Can Hemi come out and play?
Every once and awhile, I get some seat time in some pretty cool cars. Today’s workout was in a 2012 Super Bee. If you’re not familiar with the Super Bee, read this quick to get a history lesson. When I read the original presser for the new Super Bee, I was disappointed. I felt they stripped the car of all the features of the Gen1 LX Charger Super Bee.
When I was initially asked if I wanted to drive it, I turned it down. Still snubbing my nose at this car, for no other reason than because of what I felt was missing. After standing around the car for a bit, I started noticing things – things that I thought were interesting. First off, the brakes! Yes, they’re Brembo’s alright. But they’re not what you typically see for the big B. These were unfinished. A raw, natural caliper from the master in stopping. Dodge had decided that you don’t need fancy colors for the calipers – this car is all about stuffing a big engine in a base car.
Yikes, this caliper is naked!
The hood is not the same bonnet that covers other 392ci engines. This is the hood found on your run of the mill Charger. The spoiler was unpainted, the seats are cloth, and the radio is small. It was about this time, that I was offered the keys again for this machine of mayhem. I took the keys (well, the keyless fob), and decided to hop in.
Warning: You may be stung if you sit on them.
I just sat in the car for a bit, trying to get a better feel for the interior before being distracted by 6.4 liters of fun. The seats were cloth! I’ve haven’t had cloth seats since I had a 1997 Jeep Wrangler. It was a bit of a shock to not find leather. The seats were customized with the Super Bee logo, and matching striping. I was a bit surprised, as they were really comfortable! They’re not the custom leather glove that the SRT bolstered seats are, but they still provided plenty of hug when I needed them to.
I hit the start button. There really should be a warning screen that pops up that says “I hope you know what you’re doing”. Hearing it fire, I was honestly expecting a bit more of a rumble, this seemed a little too quiet. Nothing that opening up the fore and aft of the engine can’t fit (cold air intake, exhaust). As I pulled out of Fury Motors Lake Elmo, I knew I was in for some fun.
Once I got the car up to temp, I opened her up and she screamed. I’m pretty sure I could hear the car moaning “more, faster, push it!” I had to remind this SRT powered beast that we’re on public roads in a bright yellow car – there’s no hiding. Taking the car through some twisties, you could really feel how well a car of this size could handle. The throttle response was quick.
As I continued to drive, I noticed the neck-snapping abilities this car had. NOT for anyone in the car, but for passerby’s. I lost count of how many people nearly fell over as I passed them by. Oh, and to the Washington County Sheriff officer that I passed… I bet you wish your cruiser was fast like me (sung to The Pussycat Dolls).
I’m not normally a outlandish color kind of guy. I drive a Cool Vanilla Magnum RT, I blend in to the crowd. This was about as attention grabbing of a color as you can get. Stinger Yellow. For those that want to hide and stalk their prey, the car is available in Pitch Black as well.
I was stung by the Stinger Bee. I want.
-Bud
