In 2005, Chrysler staged a contest called "What Can You Hemi?" and for some reason, the final PR release concerning the contest has mysteriously re-appeared, almost three years to the day later. This contest is nearly as cynical as Chrysler's current "Let's Refuel America" campaign. Rather than build cars and trucks which Americans might buy, the best Chrysler has been able to do up to this point is offer to guarantee a price of $2.99 per gallon of gas or diesel fuel for three years, for up to 12,000 miles a year. At the bottom of Chrysler's website featuring this scheme the company states: "These are challenging times. Fortunately, the Let's Refuel America Program is doing what it can to help." Well, we say "Balderdash!" to that corporate pessimistic claptrap. Chrysler does not have the money to conceive of and build the high-mileage cars and trucks Americans need. All of this is especially sorrowful because Chrysler, through their history, has been known as the "engineering" car-maker, and was respected for that. Walter P. Chrysler himself was a successful, highly-skilled engineer. And that sound you hear is Mr. Chrysler spinning in his grave. (Photos - Above, the Grand Prize winner on his Hemi-powered Big Wheel, Below, every suburban dad needs a Hemi-powered outdoor grill).
What we've found truly humorous is all the automotive websites around the world re-printing the following verbatim, without even noticing and certainly not questioning the "2005" date plastered all over it. If it's a joke on Chrysler's part, it's a really, really bad one. Even today, June 5th, Chrysler Corporation "upped" their offers if someone should actually buy one of their cars and trucks ... More on the $2.99 a gallon fuel offer and more cash-back, lower interest rates ... you name it. We may be witnessing the final death throes of Chrysler, and it's not pretty.
The following press release, after the jump, is one which was apparently first distributed by Chrysler in June, 2005, yet the company decided, for unknown reasons, to re-release it again ... today, June of 2008. The theme of the release is a contest called, "What Can You Hemi?" If someone in Chrysler did release this contest info, once again, on purpose, it makes the company appear to be so out-of-touch with what American drivers are up against right now that whoever approved its re-release, four years after this contest was over, should be shown the door.
Rumors abound this week about Chrysler being up for-sale, in whole or in part (especially its Jeep
component, which should have been sold two years ago). Let's back-track quickly: Cerberus, a high-flying Wall Street investment outfit, purchased Chrysler from Daimler in May, 2007, for $7.4 billion. This purchase was made by Cerberus after Daimler had paid $36 billion for the car-maker barely nine years earlier. The company paid nearly 81% less for it than Daimler had. By the way, the name Cerberus comes from the name of a three-headed dog which guards the gates of hell. Cerberus executives might now feel that they're on the wrong side of those gates, in any event, certainly not where they planned to be. The company made a brilliant hire in Jim Press, who had been Toyota's top America exec, to serve as president and vice-chairman. But they then screwed it all up, throwing good money after bad by hiring Bob Nardelli as Chrysler's chairman and CEO, essentially Press' boss. Nardelli had most-recently done his best to drive Home Depot into the grave, and had been thrown-off that company's own board of directors by his fellow directors, just a few months before getting the Chrysler gig. Why Press wasn't given full control of the company is a question for the ages.
If your question is: "Just what is a Hemi?" click anywhere on this line.
Click below to read the Chrysler PR piece and see more photos of the contest's "winners".
(Photo - A rear look at the business-end of an enormous take on the now-classic Big Wheel)
‘What Can You HEMI®?’ Contest Finalists See HEMI-Powered Dreams Become Realities; Grand Prize Winner Named
Chrysler Group unveils full-size, one-of-a-kind HEMI®-powered inventions
Finalists include HEMI Snowblower, HEMI-Go-Round, HEMI Trike, HEMI on Ice, HEMI Shredder
Grand Prize Winner awarded a HEMI-Powered Chrysler, Jeep® or Dodge vehicle
Chelsea, Mich., Jun 16, 2005 -
The finalists of the “What Can You HEMI®?” contest saw their drawing board dreams become HEMI-powered realities today. Chrysler Group unveiled full-size, operational versions of each of the five HEMI inventions for the first time in Chelsea, Mich., at its proving grounds. The grand prize winner wins a HEMI-powered Chrysler, Jeep® or Dodge vehicle.
All five finalists, whose entries were chosen from among hundreds submitted throughout the U.S. and Canada, were on-hand to see their outrageous HEMI-powered ideas. (Photo - Hemi-equipped ice resurfacer; what we usually call a "Monroney").
What Can You HEMI?” finalists include:
• HEMI® Snowblower – Tim Flucht, Belleville, Mich. – armed with 345 horsepower and 375 foot pounds of
torque, custom precision drive shaft and wrist tether for quick shut-off, this one-of-a-kind snowblower will get the job done faster than any other
• HEMI® -Go-Round – Jonathan Brzon, Topeka, Kan. – the engine generates enough power to spin the turntable in a 22-foot circumference at a maximum speed of 8 rpm, while most carousels only do about 4 or 5 rpm
• HEMI® Trike – Marcus Braun, Vancouver BC – uniquely designed with a custom 4-foot wheel and Goodyear slicks to keep it stable under heavy acceleration … it’s childhood fun … super-sized
• HEMI® on Ice – Dan Burg, Lindenhurst, Ill. – the propane-powered engine of this ice resurfacer has been replaced with a HEMI engine, pumped up with Mopar performance headers and a Borla exhaust system and customized with a Dodge Viper seat for the operator
• HEMI® Shredder – Randy Fredner, Earlysville, Va. – industrial strength can tear up a full ream of paper, CDs, phone books … you name it, it shreds it
Marcus Braun of Vancouver, BC, was named the grand prize winner today for being the mastermind behind the HEMI Trike, an adult adaptation of a childhood toy powered by a 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 engine. (Photo - Here's the Hemi snow blower you've always wanted).
“The HEMI engine that took the hottest new Chrysler, Jeep® and Dodge vehicles to new levels in power and technology has now done it again for these HEMI-powered creations,” said Frank Klegon, Chrysler Group Vice President- Product Development Process and Components. “While all five finalists and their ideas were brilliant, the HEMI Trike stood out for its high marks in creativity, engineering feasibility, safety and functionality.”
Chrysler Group launched the “What Can You HEMI?” contest in February in celebration of the legendary HEMI engine. With “That Thing Got a HEMI?” becoming a household phrase -- serving as a constant reminder that anything with a HEMI engine is truly top notch -- Chrysler Group asked consumers the question: If you could infuse the power and torque of the 5.7-liter V-8 HEMI engine into anything, what would it be?
More than 360 aspiring inventors submitted their wildest ideas before the April 6 postmark deadline. (Photo - A Hemi-powered paper shredder).
"Since its introduction to the public in 1951, the HEMI engine has revolutionized the automotive industry
and fascination over the original muscle car engine continues today," said Klegon. "This contest was about extending the same power, torque and technology of the all-new 5.7-liter HEMI to make the ordinary, extra-ordinary and to have a lot of fun doing it."
Today, the modern 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 engine’s power and fuel efficiency has added to the success of vehicles including the Chrysler 300C, Dodge Charger, Dodge Magnum, Dodge Ram, Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee. The modern high performance HEMI engine delivers up to 345 horsepower and up to 390 pound-feet of torque. With more than 500,000 engines sold, the take-rate across the Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge lineups is approximately 44%. (Photo - A Hemi engine powers this unique carousel).
HEMI® Engine History
The HEMI engine was first made popular in 1951 when Chrysler Corporation introduced its entry in the post-war horsepower race. Its power and efficiency made it an instant favorite for all sorts of motorsports vehicles. Although reluctantly retired in 1959 due to high manufacturing costs, the HEMI design was still unsurpassed. In 1964, NASCAR competition sparked the HEMI's return, and it has remained available for motorsport use ever since. Chrysler Group debuted the all-new modern 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 engine in 2002 on the Dodge Ram 2500 and 3500.
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