Starting in 2023, the Series II and III trims will be the first vehicles with the new 510 horsepower “Hurricane” I6.

White 2023 Grand Wagoneer SUV driving through a field at sunset, grass visible in the background.
2023 Grand Wagoneer L | Kevin McCauley of Capturing the Machine

Stellantis new Hurricane I6 is only 3.0 liters. But it uses twin-turbochargers to make big power with as little lag as possible. The high-output variant generates 26 psi of turbo boost to turn out 510 horsepower and 500 ft-lb of torque.

You can get a regular output Hurricane I6 in the Series II and Series III trims of the regular Wagoneer SUV. But if you want the 500+ horsepower variant you’ll need to spring for the Grand Wagoneer. When paired with the Grand Wagoneer’s eight-speed automatic transmission, full-time 4WD, and independent rear suspension, the high-output Hurricane should make for one of the best performing full-size SUVs around.

The Hellwagon is a Hellcat-powered 1989 Grand Wagoneer

While the latest generation of Jeep’s Grand Wagoneer has not been around long enough for hot-rodders to get their hands on, there are entire shops dedicated to modifying early Wagoneers. One such shop is Collins Bros. Jeep of Wylie, Texas. The brilliant and wild folks who run this shop cooked up a special plan: cram a 707-horsepower engine into a classic, wood-paneled Grand Wagoneer.

White 2023 Grand Wagoneer SUV climbing a steep hill in a challenge course, a line of trees lit by the sunset visible behind it.
2023 Grand Wagoneer L | Kevin McCauley of Capturing the Machine

The team started with a spotless 1989 Grand Wagoneer finished in Colorado Red. They found that the Hellcat V8 fit nicely into the large SUV. It doesn’t weigh any more than the 360 cubic-inch V8 that originally powered the Wagoneer. In addition, a sturdy rebuild of the vehicles A-7272 Torqueflite and Dana 44 enabled the stock drivetrain to take Hellcat-levels of power.

What did take the team a long time was modifying the vehicle’s stock gauges and controls. For example, linkages between the stock column shifter and relocated transmission alone took three days. To keep the stock gauges, the Collins Bros. had to get especially creative, even installing a GPS sending unit and connecting it to the old speedometer–according to MotorTrend.

With a weight of just 4,500 pounds, the old-school Grand Wagoneer with a 707-horsepower Hellcat trounces the power-to-weight ratio of even the gnarliest SUVs on the road today.

Will the Jeep Tomahawk be a Hellcat-powered Grand Wagoneer?

Last summer, Jeep quietly trademarked the name Tomahawk. This badge is reminiscent of the Hellcat-powered Jeep Trackhawk. It made many wonder if a supercharged Hellcat V8 would soon join the Wagoneer’s engine options.

Closeup of the Wagoneer logo on the back hatch of a white 2023 Grand Wagoneer L SUV, the sky visible in the backgorund.
2023 Grand Wagoneer L | Kevin McCauley of Capturing the Machine

My colleague Allison Barfield reported on the leaked Jeep Trackhawk trademark filing back in July, 2022. Since then, Jeep has not revealed anything about its Tomahawk project. There are several distinct possibilities for what the upcoming Jeep Tomahawk might be. But as the Jeep Trailhawk is already a badge for the powerful Grand Cherokee off-roader, its likely the Tomahawk will be more road-oriented.

The Jeep Tomahawk could, of course, follow in the footsteps of the Jeep Wrangler 392. In this case it might be a Wrangler or similarly-sized Gladiator truck equipped with a Hellcat engine. But with the Wagoneer slowly swapping its naturally-aspirated V8s for turbocharged I6s, I think its very likely that Jeep is cooking up one more Wagoneer trim level: a supercharged Tomahawk for the V8 die-hards.

Next, learn more about the 2023 Grand Wagoneer’s 510-horsepower Hurricane engine or see the 1989 Hellwagon in action in the video below:

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Staff Writer

Henry Cesari

Henry Cesari joined MotorBiscuit in 2021 and brings his deep interest in vintage cars, trucks, and motorcycles to the site. Having restored his first classic car at just 16 years old, Henry has wrenched on everything from overland campers to Japanese motorcycles and even pre-war Bugattis. Henry is also an avid attendee at local car shows and genuinely enjoys connecting with fellow auto enthusiasts.

Henry earned a Bachelor’s in Anthropology and English from the University of Vermont. He has since incorporated his love of the written word with his admiration of classic cars. While Henry is interested in vintage cars, he believes the golden age of cars is yet to come. He is confident journalists will play an important role in this revolution by exposing the industry as it is now and envisioning its possible future.