Auto Industry News: Dodge Unveils Special Edition Super Bee, Overland Expo Heads to the Mountains, & New Study Says Road Signs Are Tricky
Dodge dropped another limited run tribute model to honor the end of the (traditional) muscle car era – and it bears a familiar name. Meanwhile, at the other end of the enthusiast spectrum, overlanders descended on Loveland, Colorado for the second annual Overland Expo Mountain West. We recap some of the more interesting attractions, and rounded up a list of the Top 10 U.S. campgrounds for those of you looking to get out of town (if not quite off the grid). Fun fact: A new study finds that reading road signs can be hard work for Americans, with construction signage presenting a significant trip-up. And, New York State wants speed-limiting software to be standard equipment in all new cars by 2024.
All that and more in this week’s Auto Industry News.
New Additions to Dodge ‘Last Call’ Lineup
You better Bee-lieve it. Dodge’s next special-edition “Last Call” model is the 2023 Dodge Charger Super Bee.
Reviving the high-performance legacy of its mid-century forebearer, the new Super Bee aims to bring even greater buzz to the track or drag strip. In fact, Dodge says this will be “the highest-performance Charger Super Bee model ever produced, with standard drag radials that help the Super Bee fly to low quarter-mile ETs and special Super Bee badging and graphics that dress up the hive.”
What is “Last Call”?
During Dodge’s Speed Week at M1 Concourse in Detroit, the brand announced its plans to discontinue the traditionally ICE-powered Charger and Challenger models after the 2023 model year – but not before delivering seven exciting tribute models meant to serve as a “Last Call” for the muscle cars we have come to know and love.
Six of the vehicles – which all carry some connection to an “iconic” Dodge from the past, per the automaker – will debut through Sept. 21, 2022. The seventh and final 2023 Dodge model – the very last of its kind – will be revealed at the 2022 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, scheduled for Nov. 1-4, 2022.
Prior to the Super Bee, Dodge announced the 2023 Dodge Challenger Shakedown. The first tribute model is essentially a production version of brand’s 2016 SEMA show-car concept. Dodge plans to create 1,000 versions total: 500 in Destroyer Grey and 500 Widebody models in Pitch Black.
The automaker has a similar plan for the new Charger Super Bee. Only 1,000 Dodge Charger Super Bee models will be produced: 500 Scat Pack vehicles (in B5 Blue) and 500 Scat Pack Widebody vehicles (in Plum Crazy).
For those Dodge fans eying up a ’23 model but not looking to buy into the special edition-hype, the automaker promises you the same palette of heritage colors, as well as your very own “Last Call” branded plaque under the hood. A bittersweet consolation gift for the end of an era, to be sure.
Overland Expo Mountain West
Less than one hour from Denver, and nestled at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains sits the aptly-named Loveland, Colorado. The area is home to some of the country’s most majestic terrain – as well as thousands of overlanding enthusiasts for one weekend a year.
Overland Expo Mountain West is a newer addition on the calendar of events, but no less popular for it. The event drew in an impressive 18,000 total attendees this year, as well as 310 registered exhibitors and 77 total presenters, trainers, and VIPs.
In addition to GMC’s in-person debut of the all-new Canyon, INEOS showed up to pull the covers off its Grenadier prototype.
The off-road utility vehicle was designed as a modern replacement of the original Land Rover Defender, but with intentional old-school styling. Its boxy design, analog-heavy interior, body-on-frame construction, and solid beam axles exude off-road confidence, while the B58 straight-six 3.0L turbo under the hood brings BMW’s legendary sophistication and refinement to the driving experience. No word on pricing yet, but the Grenadier is expected to drop onto the U.S. market in Q3 2023.
Other highlights included:
- Electric Off-Roaders.
Both the GMC Hummer EV and Rivian R1T/R1S made appearances, highlighting their off-road equipment and complementary overlanding accessories. While this category still has some challenges to sort out in range and charging before it can confidently corner the market on off-grid travel, it certainly caught attention – particularly among those who don’t think twice about laying out a lot of cash for overlanding gear.
- Cool Swag.
Speaking of overlanding gear, there was plenty of innovative kit on display from the hundreds of exhibitors in attendance. The Overland Expo team highlighted a few of their favorites, including this modular sleep system called the Badger Bed from Born Outdoor, and this clever Universal Spare Tire Carrier from Jsport. It allows you move your spare from its original location without adding a rear bumper. Check out the full list here.
- Wild Rigs.
As always, some very cool custom pickups and campers showed up to mix and mingle with fellow enthusiasts. Check out the top five picks from the TFL guys in the video below.
Did you know…?
Ford says the Bronco is now its most-accessorized product. The retro 4×4 and its crossover sibling have only been on sale a little over a year, and already retailers have sold more than 1 million factory-backed accessories for both models. Ford says customers spend an average $1,700. While they have some 240 parts to chose from, the top-sellers are modular front bumpers, winches, and off-road lights.
Camping Season Still in Full Swing
Getting off-grid isn’t for everyone, but getting out of town sure holds some appeal. And according to Kampgrounds of America (KOA), more than 25 million people were itching to hit the road and go camping this past weekend for the Labor Day holiday. The big motivator? Negative experiences from other forms of travel, particularly air travel. (Between horror stories of long-lost luggage and 24-hour delays, we can’t blame them.)
KOA notes that nearly half of all surveyed campers reported having a negative non-camping travel experience this year, including 28% who are now taking more and/or longer camping trips due to these negative experiences. “Additionally, one-third of campers have replaced or plan to replace another leisure travel trip with a camping stay, again helping to contribute to the strong camping incidence figures for this year.”
With that in mind – as well as falling gas prices – here are the 10 best U.S. campgrounds that need to be on your vacation bucket list, from RVIA.
- Savage River Campground – Denali National Park, Alaska
- Colonial Creek North Campground – North Cascades National Park, Washington
- Kirk Creek Campground – Big Sur, California
- White Tank Campground – Joshua Tree National Park, California
- North Rim Campground – Grand Canyon National Park
- Two Medicine Campground – Glacier National Park, Montana
- North Campground – Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah
- Boca Chita Key – Biscayne National Park, Florida
- Assateague Island National Seashore – Virginia and Maryland
- Schoodic Woods Campground – Acadia National Park, Maine
Road Signs Are Tricky, Study Finds
If you do have travel plans on the docket, be safe out there. A new survey from myvision.org found that many Americans, even those in possession of a license for more than 25 years, struggle to read everyday road signs.
When shown signs with just their shapes and colors (no text), only 73% of drivers could accurately identify a road construction sign. Nearly 13% confused it for a railroad crossing sign, 4% mistook it for a slow-moving vehicle sign, and 4% thought it was a no-passing sign. Thankfully, when text was present, drivers faced much less confusion. Still, nearly 60% of respondents reported having trouble driving because of bad signage – namely related to poor placement.
Other interesting takeaways from the report include:
- More than 3 out of 5 survey takers (67%) feel drivers have gotten more reckless in the past year.
- Amazingly, 92% of respondents have seen someone else texting while driving…yet only 16% admitted to texting and driving themselves.
- Nearly 7 out of 10 drivers admit they do other things at a stoplight rather than pay attention to the road. A big offender? Yep, texting. 70% admitted to the behavior.
- 36% have trouble driving after the sun sets, and 10% have gotten into a car accident at night. Poorly-lit roads, difficulty seeing at night, and those pesky aforementioned road signs are main contributing issues.
NY Wants Speed-Limiting Software as Standard Equipment
New legislation in New York could require automakers to outfit all new cars in the state after 2024 with advanced safety technology. This would include familiar ADAS features like Advanced Emergency Braking (AEB) and Emergency Lane Keeping Systems (ELKS), but also more polarizing technology like active Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA).
With active ISA, the vehicle will automatically slow down if a driver attempts to go over the speed limit. (There are also passive forms of the technology, which merely alert a driver when they’re speeding or gently remind them of the local limit.)
ISA technology is widely-used in Europe, and recently became mandatory on new models of vehicles sold in the E.U. However, usage of these systems still remains optional there.
In theory, ISA presents attractive reductions in traffic fatalities. However, the technology is not yet perfect – and as we’ve established, neither is signage design or placement. Off-ramp speed signs visible from the highway and partially-obstructed road signs are just two instances that can prove dangerous if software misreads them.
Put It To The Test
In truth, the bill’s passage is somewhat irrelevant. What really matters is whether or not the state can legally enforce it. It is the federal government’s job to handle vehicle safety regulations, and it’s one they do not take lightly.
Regardless, the state is putting money into analyzing the equipment’s efficacy on NYC roads. Mayor Eric Adams recently implemented a new $80,000 pilot program to test ISA technology on 50 city fleet vehicles. The administration hopes this proactive step will “offer an important tool to regulate and standardize safe driving among city employees,” according to a press release.
“Speeding ruins lives, so we must take action to prevent it, and New York City is leading by example by implementing new technology to reduce speeds on city fleet vehicles,” said Mayor Adams.
Self-Driving Update
With all this talk of computer-controlled driving functions, we thought an update on autonomous vehicle progression was in order.
You may remember that Tesla’s self-driving technology recently faced growing scrutiny from multiple fronts, including the California DMV, NHTSA, and even Ralph Nader. Despite the heat, Elon Musk seems disinterested in pulling back. He announced last week at an energy conference in Norway that he hopes to “have self-driving [Tesla cars] in wide release at least in the U.S., and … potentially in Europe, depending on regulatory approval.”
In other news, GM’s Cruise outfit recalled and revised its own autonomous driving software after NHTSA determined the technology could “incorrectly predict another vehicle’s path” when making an unprotected left turn. NHTSA began investigating the software after a June crash left two people injured in San Francisco. Cruise said a software update has resolved the issue.
The Engine Block is your one-stop source for any and all auto industry news. Keep an eye on our weekly round-up of enthusiast coverage, product reviews, vehicle spotlights, auto show/expo features, and more. Be sure to check back Wednesday for a primer on ethanol treatments.
