1968 Dodge Super Bee

Introduced in 1968, the Dodge Super Bee emerged as a midyear addition to the Coronet lineup, representing the Scat Pack's answer to Plymouth's Road Runner. This muscle car captured attention with its bold design and performance. Explore more stunning muscle car images.

While GM had long embraced internal competition, the intense rivalry of the muscle car era ignited a fierce battle between Dodge and Plymouth. The 1968 Dodge Super Bee became the flagship for Mopar's Scat Pack. Plymouth had taken the lead with its budget-friendly 1968 Road Runner, launched in late 1967. Dodge, frustrated by Plymouth's use of the "road runner" name it had popularized in a '67 Coronet R/T ad, quickly countered. Their solution was a no-frills, high-performance model built on the Coronet's redesigned coupe platform. Borrowing the Road Runner's drivetrain, Dodge named its creation the Super Bee, inspired by its Scat Pack mascot, and released it in spring 1968.

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Priced at $3,027, the Super Bee cost $131 more than the Road Runner, though both shared the same chassis. With nearly identical curb weights, their performance was comparable. Both models featured a 335-horsepower, four-barrel 383-cid V-8 engine, equipped with cylinder heads, camshaft, and induction system borrowed from the 440 Magnum V-8.

The 426 Hemi was the sole engine choice, but its nearly $1,000 price tag conflicted with the Super Bee's affordable image, resulting in only 125 units being ordered. A Hurst-shifted four-speed manual came standard, while the three-speed TorqueFlite automatic was available as an option.

©2007 The Super Bee, designed as a no-frills pillared coupe, offered a 335-horsepower 383-cid four-barrel engine, a four-speed manual with a Hurst Competition-Plus shifter, and a heavy-duty suspension, all at a remarkably low base price.

To maintain affordability, amenities were kept to a minimum. While the Super Bee adopted the Charger's Rallye gauge setup to outshine the Road Runner in terms of instrumentation, a tachometer remained an additional $38 upgrade. However, heavy-duty suspension, brakes, and red-line wide-oval tires were included as standard features.

©2007 The Super Bee's instrument panel was directly sourced from the Dodge Charger.

Despite its low price, the Super Bee didn't skimp on style. Bold bumblebee stripes wrapped around the rear, and a prominent Super Bee emblem adorned the rear fenders. The grille featured a black matte finish, and the hood showcased a distinctive power bulge for added flair.

©2007 The Super Bee, with its playful and eye-catching graphics, was a standout member of Dodge's Scat Pack, a lineup of performance-focused vehicles marketed as the "Cars with bumblebee stripes."

Dodge confidently highlighted the Super Bee's competitive edge in its ads, stating, "It's the ultimate car

for those who want to take on GTOs without the hefty price tag." However, its sales lagging far behind the Road Runner likely left a bitter aftertaste.

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