Ode to the Hemi: A Look Back at the Legacy of Death and Glory — The Drive
The Hemis run in production performance vehicles may be over, but its mark on history will remain.
The first generation of street Hemi was born in 1951. It might not be as well-known as its larger little brother, the second-generation 426 Hemi, but an early Hemi is a feisty ball of muscle. During the seven-year run, it set the stage for Hemis to stand as performance juggernauts. This generation hosted the first American engine to produce one horsepower per cubic inch with the 355-horsepower 354 cubic-inch engine featured in the 1956 Chrysler 300B.