BOLD RIDE
They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and well… here’s a perfect example. In 1969, Dodge was looking to strengthen its NASCAR racing chops and improve its aerodynamically challenged Charger against the likes of the sleek Ford Torino Talladega. So what did Dodge do? They out-aero’d the Blue Oval and created one of the most iconic cars of all time, the Dodge Charger Daytona.
It crosses the block at Auctions America’s Fort Lauderdale event next month, and with a sale estimate of $60,000 to $65,000… it could be quite the “super bird.”
So how does said Challenger become a Daytona? It starts with the pointy revised front end, which adds a few inches to the car and incorporates new pop-up headlights. Second comes the enormous rear wing, and finally a revised rear bumper with a built-in diffuser.
While the auction house hasn’t detailed the kit’s manufacturer, companies like Detroit’s now-shuttered HPP supplied the aftermarket with these eye-catching Daytona and Plymouth Superbird packages. This car stands out a bit in that it sports what appears to be a Dodge Hellcat hood too. Racy.
Don’t get too excited though, there’s no supercharged 707-horsepower V8 beneath this snout, but it is a very respectable 5.7-liter Hemi, which pumps out a claimed 372 ponies. A few Mopar goodies find a home beneath as well, including a new air intake as well as front and rear strut braces. Further original factory upgrades include Dodge’s “Super Track Pak” which lowered the Challenger’s ride height, firmed up its sport suspension, upgraded its brakes, and provided Goodyear Eagle F1 performance rubber.
Inside the Challenger—erm, we mean Daytona—dresses with a mix of red and white leather upholstery, and features a Boston Acoustics stereo system, 6.5-inch touchscreen display, and access to the car’s pistol-grip five-speed automatic transmission. Drop it in a low gear and prepare for lift off.
So is the 2013 Dodge Challenger Daytona a bit weird? Sure. But is it sure to turn heads at your local Cars and Coffee get-together? That sounds like an affirmative.
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