Dodge Charger Daytona
| Dodge Charger Daytona | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Dodge |
| Production | 1969-1970 2006-present |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Muscle Car |
| Layout | FR layout |
| First generation | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Overview | |
| Production | 1969-1970 |
| Assembly | Hamtramck, Michigan |
| Body and chassis | |
| Body style | 2-door coupe |
| Platform | Chrysler B platform |
| Related | Dodge Charger Plymouth Superbird |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 426 Hemi 440 Magnum Six Pack |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | Template:Auto in |
| Second generation | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Overview | |
| Production | 2006-present |
| Assembly | Brampton, Ontario, Canada |
| Body and chassis | |
| Body style | 4-door sedan |
| Platform | Chrysler LX platform |
| Related | Chrysler 300 Dodge Magnum Dodge Charger Dodge Challenger |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 3.5L Template:Auto hp V6 5.7L Template:Auto hp V8 |
| Transmission | 4-speed automatic 5-speed automatic |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | Template:Auto in |
| Length | Template:Auto in |
| Width | Template:Auto in |
| Height | Template:Auto in |
Dodge, an American automobile brand, has produced three separate vehicles with the name Dodge Charger Daytona, all of which were modified Dodge Chargers. The name is taken from Daytona Beach, Florida, which was an early center for auto racing and still hosts the Daytona 500, one of NASCAR's premier events. The first use of the Daytona name on a car was the early 1960s Studebaker Lark. The Daytona was the performance model of the compact Lark.
1969
The 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona was a high performance, limited edition version of the Dodge Charger. It was produced in the summer of 1969 for the sole purpose of winning NASCAR races. And win it did: it won its first race out, the inaugural Talladega 500 in the fall, and with Bobby Isaac behind the wheel, captured the 1970 Grand National championship, NASCAR's highest honor.
One of the famous aero-cars, its special body modifications included a Template:Auto in tall stabilizer wing on the rear deck, a flush rear backlight (rear window area), a special sheetmetal "nose cone" that replaced the traditional upright front grille, specific front fenders and hood that were modeled after the upcoming 1970 Charger, stainless steel A-pillar covers and fender mounted tire clearance/brake cooling scoops. The Daytona was built on the 1969 Charger's R/T trim specifications, meaning that it carried a heavy-duty suspension and brake setup and was equipped with a 440 in³ Magnum engine as standard. Of special note to collectors is the optional 426 in³ Hemi engine, which only 70 of the 503 Daytonas carried. It had a corporate cousin in the "one year only" 1970 Plymouth Superbird.
Both are now rare and valuable collectibles, with 440-powered Daytonas reaching into six-figure territory and 426-engined cars passing the $300,000 mark. The "Super Charger IV EL", a roadster prototype spin-off of the Charger Daytona minus the roof and spoiler, is seen as a pimp-mobile in the 1974 film Truck Turner.
2005-present
Dodge reused the "Daytona" name for its Dodge Ram Daytona truck in 2005. The Dodge Charger was reintroduced for 2006 with a limited production Dodge Charger Daytona package that included a sportier interior, classic exterior colors, a rear spoiler, and rear quarter panel striping reading "DAYTONA" on either side. The Daytona also gained Template:Auto horsepower over the Charger via a larger stock air intake and a single-pass muffler.
Other "aero cars"
External links
- Daytona Superbird Auto Club website
- Winged Warriors/National B-Body Owners Association Club website
- Daytona/Superbird page
- [1] Extensive history of Charger Daytona development
- [2] What the Daytona and Super Bird any have been in 1972
