- Jeep Gladiator engine choices and factory limits
- Aftermarket Hellcat-powered Gladiator conversions
- AMW4x4’s power figures and build tiers
- What’s included in the conversion packages
- Cost, labor, and the appeal of more performance
The Jeep Gladiator has never been shy about capability, but the stock engine lineup leaves plenty of enthusiasts wanting more. Right now, buyers get a 3.6-liter V6 with respectable output, yet the idea of a Hellcat-powered Gladiator has become the kind of fever dream that refuses to die. Stellantis does not offer that version from the factory, but one aftermarket shop has turned the fantasy into something very real.
That shop is America’s Most Wanted 4×4, better known as AMW4x4. Instead of waiting around for the factory to swing big, it drops a supercharged 6.2-liter Hellcat Hemi into the Gladiator and turns the midsize pickup into a brute with serious attitude. The result is a truck that lives in a completely different world from the standard model, with output that makes the stock V6 look downright polite.
Jeep fans have reason to keep an eye on the factory side, too. Jeep CEO Bob Broderdorf has already hinted that Hemi power is spreading across the lineup, and he made it clear that Wrangler and Gladiator loyalists should not panic about the brand’s performance future. A factory V8 Gladiator may still be on the way, but that is not the same thing as a Hellcat build, which remains squarely in aftermarket territory.
AMW4x4 offers different takes on the recipe, and the numbers are the kind that get attention fast. Its Hellcat Gladiators can be built with either 707 or 717 horsepower, both delivering 650 pound-feet of torque. Compared with the factory Gladiator’s 285 horsepower and 260 pound-feet, that is a monster leap, one that pushes the truck into a far more aggressive performance class.
The higher-end builds do more than just stuff in a giant engine and call it a day. AMW’s 707 8LUG setup, for example, comes with 17-inch forged beadlock wheels, Nitto Trail Grappler MT tires, upgraded brakes, a ported cast-iron gearbox, and other hardware meant to keep the chaos under control. It is the kind of package that looks ready for rock trails, highway pulls, and a few stunned double-takes at gas stations.
That level of hardware comes with a serious price tag, though. The 2025 AMW 707 8LUG Hellcat Gladiator conversion is listed at $210,245, while the AMW 717 starts at $133,855. Those figures put the truck deep into luxury-sports territory, which is exactly what happens when brute-force power and custom fabrication meet in the middle.
For owners who already have a Gladiator, AMW also sells a standalone Hellcat powertrain installation. That route lands just under $60,000 before everything is added up, and the crate engine alone costs well over $16,000. It is not a simple swap, either, because the build needs supporting parts to handle the extra stress and heat.
Those supporting parts matter a lot once the power starts climbing. AMW’s conversion package includes stronger engine mounting, better cooling through an oil cooler kit and a 940-watt fan, a beefier ZF eight-speed automatic, a higher-output fuel pump, and a stronger alternator. The process takes about 65 hours, which explains why the final bill climbs quickly once labor and parts are stacked together.
