The first HEMI engine to go into a production car launched in 1951, and by the end of the decade the name was already synonymous with performance and power in racing circles. It wasn’t until 1964 that Chrysler introduced the engine that would make HEMI a household name, the “Elephant” 426 HEMI, as a means to win NASCAR races. But rule changes forced Chrysler to make the engine available to the buying public, and a legend was born.

2014 marks the 50th anniversary of this iconic motor, and Mopar will kick off the celebration at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit next week with special merchandise emblazoned with the above graphic.

Of course, Chrysler didn’t actually offer a HEMI engine in a street-legal production car until the 1966 model year, when NASCAR banned the HEMI from racing because of new rules. The 1966 Dodge Charger and Coronet, as well as the Plymouth Belvedere and Satellite, were the first cars to get the Elephant HEMI under the hood, and today well-restored models sell for near $100,000.

The Elephant – the 426 Street HEMI.

By 1971 though, emissions and insurance regulations ended the reign of the Elephant, and the HEMI disappeared until 2003, when the Daimler-Chrysler alliance introduced it on the 2003 Dodge Ram 1500. And even though governments around the world are cracking down on fuel economy and emissions once again, the HEMI engine is alive and well, and shows no signs of slowing just yet.

The first round of celebrations includes clothing, decorative lighting, clocks, a pub table, stools, and much more at the Mopar.com shop, though Chrysler is planning some actual celebratory events for later in the year as well.

Here’s to another 50 years of HEMI domination!