Dodge Charger Super Bee packs a stinging straight-six
The Dodge Charger Sixpack’s twin-turbo engine has been turned up to almost 450kW, with the addition of the returning Super Bee to the lineup.
Dodge is holding off on giving Charger buyers the choice of a V8 engine, instead hoping a more powerful straight-six flagship will be enough to keep them happy.
Unveiled earlier this month, the Dodge Charger Super Bee marks the return of the nameplate which has been on- and off-sale since the 1970s, often attached to some of the most potent versions of Dodge’s performance models.
Based on the twin-turbo 3.0-litre straight-six ‘Sixpack’-powered Charger, the Super Bee’s power output has been increased to 447kW (600hp) from a standard 410kW (550hp), while its 720Nm torque figure is unchanged.
The increase was made possible through the fitment of larger Garrett turbos, which have been claimed to also bring peak torque on earlier at 3000rpm, as well as a revised exhaust and intake system.
To support the extra power, Dodge has fitted larger and reinforced half-shafts, designed to sustain increased temperatures and provide track-duty durability.
With its eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive system, the Charger Super Bee launches from 0-60mph (97km/h) in 3.6 seconds, three-tenths faster than the Sixpack-powered Scat Pack.
If drivers want to slide rather than grip, there’s a rear-wheel drive mode as well as the standard Track and Drag modes, complemented by new brake cooling ducts and pads.
New 406mm brake rotors with six-piston calipers at the front and four-piston units at the rear sit behind forged 20-inch wheels, shod in 305mm-wide Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar 3 tyres.
The wide wheels accentuate what Dodge claims is the “widest body in the industry”, though with a circa-2100kg kerb weight, it’s also one of the heaviest muscle cars available.
On the outside, the Super Bee features a larger grille, unique badging, a big front splitter and rear lip spoiler, plus a choice of black or yellow graphics.
Inside the cabin, the seats are adorned with a Super Bee logo (now featuring a turbocharger), as well as yellow contrast stitching, a thicker steering wheel and larger gear shift paddles.
Due to launch in 2027, the Dodge Charger Super Bee will be a “limited-production model”, rather than a mainstay of the lineup.
