The Super Bee form Dodge was a limited edition muscle car produced in 1968-1971 period. The original Super Bee was based on Dodge Coronet which was Dodge’s low-priced muscle car [±$3.000] familiar to Plymouth Road Runner. After the Road Runners success Dodge devision designer were assigned to create an identity name for Dodge – the Bee was born. It had its own customized Scat Pack logo with Bee which gave the touch for the car. The first unit was based on 1968 Coronet Convertible.
The Dodge Coronet Super Bee engine option was solid: 383 Magnum [6.3 liter Big Block, 335 HP], 426 Hemi [7 liter, 425 HP] and 440 [7.2 liter Hemi, 390 HP] cubic V8s. The car had heavy duty suspension, 4-speed manual transmission, high performance tires. Coronet came only as 2-door pillared coupe during the first production run in 1968. The hardtop version joined the Bee family in 1969 – it had optional twin-scooped hood version [aka, the Ramcharger] which was seriously functional and became very popular. The 440 6-barrel option was available in 1969.
1970 Super Bee faced some changes: new front end, bucket seats, Hurst shifter [on 4-speed manuals], twin-looped front bumper [aka, bumble bee wings] which wasn’t popular among buyers and made the sales go down. Bur ironically, this feature is very popular nowadays.
The 1971 Super Bee was moved to the Charger nameplate and got its only smal block 340 4-bbl engine [5.6 liter V8, 275 HP], because 1971 Coronet was only available in sedan and station wagon bodies.
After almost 40 years the Super Bee was revived for the . It was based on limited edition “Detonator Yellow” STR8 that had 425 HP 6.1 liter Hemi engine. There were 1000 Yellow [year 2007], 1000 B5 Blue [2008] and 425 Hemi Orange [2009] Super Bees produced.
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