Jeep will never sell a production Wrangler or Gladiator with a V-8 under the hood due to crash-test considerations. However, Hennessey Performance Engineering will do it. Crash regulations be damned.
The Texas-based tuning company revealed the Jeep Gladiator Maximus 1000 on Wednesday with a supercharged 6.2-liter Hellcat V-8 that conjures 1,000 horsepower stuffed under the hood. The engine makes 707 hp in stock form, so HPE had to massage more power from it. The specifics are slim, but HPE gave it an ECU tune, a new radiator, an upgraded fuel system, new wiring harnesses, and a stainless steel exhaust system to push the big power number. All of those ponies flow through the 8-speed automatic transmission that comes optional in the stock Jeep Gladiator.
READ THIS: Jeep boss Kuniskis knows if Jeep Gladiator will go Hercules, but he's not saying
The Gladiator Maximus also gains specific front and rear bumpers, LED lights, and HPE's own 20-inch wheel design. The latter are wrapped in BFGoodrich off-road tires. Of course, HPE also upgraded the suspension to tackle the unbeaten path and the tuner has lifted the pickup a whopping 6 inches.
Hennessey Jeep Gladiator Maximus
We don't have photos of the interior, but the cabin sports custom leather upholstery with "Hennessey" and "Maximus" embroidery.
HPE will begin production of the ultimate Gladiator, as the company calls it, this July and build just 24 of them. The 1,000-hp mid-size pickup isn't cheap, either. Then again, nothing from HPE comes cheaply. Each example will cost $200,000 and that price includes a donor Jeep Gladiator.
Hennessey Jeep Gladiator Maximus
With only 24 planned, HPE said it will build two Maximus pickups per month until the production run is over.
As a friendly reminder, the Powerball jackpot is currently $325 million and there's still time to buy a ticket.