Dodge Charger Daytona history: from the 1969 winged car to the EV

Dodge Charger Daytona history

Dodge built the 1969 Charger Daytona to win on NASCAR's fastest tracks. Its pointed nose cone and towering rear wing transformed the Charger's aerodynamics, and on March 24, 1970, Buddy Baker drove one around Talladega at 200.447 mph — the first NASCAR lap over 200 mph. Dodge built 503 for U.S. customers (plus about 40 for Canada); 70 had the 426 Hemi.

The name came back in 2006 on a limited Charger Daytona R/T sedan with a 350 hp 5.7L Hemi, then on further editions for 2013, 2017 (including a Daytona 392 with the 6.4L Hemi) and a 501-car 2020 Daytona with a 717 hp Hellcat engine.

For the 2024 model year the all-new Charger launched as the battery-electric Charger Daytona in two- and four-door form, rated at 496 hp (R/T) or 670 hp (Scat Pack) with its temporary power boost.[1],[2],[3],[4]

Years and production numbers

Generations and key variants

Engine and drivetrain facts

• The 1969 Daytona offered the 440 Magnum V8 (375 hp) and, at extra cost, the 426 Hemi (425 hp).
• The modern gasoline Daytonas used Hemi V8s: 5.7L in the 2006–2017 cars, 6.4L in the 2017 Daytona 392 and a 717 hp supercharged 6.2L in the 2020 edition.
• The electric Charger Daytona uses front and rear motors; gas-powered versions of the same car use the 3.0L twin-turbo SIXPACK inline-six.

Sources:[1],[3],[4],[5]

What changed over the years

1. 1969Nose cone and rear wing for NASCAR; 503 U.S. cars.
2. March 24, 1970Buddy Baker laps Talladega at 200.447 mph in a Charger Daytona.
3. 2006–2009Daytona R/T editions of the LX Charger sedan with the 5.7L Hemi.
4. 2013 and 20173,000-car 2013 R/T Daytona; 2017 Daytona and Daytona 392.
5. 2020501-car Daytona edition with a 717 hp Hellcat engine.
6. 2024Electric Charger Daytona launches the new-generation Charger.

Sources:[1],[2],[3]

What to check before you buy one

• For a 1969 Daytona, authenticity is the whole value: documented provenance, original nose and wing, and correct engine stampings. Recreations exist, so get an expert inspection.
• For a 2006–2020 Daytona edition, confirm from the VIN and paperwork that the car is a factory Daytona and not a decal or appearance conversion.
• For an electric Charger Daytona, check battery state-of-health information, software update history and any open recalls with a dealer.
• On 1981-and-later cars, the factory build sheet confirms the edition and its packages.

Engine guides: 5.7L HEMI V8, 6.4L HEMI V8, Supercharged 6.2L HEMI (Hellcat).

Dodge Charger Daytona prices and values

Medians of asking prices, not transaction prices; every trim is blended, so performance variants usually sit well above these medians. "Below new median" compares each model year's median used listing with the median listing price of a new 2026 Charger today. More in our Dodge Charger depreciation study.

Mileage: across 13,289 used Dodge Charger listings in our November 2026 study (all model years), the median odometer reading was 77,014 miles and 1.6% showed 200,000 miles or more. See how long a Dodge Charger lasts.

How to verify a Dodge Charger Daytona's factory options

Daytona editions are packages on a Charger, so badges and stripes alone do not prove one. For a 2006-or-later Charger Daytona, CarWhere checks the 17-character VIN for licensed factory build data and lists the equipment on record when it exists.

Standardized 17-character VINs began with the 1981 model year, so the 1969 Charger Daytona predates them; every 2006-and-later Charger Daytona has one.[6]

For pre-1981 examples, the body (fender or data) tag and engine stampings carry the original factory codes; a VIN-based build lookup does not apply to them.