As mentioned in our prior Woodward Dream Cruise coverage, Dodge is ending production of the current generation Charger and Challenger but before they leave, the brand is releasing seven special edition “Last Call” models to celebrate their exit as part of the broader Buzz series of special editions. The first of these was the Challenger Shakedown Edtion which was largely an appearance package that paid homage to an old SEMA concept from 2016. That said, the notion of “you can do better than that” must’ve struck a nerve with some Dodge reps because they not only chose to revive the Super Bee edition Charger for one last buzz, but also injected more performance into the car.
Drag Radials Give Super Bee Newfound Grip At The Strip
When we last saw the Super Bee, it was supposed to be the ultimate no-frills V8 Charger and, as a result, skipped many of the finer things in life for a retro-inspired time warp to the past. There’s no word if this Bee still follows that mantra, but with the exterior styling being largely unchanged when compared to a normal Charger (except for badging and graphics,) we might as well focus on our attention on the standard drag radials that come equipped with this Charger. These slicks are designed to give the Super Bee more grip on the drag strip, with regular models featuring 275s mounted on 20-inch wheels. Widebody variants flip the script in that regard and get bigger 315 drag tires mounted on smaller 18-inch wheels.
The package is available on Scat Pack Chargers only (sorry Hellcat fans), with the model still retaining its familiar 6.4 liter Hemi V8 and all the 485 hp that it brings to the table. The eight-speed automatic is still the lone transmission choice, but it now comes with a drag mode, and the V8 gets some welcome cooling thanks to the SRT-sourced vented hood, which comes with retro-inspired black hood pins. Dodge claims that the new slicks help improve quarter-mile times at the strip but chose to keep the exact figures close to the vest for now. The interior follows the same script that we saw on the outside, with the cabin receiving splashes of Super Bee logos and badging. That includes prominent Super Bee logos on the seat backs.
When Can I Buy One?
If you’re looking to buy one, you better act quickly. Dodge is only building 1500 Super Bee models (1000 in B5 Blue) and the remaining 500 Widebody models in Plum Crazy. The brand will be allocating a select number out of that total to certain dealerships, with Dodge reps asking potential buyers to go to DodgeGarage.com to see up-to-date pricing and distribution when ordering opens up later this fall.
The appearance of the Super Bee will also establish a pattern for the debuts of the remaining Last Call models, with each one being revealed every Wednesday until the final model makes its appearance at SEMA. This Vegas-bound model could perhaps be the successor to the Dodge Demon, but Dodge had it heavily wrapped up at their event at M1 Concourse. That thwarted our attempts to get more details, but a cryptic license plate clue does appear to suggest that the mysterious model is capable of blasting its way through the quarter mile if provoked.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.