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Dodge Charger "Daytona Darling" Is the Mopar Revival We Need

It was 2012 when Dodge last grabbed the title in the NASCAR Cup Series - the carmaker left the arena following that win and it has yet to return. And while there's a large number of enthusiasts who would love to see a comeback (more on this below), a Kia designer has decided to take the matter into his own hands and come up with a virtual tribute to Dodge's NASCAR history.
Dodge Charger "Daytona Darling" rendering 6 photos
Photo: marcell_sebestyen/instagram
Dodge Charger "Daytona Darling" renderingDodge Charger "Daytona Darling" renderingDodge Charger "Daytona Darling" renderingDodge Charger "Daytona Darling" renderingDodge Charger "Daytona Darling" rendering
Sure, there are plenty of achievements related to the series that automaker can brag about, but we have to keep in mind that Dodge was the first to hit 200 mph on a closed course, with a Charger Daytona having achieved that feat on the Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama back in 1970.

Well, Marcell Sebestyen, the designer we're talking about, has invested quite a few nights and weekends into the rendering that now sits on our screens, which portrays a modernized Dodge Charger Daytona in full NASCAR trim - the nickname in the title above is on us, with the artist actually attaching the RULEBRKR label to the creation.

Those of you who are tuned into our Speed Shot tales (there's a tag for that below) might be familiar to this digital restomod, since we discussed a previous stage of the project last December.

Nevertheless, the penning master has now envisioned a restomod take on a classic Daytona that could hit the banked oval as you see it here.

The silhouette of the classic muscle icon is still recognizable, even though the front end approach used here is less radical than the nose cone of the original. Nevertheless, with the Cyberpunk styling of the new fascia, we wouldn't exactly call this tame.

And the super-sized wing of the golden era has evolved into a boomerang design that extends on the quarter panels, while a transparent wickerbill adorns the posterior of the vehicle.

Of course, Sebestyen has paid special attention to the battle colors: "I tried out different classic liveries but then I decided to go with one which is as fictional as the car itself, taking inspiration from the past, mixing it with present-day sponsor stickers and fictional logos. The base body paint is a smooth gradient from bright to dark, contrasted with the sharp stickers and carbon fiber."

There's also an Easter Egg in there, which the artist does mention in the description of the post below, so make sure to check out the images before reading this if you wish to enjoy the search.

As for Dodge potentially coming back to NASCAR, the company, which is now owned by Stellantis (the merger between FCA and PSA), has yet to deliver any clues on the matter.

Nevertheless, as racing aficionados will tell you, the series, which currently involves Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota, is set to welcome the Next Gen car for the 2022 series. While this will bring significant improvement on fronts ranging from aerodynamics to cost reduction, convincing new names to (re)join the battle would probably require the series to integrate a certain degree of electrification.


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About the author: Andrei Tutu
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In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist.
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