Dodge Charger ‘Super Bee’ Is Coming Back, but Not With a V8
Dodge confirmed its next big reveal, and the engine underneath is not the one many fans were hoping for.
On July 28, 2026, Dodge released a short teaser video showing a swarm of bees covering the starting lights at a drag strip, known in racing as the “Christmas tree.” The lights turn green, the buzzing grows louder, and the video closes on a callback to the classic black and yellow color scheme tied to one of Dodge’s most recognized performance names: Super Bee.
View this post on Instagram
The reveal is set for Friday, August 7, 2026, during a press preview at M1 Concourse in Pontiac, Michigan. The car will then make its public debut the next day at Roadkill Nights Powered by Dodge, the brand’s annual drag racing event on Woodward Avenue in Metro Detroit.
Not a V8, According to Dodge
Early rumors, including talk of a new 5.2-liter V8, suggested Dodge might finally be bringing a Hemi back into the Charger. Dodge has since ruled that out.
Dodge CEO Matt McAlear said the company is preparing to reveal the most powerful Sixpack-powered Charger it has ever built. Sixpack is Dodge’s name for its twin-turbo 3.0-liter Hurricane inline-six engine family, not a V8. That confirms the new Super Bee will keep the six-cylinder engine already used across the current Charger lineup, at least for this model.
The current high-output version of the Hurricane six, found in the Charger Scat Pack, makes 550 horsepower and 531 lb-ft of torque. Supercar enthusiasts are expecting the Super Bee to push that number closer to 600 horsepower, though Dodge has not confirmed a final figure.
A Name With History
Dodge has not officially confirmed the Super Bee name, but the teaser leaves little doubt. Bees, a drag strip, and the black and yellow reference all point in the same direction.
The Super Bee name first appeared in 1968 on the Dodge Coronet as a lower-priced muscle car alternative. It later moved to the Charger and has returned several times since, most recently in 2023 as part of Dodge’s “Last Call” send-off for its V8-powered Charger and Challenger. That version used a 6.4-liter V8 making 485 horsepower and was limited to 1,000 units, split between B5 Blue standard cars and Plum Crazy widebody models.
What We Know So Far
- Reveal date: August 7, 2026, press preview at M1 Concourse in Pontiac, Michigan
- Public debut: August 8, 2026, at Roadkill Nights on Woodward Avenue
- Expected engine: Twin-turbo 3.0-liter Hurricane inline-six
- Expected output: Around 600 horsepower, unconfirmed
- Name: Not officially announced, but strongly hinted through the bee-themed teaser
Part of a Bigger Anniversary
The reveal timing lines up with the Charger’s 60th anniversary, since the nameplate first launched in 1966. Dodge has other events planned around the milestone, including the Woodward Dream Cruise on August 15 and the Dodge NHRA Great Lakes Nationals in mid-September.
Dodge is not the only Stellantis brand reviving an old bee-badged name this year. Ram brought back the Rumble Bee nameplate on the 2027 Ram 1500, including an SRT version powered by a supercharged 6.2-liter Hellcat V8 rated at 777 horsepower. That means Hemi V8 power still lives on within Stellantis, just not under the hood of this particular Charger.
A V8 may still return to the Charger lineup at some point. Reports point to a future Charger SRT model, expected to arrive with a large rear wing reminiscent of the Superbird era, as part of Stellantis’s broader plan to launch 60 new vehicles and refresh 50 more by 2030. That model is separate from the Super Bee reveal happening this August.
For now, Dodge fans will have to wait until August 7 for the full picture, including final horsepower numbers, pricing, and official confirmation of the Super Bee name.
