This morning, the Dodge social media channels shared a short video that is said to be teasing “the next era of Dodge muscle”, and we are pretty confident that it is latest version of the Charger Super Bee. We do not know for sure, but based on the teaser video showing a drag strip starting line tree covered with bees, a new Dodge Charger Super Bee seems like the most likely possibility and if you think that it is going to be powered by a Hemi V8 – you might be in for some bad news. Based on a recent press release pertaining to Roadkill Nights Powered by Dodge, a Hurricane-powered car is set to debut at the automotive festival in Pontiac, one day after the debut date mentioned in the new teaser video.
The Next Era of Dodge Muscle
The 15-second video that debuted across the Dodge social media channels is simply labeled “The next era of Dodge muscle. Coming 8.7.26.” The video begins with a look down a drag strip from behind the starting line, with a bee flying past the camera as Wiz Khalifa’s “Black and Yellow” plays in the background. The footage then jumps to a close-up of the starting line tree, and the entire thing is covered with bees. We then watch as the staging bulbs light up, followed by each of the amber lights and finally the green lights. The video then ends with the date 8.7.26 and the Dodge logo on a screen that is alternating between black and yellow backgrounds.
Based on this basic teaser, I believe that the next era of Dodge muscle will be the latest Charger Super Bee.
Last Super Bee was a Drag Racer
The Super Bee name was last offered for the 2023 Dodge Charger as part of the limited edition Last Call program. That package was based on the Scat Pack, so it was powered by the 392-cubic inch Hemi V8, packing 485 horsepower and 475 lb-ft of torque. To make it more drag strip-ready, it came fitted with lightweight wheels wrapped in drag radial tires and a special drag setting to the adaptive suspension system, allowing for the best weight transfer for a hard launch down the quarter mile – leading to stock quarter mile times in the mid-to-low 12-second range.
Possibly the Most Powerful Hurricane Car Yet
The car in the new Dodge teaser video is set to debut on August 7th. The media preview for Roadkill Nights is also on August 7th and we know that Dodge plans to debut the most powerful Hurricane-powered vehicle to date at Roadkill Nights. If Dodge is planning to introduce the next era of muscle and the most powerful Hurricane-powered vehicle on the same day, it seems likely that we are talking about the same vehicle. If that is the case, then the new Dodge Charger Super Bee will likely be an all-wheel-drive vehicle, powered by the twin turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six. The High Output Hurricane in the current Dodge Charger SixPack Scat Pack is already quicker and more powerful than the 392 Hemi-powered 2023 Super Bee, but with the promise of the most powerful Hurricane variant, it is very possible that this new Super Bee could be a stock 11-second car.
As for the power levels, the current High Output engine in the Charger delivers 550 horsepower and 531 lb-ft of torque, so we can expect more than that…we just aren’t sure how much more. It would be a nice marketing angle if this new Charger offered 600 horsepower and 550 lb-ft of torque – both of which are possible with nothing more than basic engine tuning.
What to Expect from a New Dodge Super Bee
Provided that the next era of Dodge muscle is a Charger Super Bee that has been engineered from drag strip dominance, there are a few key features that we can expect. As mentioned above, it seems likely that the new Super Bee will be powered by the Hurricane engine architecture and it will likely be paired to an 8-speed automatic transmission. Although a rear-drive car would be lighter, the advantages of all-wheel-drive outweigh those weight savings, so I expect to see the most powerful Hurricane engine sending that power to all four wheels. We can also expect some tires that are designed to offer the best grip on a hard launch, presumably wrapped around a nice, light set of wheels. The new Dodge Charger Super Bee will likely have some other weight-saving measures, including a minimal sound system, the lightest seating options possible and the lightest braking system in the company parts bin.
We Talk Cars will be at Roadkill Nights Powered by Dodge, bringing you the debut of the next era of Dodge muscle and the rest of the excitement from the Motor City festival.
