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This Modern Take On The Super Bee, Is The Bee’s Knees!

Modern Take On The Legendary Coronet Super Bee, Makes Us Want More...

The Dodge Coronet is was one of the longest-running nameplates in the history of the Dodge brand. The Coronet name originated in 1949 and became the brand’s most premium model. In 1955, the nameplate was restructured to be the entry-level trim for the brand. It was soon after, the name was introduced to its midsized models. It was then, the Coronet took on a new life as a muscle car, by offering the 7.2-liter (440 cubic-inch) V8 in 1965, a year later the Coronet could be optioned with the legendary 7.0-liter (426 cubic-inch) HEMI V8.

1970 Dodge Coronet Super Bee. (Dodge).

In 1968, Dodge introduced the Dodge Coronet Super Bee as part of the brand’s ‘Scat Pack’ performance group. It brought high-performance muscle to a low price class. The two-door coupe came standard with the bold 6.3-liter (383 cubic-inch) ‘MAGNUM’ V8 making 335 horsepower and 425 lb-ft (576 N⋅m) of torque. Optional was the 426 HEMI V8 making an underestimated 425 horsepower and 490 lb-ft (664 N⋅m) of torque. Only 125 Super Bees with the HEMI would leave the assembly line in 1968.

1970 Dodge Coronet Super Bee. (Dodge).

Customers could choose between a Mopar A833 4-speed manual transmission with a Hurst Competition-Plus shifter with Hurst linkage or the infamous A727 3-speed TorqueFlite automatic transmission.

In 1969, the radical 440 Six-Pack was added to the Super Bee’s list of engine options. By placing three Holley two-barrel carburetors on top of the 440 ‘MAGNUM’ V8, the Super Bee generated 390 horsepower and 490 lb-ft (664 N⋅m) of torque.

1970 Dodge Coronet Super Bee. (Dodge).

For 1970, the Super Bee was back with the Coronet adapting more of a ‘bee’ like front end design treatment. It created one of the most iconic looks for a muscle car of the era.

The Super Bee was switched to the Charger model for 1971 but continued to offer its impressive engine line-up and heavy-duty suspension. The HEMI-powered 1971 Dodge Charger Super Bee could reach 60 mph in 5.7 seconds and ran the quarter-mile in only 13.7 seconds.

1970 Dodge Coronet Super Bee. (Dodge).

In its brief original four-year run, the name Super Bee reached legendary status by giving the customer an ultra-high performance vehicle that they could drive to work during the week, yet take to the track on the weekend and outperform the competition.

Our friend digital artist wb_artist20, has come up with a modern take on two-door Coronet Super Bee in his latest design. Using the 797 horsepower Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye as his inspiration, the Coronet design looks very modern despite its retro-cues. 

Using the 1970 Dodge Coronet as his inspiration, gone are the modern-day ‘crosshair’ and ‘bandit’ grilles that we have become accustomed to with the Dodge lineup. Instead, we get an upright grille on an angular slant with quad-headlamps and large lower fascia opening. The design creates a clear look that pays homage to the original Super Bee coupe. 

Dodge Coronet Super Bee Design. (wb.artist20).

Squared off fender openings, 20-inch steel wheels replacing the original 14-inch units, and a two-tone black and B5 Blue paint scheme with 1970-inspired Super Bee graphics, give this design the perfect stance in today’s world of muscle cars. The Redeye’s twin-snorkel hood which is inspired by the original Super Bee looks like it’s meant to be there.

While we love the modern-day special edition Super Bees, nothing has taken the place of the original. We love this design and we think it’s time for another take on the Super Bee.

 

Robert S. Miller

Robert S. Miller is a diehard Mopar enthusiast who lives and breathes all that is Mopar. The Michigander is not only the Editor for MoparInsiders.com, 5thGenRams.com, and HDRams.com but an automotive photographer. He is an avid fan of offshore powerboat racing, which he travels the country to take part in.

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B-Body is where it was at... love the 70 Super Bee...

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Living the muscle car era as a Mopar muscle car driving gear head makes me one special, lucky guy and gives me some insight as well. There has to be more than stripes and a bee to make a Super Bee. Going to its roots, you need a Roadrunner philosophy to get the Bee, a stripped down affordable entry level muscle car. My latest Mopar muscle car, a Dodge Challenger R/T Plus goes a long way in capturing the basics in driving dynamics, performance and cool culture of the originals in a modern package, it is amazing. One must concentrate all our efforts to this muscle segment on Dodge and Challenger and Charger. We can have a Super Bee model, but it should be true to its roots as a stripped down, entry level R/T, with big power and of course all the Bee styling cues that made this model so outrageous and “Super Cool”. The 1320 comes closest, but ditch that name, add the nasty Bee and cut the price. Pricing it right fulfills the original formula that drew muscle wanna be’s to the Super Bee. It can do it again.

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Sooo, while nice, I despised the 70 super bee facelift, even when I was too young to know what I was looking at. I think the new challenger lends well to the 70 up charger/roadrunner though

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Sooo, while nice, I despised the 70 super bee facelift, even when I was too young to know what I was looking at. I think the new challenger lends well to the 70 up charger/roadrunner though

The ‘70 bold update could offend some, but it did stand out in a crowded muscle car field. Although interesting, this particular rendition so nicely done here, is just a speculative look at a new Super Bee. My point is the Challenger is the only car that can be used for a new SB. The Charger has it’s Daytona, so it is not considered. The Challenger though could use the Scat Pack motor with just the minimum required standered equipment, priced below the R/T Scat Pack with all the Super Bee stripes and signature Bee as a special addition model. Remember the original was priced below the R/T. The more I think about it, the more I like it.

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Where do you think the front styling came from...

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The goggles from the Super Bee logo

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