Dodge’s library of naturally aspirated and supercharged engines has powered some of the most unhinged modern muscle cars. One of those wild and crazy engines even shares a codename with the deadly AH-64 Apache helicopter. Check out the Apache engine, a powerful 392 Hemi V8 in some popular Mopars like the Dodge Charger R/T Scat Pack. 

Why do they call it 392 Hemi?

The 392 Hemi V8 engine’s displacement is roughly 392 cubic inches, hence the “392.” On the side of vehicles like the R/T Scat Pack, the graphic brandishes a “6.4L” moniker, which also refers to the engine’s displacement, namely 6.4 liters. 

However, like the Hellcat and Ford Coyote engines, the 392 Hemi has a codename. In this case, the name is “Apache,” like the Native American tribes of the southwestern United States. Consequently, the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter uses the Native American tribal inspiration for its moniker, too. That means the Apache V8 in your Dodge Charger R/T Scat Pack or SRT 392 shares a name with the tenured Apache helicopter. 

How much HP does a 392 Hemi have?

Any engine that shares a name with Native American tribes and an apex attack helicopter has to be powerful. The Apache 392 Hemi doesn’t disappoint; the naturally aspirated 6.4L V8 produces 485 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque. 

What cars have 392 Hemi engines?

The 392 Hemi V8 mill is available in a litany of vehicles in Dodge’s lineup and its extended family. For instance, the Dodge Challenger, Charger, and Durango have R/T Scat Pack and SRT 392 variations with the 392 Hemi V8. 

Still, Dodge isn’t the only marque with the powerful Apache 392 Hemi V8 engine; Chrysler borrowed the mill for its swan song 2023 Chrysler 300C, and even the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 gets the 6.4L treatment. Only with these silly burnout machines can you say you’ve got an Apache helicopter under the hood. However, with the industry shifting in full swing, the Challenger and Charger are heading to the chopping block, and the R/T Scat Pack is heading with them. 

What is special about the Apache helicopter?

Like the Apache 392 Hemi V8, the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter is a powerhouse. Boeing’s twin-engine attack helicopter might have a tenure that extends back into the Cold War, but Forbes still brands the machine as “the world’s preeminent airborne tank killer.” 

Taking one look at the Apache helicopter cements that reputation. The dark-green rotary-wing tank killer usually packs an assortment of Hellfire missiles and an advanced targeting suite. It makes sense that the tire-shredding 392 Hemi V8 would share its name with the battlefield beast. 

What helicopter replaced the Apache?

While the Apache has been around for decades, the United States Army doesn’t have a concrete plan to replace it yet. Still, the U.S. Army will replace the long-running Blackhawk helicopter with the V-280 Valor, a tilt-rotor application. 

Moreover, Forbes says the Army’s fleet of Apache helicopters will get an “E” variant upgrade, which should modernize the attack helicopter for future use. Still, it’s a fitting name for the U.S. Army tank killer and Dodge’s 392 Hemi V8.