At the Dodge Speed Weeks, Dodge CEO Tim Kuniskis stated that Dodge would be producing six unique buzz models to celebrate the end of the HEMI era of the L-series cars. The first of those buzz models was introduced on August 24th and was inspired by the 1971 Dodge Challenger Shakedown Concept that Mopar introduced at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in 2016.
The cars were presented to members of the press and invited guests, on the back of a Reliable Carriers car hauler outside the event. Each car was covered with a unique car cover, with a theme hinting at the special edition, engine designation, and the number of units to be produced.
“We’re also marking this badass era with six unique special editions,” Kuniskis explained. “Each of these six models pays tribute to a car that came before it. You guys know we love the teasers. Now here is the catch, the specific details on the individual editions is going to be kept under wraps until the dates shown on the car covers outside on the carrier”.
“Here’s a critical point, these buzz models are not going to be available for order,” Kuniskis stated. “None of you can order them. We’re going to configure and build every one of them and we’re going to ship them to the top-volume muscle car dealers in the country so the key is to lock up your allocation as fast as you can for that last year. Now, I am not going to lie this is going to be really tough. It’s going to be almost an impossible task to make everybody happy and we’re not going to.”
From the car cover, we know that the car will be a 6.4-liter (392 cubic-inch) SRT HEMI V8-powered Charger. There will also be 1,000 units produced of this first buzz model. Judging by the hexagons with a honeycomb pattern it will be a Super Bee. Looking at the “24 Months of Muscle” calendar Dodge put out as part of its “Never Lift” campaign, there was a hint of a honey pot (looking like the one from Winnie the Pooh) with a set of headers sticking out the side.
The Dodge “Super Bee” was first introduced in 1968 as a member of Dodge’s Scat Pack Performance Group and brought a high-performance vehicle to the low price class. based on the midsized Coronet, the standard engine for 1968 was the 335 horsepower 6.3-liter (383 cubic-inch) V8, while the iconic 7.0-liter (426 cubic-inch) HEMI V8 was also available.
The standard transmission was a heavy-duty 4-speed manual with a Hurst Competition-Plus floor shifter. The power bulge hood let everyone know this was no ordinary car. The Super Bee could accelerate to 60 mph in 6.8 seconds and cover the 1/4-mile in 15-seconds.
In 1969, the awesome 7.2-liter (440 cubic-inch) SIX PACK V8 was added to the Super Bee’s list of engine options. By placing three Holly two-barrel carburetors on top of the 440 MAGNUM V8, the SIX PACK Super Bee generated 390 horsepower and 490 lb.-ft. of torque.
In 1971, Dodge realigned the Coronet to be offered in either a four-door sedan or station wagon and so the brand moved the Super Bee name to the Charger. The Super Bee carried over its formula to the Charger, with only 5,054 units (22 being HEMI models) being built. Unfortunately, it would be the last year for the Super Bee on the body style due to raising insurance rates and increasing gas prices, causing an end to the muscle car era.
The Super Bee name would return once again in 2007, this time on the Charger (LX) platform. This version of the car was a limited edition buzz model based on the Charger SRT8, providing 425 horsepower and 420 lb.-ft. of torque 6.1-liter (370 cubic-inch) HEMI SRT V8. The model would continue for two more years, each year being produced in a limited number and in special Super Bee-specific colors.
After the 2009 model year, the Super Bee would disappear once again until 2012.
With the introduction of the 2012 Dodge Charger SRT8, Dodge would bring the Super Bee nameplate back on a new “SRT Core” model which returned the Super Bee to its roots as a “budget” muscle car, absent of most luxury items and yet keeping its high-performance form.
The 2012 to 2014 Dodge Charger SRT8 Super Bee models included the following standard features…
Powered by the 6.4-liter (392 cubic-inch) HEMI® V8 engine that offers 470 horsepower and 470 lb.-ft. of torque, the 2012 to 2014 Dodge Charger SRT8 Super Bee had a performance of 0 to 60 mph in the 4-second range, 1/4-inch in the high 12-second range, and a top speed of 175 mph.
The next buzz models are scheduled to be released on September 7th, so stay tuned as we will discuss that model, later in the week.
UPDATE: For those who want to learn more about the 2023 Dodge Charger Super Bee models, you can CLICK HERE: