Charger Daytona

The Dodge Charger Daytona name dates to 1969, when Dodge built a NASCAR "aero-warrior" version of the Charger to counter Ford on high-speed ovals. It added a pointed nose cone and a towering 23-inch rear wing, and just 503 road cars were built to homologate it, 70 of them fitted with the 426 Hemi V8.

The aerodynamic package proved decisive: on March 24, 1970, Buddy Baker became the first NASCAR driver to break the 200 mph barrier in a Charger Daytona. The car won six races before NASCAR rule changes effectively banned the aero specials after the 1970 season.

Dodge later revived the Daytona name on the modern LX-platform Charger, including a 2013 edition with a 370-hp Hemi V8 limited to 3,000 units, and special high-output versions offered through 2023 with 5.7- and 6.4-liter V8 engines.