Original vintage 1970 Dodge Charger advertisement, "1970 Dodge Charger. Stands Out with the 'In' Crown."
Dimensions: This advert measures approx. 8 inches wide by 11.5 inches high.
The 1966 Charger was an effort by Dodge to produce an upscale, upsized pony car. American Motors Corporation (AMC) had already introduced a very similar vehicle in 1965, the Rambler Marlin, which was positioned as a personal car, an emerging market niche.
Demand for larger specialty cars was rapidly increasing. Mercury was successful in its execution when it introduced the upscale Cougar, a larger and more refined version of the Ford Mustang that pioneered the pony car concept when it was introduced in 1964. General Motors was fielding specialty models across all its nameplates.
The first generation Charger included high-trim and comfort features positioned as a luxurious fastback hardtop. It was aimed at the segment that included the Oldsmobile Toronado and Ford Thunderbird rather than as a muscle car.
Spanning the years 1968 – 1970, the second-generation Dodge Charger carved its name in automotive history as one of the greatest American muscle cars ever created. An icon in the muscle car scene, the second-gen Charger was prominently featured in pop culture TV, and blockbuster films, such as the 1968 Charger rode hard in Bullitt, the 1969 Charger seen weekly in the Dukes of Hazzard, and the 1970 Charger driven by Vin Diesel in the Fast & Furious.
Built on the Chrysler B-Body platform, the 1970 Charger rolled out of production basically the same as the 1969 model with a lower base price that was possible due to some simplification of its aesthetic. The main characteristics of the ’70 Charger – the shape, the hidden headlights, the racing gas cap – remained unchanged.
In 1970, Dodge touted the ability to be a winner in its Charger by challenging consumers with the slogan, “If you ever finished first, you could be Dodge material.” They backed their boast up with a 426 CID Hemi V8 engine option that created 425 HP, underling its performance. A six-pack (a trio of two-barrel carburetors) was also available as a performance upgrade.
Top speeds for the base Charger and 500 ranged from 101 to 133 MPH, while the zero to 60 MPH times stretched from 6.3 to 14.2, with the 383 V-8, four-barrel 3-speed manual version with the quickest time. Top speeds for the R/T ranged from 104 to 145 MPH, while the zero to 60 MPH clocked in from 4.8 to 6.1 seconds, with the 426 V-8 Hemi, 425 HP 4-speed Super Track Pak Manual version with the quickest time.