None More Yellow: The Super Bee Returns, Brings A Friend

Jack Baruth
by Jack Baruth

Just look at that photo: it’s the new Charger SRT-8 “Super Bee” running the back straight at Waterford Hills. One of my favorite cars, at one of my favorite places… plus a new color and some interior trim changes. What’s not to like? Well, there’s the Chargers really shouldn’t have four doors factor. If you want to, as Nicki Minaj says, “back coupes up and chuck the deuce up,” there’s now a yellow special-edition Challenger, too.

The Chrysler LX/LY/whatever cars are real auto-enthusiast litmus tests. Either you love them for being unapologetic two-ton, 400-plus-horsepower, square-shouldered ass-kickers, or you’re turned off by their weight, their lack of finesse, their unquenchable thirst for fuel, and their inability to pack even a mid-sized car’s worth of space inside what it nearly a full-sized automobile.

For those of us who fall in the first category, there’s a new Charger Super Bee and Challenger “Yellow Jacket”. All the changes are cosmetic, as far as I can tell from the press release. Two cars you either love or loathe, now available in yellow.

While the Challenger can, and should be, had with a six-speed manual, most of these cars will go out the door with the old Benz-sourced five-speed auto. The ZF 8-speed which is pushing the Pentastar-powered 300 and Charger to their well-publicized 31mpg estimated highway rating won’t be showing up for duty, either because

a) they don’t have enough of the transmissions available


b) they haven’t had time to complete testing


c) the HEMI 6.4 would turn the 8-speed into a magnesium box full of aluminum dust.

My money’s on c).

Production of the Super Bee and Yellow Jacket will be limited (to as many as they can sell) so get in line early!



Jack Baruth
Jack Baruth

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  • Ronnie Schreiber Ronnie Schreiber on Nov 14, 2011

    If you're gonna go with a throwback muscle car, might as well go whole hog and get an HPP Petty Superbird. icon Or go whole Boss Hogg and get a Col. Lee replicar. icon Yeah, I know, not current model. Work with me.

  • 05lgt 05lgt on Nov 15, 2011

    "Either you love them ... or you’re turned off..." Is there room in your world for me to be both? I've still got my (mostly wrecked) '70 Challenger in the garage doing duty as a low functioning shelf, and I have to admit a bit of the old feeling for the Yellow Jacket. BUT, I'm turned off by the original. the stupid reproduction is HEAVY, and has all the old faults without wheelies.

  • Marcr My wife and I mostly work from home (or use public transit), the kid is grown, and we no longer do road trips of more than 150 miles or so. Our one car mostly gets used for local errands and the occasional airport pickup. The first non-Tesla, non-Mini, non-Fiat, non-Kia/Hyundai, non-GM (I do have my biases) small fun-to-drive hatchback EV with 200+ mile range, instrument display behind the wheel where it belongs and actual knobs for oft-used functions for under $35K will get our money. What we really want is a proper 21st century equivalent of the original Honda Civic. The Volvo EX30 is close and may end up being the compromise choice.
  • Mebgardner I test drove a 2023 2.5 Rav4 last year. I passed on it because it was a very noisy interior, and handled poorly on uneven pavement (filled potholes), which Tucson has many. Very little acoustic padding mean you talk loudly above 55 mph. The forums were also talking about how the roof leaks from not properly sealed roof rack holes, and door windows leaking into the lower door interior. I did not stick around to find out if all that was true. No talk about engine troubles though, this is new info to me.
  • Dave Holzman '08 Civic (stick) that I bought used 1/31/12 with 35k on the clock. Now at 159k.It runs as nicely as it did when I bought it. I love the feel of the car. The most expensive replacement was the AC compressor, I think, but something to do with the AC that went at 80k and cost $1300 to replace. It's had more stuff replaced than I expected, but not enough to make me want to ditch a car that I truly enjoy driving.
  • ToolGuy Let's review: I am a poor unsuccessful loser. Any car company which introduced an EV which I could afford would earn my contempt. Of course I would buy it, but I wouldn't respect them. 😉
  • ToolGuy Correct answer is the one that isn't a Honda.
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