To commemorate the final year of the current generation of the HEMI^® engine-powered Dodge Charger, the high-performance brand introduced the King Daytona package. This latest in the storied history of the Daytona name is based on the SRT^® Hellcat Redeye, making it the most powerful Charger package, while also being one of the lowest in production number of the 2023 Dodge Last Call packages, with only 300 planned for the U.S. market. The combination of 807 horsepower, a high-performance braking system, an adjustable suspension system and a cabin packed full of premium amenities, the King Daytona is the best Charger to wear the Daytona name since the original back in 1969.

Charger Daytona History

The first Dodge Charger Daytona was introduced as a production model back in 1969 in order to make the model legal for use in NASCAR.

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That original 1969 Charger Daytona, with its unique nose cone and massive rear spoiler, was and still is one of the most extreme road-going production cars ever produced by an American automaker, but just as quickly as it was introduced for NASCAR, it was banned by the racing association and quickly disappeared from the Dodge production lineup. Of course, the Dodge Charger would live on and, as time passed, the Daytona name would be used on a handful of other Charger models.

The first Dodge Charger Daytona to come to market after the legendary 1969 “wing car” was introduced for the 1975 model year. It was predominantly an appearance package for the Charger lineup, featuring a unique two-tone exterior design with some package-specific badging or stripes as it continued through the 1976 and 1977 model years. The example above, from Chryslers at Carlisle, was provided by Bryan Metzler.

These ’70s Charger Daytona models did have some performance-minded features, such as an optional 400-cubic-inch big block and a standard heavy-duty suspension setup, but they also came with lots of premium options, as most large cars of that era were focusing on comfort and luxury more than performance. The gorgeous ’76 above is owned by Bryan McTaggart, photograph by Hunter Madison.

The first Dodge Charger Daytona to channel the go-fast spirit of the 1969 models was introduced for the 2006 model year. These limited-edition models included a long list of features that differentiated them from the Charger R/T models on which they were based. Items like a chin spoiler, a rear pedestal spoiler, black trim, black graphics and special high impact colors allowed these cars to stand out from the crowd.

A larger air cleaner and a free-flowing exhaust system led to 350 horsepower, so the Daytona packed a bit more punch than the standard R/T of the day, and the speed limiter was removed by means of a high-speed engine controller – so it had a higher top speed than the non-Daytona models. From 2006 through 2009, this generation of the Charger Daytona was offered in Go Mango, Top Banana, TorRed, Sublime, Plum Crazy, HEMI Orange and Stone White.

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After taking a few years off, Dodge brought the Charger Daytona back to market for 2013, once again offering a unique look inside and out, in addition to some basic performance upgrades. The 2013 Charger Daytona was offered in some unique exterior colors with dark trim, heritage-inspired badging, a satin black-wrapped roof, black graphics and package-specific 20-inch wheels. In terms of performance, the 2013 Charger Daytona came with a 3.06 rear axle ratio for peppier acceleration, the high-speed engine controller, performance tuned steering and suspension systems, paddle shifters and the 370-horsepower 5.7-liter HEMI engine, which was standard for all R/T-level Chargers that year.

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The current generation of the Dodge Charger Daytona was introduced for the 2017 model year and it was more extensive than any of the other modern cars to carry the name. The 2017-up Daytona package was offered for the Charger R/T and R/T Scat Pack, so when it was first introduced, you could effectively pick between the 370-horsepower 5.7-liter HEMI engine or the 6.4-liter HEMI engine with 485 horsepower. For the Charger R/T and Scat Pack, the Daytona package is mostly aesthetic, adding 20-inch wheels, the Scat Pack style rear spoiler (on R/T models), unique black graphics, package-specific badging, a cold air intake system and a host of premium interior amenities. Unlike prior years, the 2017-up Charger Daytona models are not numbered or limited in production numbers, and they are available in any color offered on the Charger for the model year in question.

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In 2020, Dodge introduced the first supercharged Charger Daytona in the form of the Dodge Charger Widebody Daytona 50th Anniversary Edition. There were just 501 examples of this car produced, featuring unique graphics, bright finished wheels, black Brembo brake calipers and unique trim throughout the loaded cabin. Also, while the non-Daytona SRT Hellcat Chargers in 2020 offered “just” 707 horsepower, the Daytona 50th Anniversary Edition delivered 717 horsepower through an engine calibration that would become standard on all models starting in 2021.

Finally, we come to the 2023 Dodge Charger King Daytona – the most limited and most powerful of the four-door Last Call cars. This car was inspired by legendary Los Angeles street racer “Big Willie” Robinson, who raced an orange-and-black 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona with a 426 HEMI engine during the original muscle car era. This package is only offered in Go Mango with black trim and bright wheels on the outside with unique trim on the inside, along with all of the high-performance goodies and premium features of the Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody.

Driving the King Daytona

Although this Charger King Daytona was inspired by a drag racer, this supercharged Dodge sedan comes with a variety of high-performance goodies that allow it to handle and stop like a proper performance car.

The massive 6-piston Brembo brakes up front help bring the full-sized sedan down to a stop from 60 miles per hour in just over 100 feet, with help from the standard 305/30R020 Pirelli summer performance tires. Those tires also work with the Bilstein adjustable dampers to yield incredible handling capabilities for a large sedan, but with the push of a virtual button on the Uconnect^® touchscreen, you can select a smoother ride through the drive mode system. That being said, the Track setting is smooth enough to enjoy during the daily drive, except on the roughest paved roads, so the high-tech suspension does an impressive job of combining cornering with ride quality.

Frankly, while the Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye doesn’t get much credit for being a strong-handling vehicle, I have gotten to test all of the modern Dodge sedans at a series of different road course racing facilities – and the cornering abilities that come with the Bilstein dampers is astonishing. Few cars can rocket around a curvy track or a twisty country road with a few passengers seated comfortably in the back, but the Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye does just that and the King Daytona model is no different.

All of that aside, the 2023 Dodge Charger King Daytona is inspired by a historic drag racer, and that is what it does best. Just stopping on an average street and stomping the throttle yields repeated 3.7-3.8-second 0-60 times; and with a sticky surface coupled with clean tires, you can absolutely get deeper into the 3-second range on those short sprints.

That being said, getting traction at the point of launch is the biggest skill needed with the King Daytona, as too much throttle too quickly will lead to monstrous burnouts and little movement. However, with a good launch, this roomy sedan is capable of quarter-mile times in the low-11-second range with the factory street tires – while a good set of drag radials will put it into the 10-second range thanks to the supercharged HEMI V8 engine.

Once the car is moving enough that you can use 100% of the throttle, the full-sized sedan really flexes its muscles, so the mid-range pull is where the Dodge Charger King Daytona shines brightest in the real world. This supercharged super sedan will blast from 60 to way beyond the posted speed limit more quickly than most sports cars and any big sedan. Thanks to my time in closed circuit testing, I also know that the Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody offers incredible stability at speeds well up into the triple-digit speed range.

Finally, in addition to the unique exterior appearance, the 2023 Dodge Charger King Daytona has an interior that is lined with black leather and suede with orange trim stitching, orange embroidered Daytona logos on the front seatbacks, a unique King Daytona badge on the passenger’s side of the dashboard and all of the premium cockpit features of the top-of-the-line Dodge sedan.

This includes the Uconnect infotainment system with an 8.4-inch touchscreen and a digital driver information screen in the center cluster, both of which display all sorts of data from the drivetrain, the sound system, the navigation software and the rest of the vehicles controls. It might be a four-door muscle car, but the cabin feels more like a luxury sedan from top to bottom.

The 2023 Dodge Charger King Daytona will out-accelerate almost any V8-powered sedan and most sports cars on a drag strip. In the same way that the 1969 Daytona dominated NASCAR, the 2023 King Daytona has a unique look and offers nearly unrivaled performance, making this Go Mango sedan a perfect addition to the Dodge Charger Daytona history.