Dodge introduced the 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona. The car was created by Dodge, a Chrysler division, as an aerodynamic competition version of the Charger for NASCAR racing.
The Charger Daytona followed the Charger 500, which had been modified to improve the standard Charger’s high-speed performance. Dodge engineers added an extended aerodynamic nose and a very tall rear wing. The unusual shape reduced aerodynamic lift and drag and helped the car remain stable at racing speeds, even though the wing appeared impractically large on a road car.
The Daytona was introduced on April 13, 1969, and Dodge needed production examples to satisfy NASCAR homologation rules. Its engineering development included testing at Chrysler’s proving grounds, where a prototype reached 205 mph with a four-barrel carburetor. Production cars used powerful Chrysler V8s, including the 440 Magnum and optional 426 Hemi.
Plymouth’s 1970 Superbird is the related car most often confused with the Daytona. Both were Chrysler Corporation aero cars, but the 1969 Charger Daytona was specifically a Dodge. Only 503 U.S. examples were produced, making it especially collectible today.