- The limited-edition Charger Super Bee produces 600bhp from a 3.0-litre twin-turbo straight-six.
- It can switch from all-wheel drive to rear-wheel drive and reaches 60mph in 3.6 seconds.
- The new model is due in the US next year but is unlikely to be sold officially in the UK.
The new Dodge Charger Super Bee is aimed at buyers who still want the drama of an American muscle car, even though the latest petrol Charger has moved away from the V8 that once defined the name. The limited-edition model gets a 600bhp version of Stellantis' 3.0-litre twin-turbo Hurricane straight-six, making it the most powerful version of the engine used in the Charger so far.
That is 50bhp more than the Charger Scat Pack's straight-six and 143bhp more than the 5.0-litre V8 in the Ford Mustang. The engine produces 531lb ft of torque, with larger Garrett turbochargers, a revised intake and intercoolers helping to increase output.
Dodge says the Super Bee can accelerate from 0 to 60mph in 3.6 seconds and cover the quarter mile in 11.8 seconds. That still leaves the electric Charger ahead on outright acceleration, but Dodge is clearly focusing on making the petrol version more than just a straight-line performer.
The car comes with all-wheel drive as standard, but drivers can switch to rear-wheel drive using a button on the steering wheel. The system can be activated while driving, giving the Super Bee a very different character when the driver wants to use the rear wheels alone.
Dodge has also worked on the parts around the engine. The Super Bee gets extra cooling, revised turbocharger and exhaust tuning, sharper throttle response and an updated Launch Control system. A new Track Mode is joined by Line Lock and Torque Reserve functions aimed at quicker launches.
The front end has been redesigned to increase airflow to the main cooling system by 30 per cent, while two additional auxiliary radiators help keep temperatures under control during harder driving. Dodge also says the revised design creates around 45kg of extra downforce at 150mph.
More than a straight-line muscle car
The Super Bee's upgrades continue underneath the body. It gets 20-inch forged wheels, sticky Goodyear tyres and larger 16-inch Brembo brakes with six-piston callipers at the front and four-piston units at the rear.
Dodge says the braking package offers three times the brake-fade resistance of any other current Charger. New dual-valve adaptive dampers and stiffer chassis components are also intended to make the car more stable and responsive when driven hard.
There is a fair amount of history behind the name, too. Dodge first introduced the Super Bee in 1968 as a performance version of the Coronet, with the distinctive bee graphics later becoming associated with its muscle cars. The new Charger brings those graphics back as part of the limited Launch Edition.
The Super Bee will be available as both a two-door coupe and four-door saloon, following the wider Charger line-up. Pricing is expected to be announced later in 2026, with sales in the US scheduled for 2027.
For UK buyers, however, there is a catch. The Super Bee is not currently expected to receive an official UK launch, meaning anyone wanting Dodge's 600bhp straight-six muscle car on British roads may have to look at alternative routes to get one.
The bigger question is whether a 600bhp turbocharged straight-six can fill the gap left by the V8. Dodge has added more power, rear-wheel drive and track-focused hardware, but the character of the old-school American muscle car is harder to recreate with six cylinders.
