We're already into the fourth week of Dodge's Last Call debuts for the 2023 Charger and Challenger. Thus far, we've seen appearance packages applied to versions of Scat Pack trim levels of both models, but this orange Charger is a completely different animal. In fact, it's the most powerful Charger to ever come from the factory.
It's called the Charger King Daytona, and it's not a derivative of the naturally aspirated Scat Pack. This is a Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody with an extra 10 horsepower added in for good measure. That means its supercharged 6.2-liter V8 makes 807 hp, exactly the same as the Dodge Challenger SRT Super Stock that debuted in 2020. It rides on 20-inch Satin Carbon Warp Speed wheels with orange Brembo brakes behind them. Suspension tuning remains the same, as does the eight-speed automatic transmission.
Gallery: 2023 Dodge Charger King Daytona
The rest of the upgrades are aesthetic, and it starts with an exterior coat of Go Mango orange – the only color offered on this particular Last Call edition. It's complemented with satin chrome badges on the outside and black graphics on the hood, roof, trunk, and King Daytona branding on the quarter panels. Inside, the color combo continues with a black interior featuring orange contrast stitching. Daytona is stitched onto the seat back in orange, and an orange King Daytona badge is impossible to miss on the passenger side dash. As with all 2023 Dodge Charger and Challenger models, a Last Call plaque is mounted under the hood.
With more power comes less availability. Whereas the Challenger Shakedown, Charger Super Bee, and the Charger/Challenger Swingers debuted with production runs of 1,000, Dodge will only build 300 King Daytonas. As for the name, it's an homage to William "Big Willie" Robinson, a staple in the drag racing scene through the 1960s and 1970s who drove a '69 Charger named – you guessed it – King Daytona.
The next Dodge Last Call offering will debut on September 21. The seventh and final vehicle in the series is being held for a special reveal at the 2022 SEMA Show in early November. In the meantime, enjoy more discussion on Dodge Last Call models and other automotive news in the Rambling About Cars podcast, available below.
