With full-throttled farewell, Dodge’s Charger bows out
I planned on greeting 2024 in my best Johnny Cash attire, mourning the end of the Dodge Charger and Challenger. The last HEMI V8 echoed throughout the Brampton Assembly Plant in Ontario, Canada, on Dec. 22, serving as an eight-piston salute to the Chrysler 300, the Ram 1500 TRX, the Dodge Challenger and the characterdriven Charger.
But before the year ended, I was allowed to drive a special edition 2023 Dodge Charger. A limited edition packing heat in the form of a naturally aspirated 6.4L HEMI and branded with a drag racing bumble bee: the 2023 Dodge Charger Super
Bee.
This Last Call edition model is limited to 1,000 units split between B5 blue and Plum Crazy purple. Underneath this Charger’s B5 blue paint and special edition Super Bee graphics is a 392 Scat Pack. That means 485 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque at your disposal to spin the rear wheels via an eightspeed automatic transmission.
Details separating the Super Bee from an offthe-rack Scat Pack include MOPAR branded hood pins, red Brembo brake calipers, 20-inch low-gloss black knurled wheels wrapped in dragready radial tires, and black exhaust tips in addition to a “Last Call” plaque under the hood.
Inside, the Super Bee comes with the Carbon/ Suede interior package, a suede headliner and authentic carbon fiber accents on the dashboard. The seats have a sparkling effect that dances in the light but can easily be mistaken for glitter — a detail I didn’t particularly appreciate because it makes the seats look like I visited an establishment with the word “Gentlemen’s” written in bright neon lettering. Nevertheless, the thick and plush bucket seats cradle you comfortably with a decent-sized headrest to catch your head when the car’s brutal acceleration shoves it back.
The car’s V8 power is its main selling point and the root of its infamous reputation among law enforcement. Its 180-mph speedometer is not just for show. This muscle sedan can reach 175 mph if given the chance. A quick search on YouTube displays a pattern in high-speed police pursuit videos showcasing an R/T, Scat Pack and Hellcat variant of a Charger or Challenger racking up felony evasion charges and giving the long arm of the law a run for its money.
It’s easy to get that go-for-broke adrenaline rush when driving it. The rumble of the engine and its almost direct response to your right foot is intoxicating. It’s easy to fall prey to a corruptible sense of absolute power as it creeps up your spine and wraps itself around your better judgment. A devilish, seductive, intrusive thought whispers in your ear, telling you to “go for it.” To push the throttle farther down until it touches the firewall.
The Charger motivates through the air like a defensive lineman hell bent on sacking the quarterback. You grip the wheel tighter as the lines on the road blur into a solid white. The Charger’s high-performance suspension keeps it planted on the road as you flirt with disaster.
If you’re lucky, you snap out of the trance before the consequences catch up. Like the Hulk returning to Bruce Banner, the Charger’s bellowing howl mellows to a big cat’s purr as you ease off the gas and return to normal cruising speed. The car’s cylinder deactivation system kicks in and starts averaging 18-20 mpg on the highway. You reach the grocery store and fill the trunk with necessities — because this is a muscle car with the practicality of a four-door sedan.
My only criticism of the Dodge Charger Super Bee is the lack of razzledazzle. This is a Last Call — the supposed end of the HEMI V8, an iconic engine dating back to 1951. Dodge and Chrysler could have done more to make these limited edition vehicles a novelty, considering the brand’s extensive catalog of visual aesthetics.
Rich Corinthian leather upholstery for the last Chrysler 300C, a redesigned automatic pistol grip shifter, mop-top flower pattern vinyl roofs, vibrant colored interiors with Wile E. Coyote chasing the Road Runner across the dashboard and a Lil Red Express package for the TRX. But alas, this is just my Santa’s list of wishful thinking.
These cars for the foreseeable future will stand out in traffic like M&Ms in a bag of trail mix. Built to emphasize fun over political correctness, they will become symbols of an era as time marches on.