Dodge lets the Super Bee out of the hive again, but its sting remains a secret

The bees point to a Super Bee revival

Dodge has released a 15-second video showing bees swarming around a drag-racing Christmas tree. The clip ends with the date 8.7.26, which in US date format means August 7, 2026. Dodge has said the announcement concerns the most powerful SIXPACK-powered Charger yet.

The Super Bee badge is the obvious conclusion, although Dodge has not officially named the car. Nor has the company shown it or released any powertrain figures. Super Bee is not a standalone model line, but a historic performance designation that Dodge has applied to various Coronet and Charger derivatives over the years.

The teaser points to August 7. The following day, on August 8, MotorTrend Presents Roadkill Nights Powered by Dodge takes place at M1 Concourse and on Woodward Avenue in Pontiac, Michigan. The 2026 event will feature street-legal drag racing on Woodward Avenue and, for the first time, a separate road-course competition inside M1 Concourse.

The new Charger must top 410 kW

The current Charger Scat Pack uses a twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre SIXPACK H.O. straight-six. In US specification, it produces 550 hp, or 410 kW, and 531 lb-ft, or 720 Nm. An eight-speed automatic transmission sends power to a standard all-wheel-drive system, while a driver-selectable rear-wheel-drive mode can direct 100 per cent of the torque to the rear wheels.

Dodge quotes a 0–60 mph (0–97 km/h) time of 3.9 seconds, a 12.2-second quarter-mile and a top speed of 177 mph (285 km/h). Peak boost pressure is 30 psi (2.07 bar), while the two 54 mm Garrett GT2054 turbochargers spin at up to 185,000 rpm.

If Dodge is calling the newcomer the most powerful SIXPACK-powered Charger yet, it will have to produce more than 410 kW. How much more remains unknown. The 600 hp figure circulating online — roughly 447 kW — appears technically plausible, but Dodge has not confirmed it. Until the official reveal, it remains speculation rather than a technical specification.

A Super Bee needs more than yellow decals

Dodge launched the first Super Bee in 1968 as a muscular, relatively no-frills answer to the Plymouth Road Runner. Based on the Coronet, the original prioritised a big engine and straight-line performance over luxury equipment. The most recent version was the 2023 Dodge Charger Super Bee, a Last Call special based on the Charger R/T Scat Pack. Its 6.4-litre Hemi V8 produced 485 hp (362 kW) and 475 lb-ft (644 Nm), and Dodge built 1,000 examples.

That car was more than a bee badge and a special paint colour. Dodge added:

drag-strip-tuned Bilstein adaptive dampers

four-piston Brembo front brakes

lightweight knurled wheels

factory-fitted Nexen drag radials

a dedicated Drag Mode

The smaller brake callipers were not a downgrade. They reduced weight at the front and, crucially, provided clearance for 18-inch wheels. The widebody Super Bee came with 18-inch wheels as standard, while the narrow-body version could accept them for drag-strip use. The Bilstein dampers’ Drag Mode promoted front-to-rear weight transfer under hard launches, putting more load through the rear tyres to improve traction.

The new Super Bee should follow the same philosophy. Extra power alone will not make it special, because the regular Scat Pack already offers Launch Control, Line Lock, Brembo brakes and the ability to switch from all-wheel drive to rear-wheel drive. At the very least, Dodge will need to revise the chassis, tyres or powertrain cooling to justify reviving such a storied badge.

A twin-turbo straight-six replaces the Hemi

Dodge has linked the new version directly to the SIXPACK powertrain. For this model, at least, that rules out a Hemi V8 and puts the spotlight firmly on the Hurricane family’s 3.0-litre straight-six. Even in the current Scat Pack, the new engine already exceeds the 2023 Super Bee V8 by 48 kW and 76 Nm. All-wheel drive helps put that performance down more effectively off the line, but the car’s character inevitably changes in the process.

The Hemi delivered a naturally aspirated V8 soundtrack, linear throttle response and rear-wheel drive. The SIXPACK counters with a broader torque plateau, twin turbochargers and the ability to switch between all- and rear-wheel drive.

The SIXPACK name is itself a deliberate nod to the past. It originally referred to three two-barrel carburettors, giving six barrels in total. Today, Dodge links the same badge to the engine’s six-cylinder layout, even though the modern straight-six uses direct injection and two turbochargers.

European buyers can use Dodge’s official importer

Dodge opened the European order books for the next-generation Charger on June 10, 2026. Both the petrol-powered SIXPACK and electric Daytona versions are available through KWA, Dodge’s official European importer, and its authorised dealer network. The European range includes two- and four-door body styles in R/T and Scat Pack trim, with pricing starting at €66,000 and first deliveries expected in September 2026.

Dodge has not said whether the prospective Super Bee will join the European range, however, and there are no model-specific European prices, WLTP fuel-consumption figures or CO2 emissions for an as-yet unannounced derivative. Its European availability therefore remains uncertain, although an official import route now exists for the regular Charger range.

Even so, the model is intriguing from a European perspective. The Ford Mustang is sticking with a naturally aspirated V8, while Dodge is trying to prove that an American muscle car can retain its character with a twin-turbo six-cylinder engine and all-wheel drive. A returning Super Bee would give the new Charger more than just another rung on the power ladder. It would create a bridge between the old Hemi era and the new SIXPACK generation.

Dodge has let the bee out of the hive. Whether it still has a sting will be revealed on August 7.