Dodge's Challenger model has been around since 1959 and the model is one of the brands most legendary ever. The 1970 Dodge Challenger is the first of the Challenger's generations, which was a huge upgrade of the original 1959 model.
The longer wheelbase, plethora of engine options, and more luxury appearance made it a competitive rival. The likes of the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro are some of the Challenger's biggest rivals, and it is fun to compare them to see which stands a chance for taking the name as the best.
Let's take a closer look at the 1970 Dodge Challenger and how it compared to its competition.
Performance Test Of The 1970 Dodge Challenger Vs Competition
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When comparing cars, it is always safe, to begin with, the performance details. The cars to compare include the 1970 Challenger, Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro, and Pontiac Firebird.
The 1970 Dodge Challenger's specification includes a 7.2-liter V8 engine in the highest trim model. This can output around 425-hp. Surprisingly, the Ford Mustang loses the race when it comes to performance as its 5-liter V8 engine could only offer 101 horsepower.
The winner of this competition has to go to the Challenger, which far exceeds all the other rivals. The Chevrolet Camaro features a 5.7-liter engine, which can offer a maximum of 375-hp. Falling shortly behind is the Pontiac Firebird, which could boast up to 340-hp from its largest engine, a 7.5-liter.
There's no wonder the 1970 Dodge Challenger still holds its popularity among the pony car market of this era.
Popularity Contest
The 1970 Dodge Challenger came six years after the release of the Ford Mustang, which was born in 1964. Hence, it was a little late to the scene. But, it is a comparable ride and is two that are often seen as a rivalry. The Ford Mustang wins the popularity contest by a long shot, after exceeding its goal of 100,000 in sales by four times. In just a year, the 1964 Ford Mustang sold over 400,000 models.
Numbers for the Challenger are not comparable. The first generation only saw sales of 165,000, which was around for a total of four years. Hence, numbers for each year are likely below 45,000. However, comparing the Challenger to the Pontiac Firebird makes the Challenger look like a popular car. The reason for Pontiac not selling many Firebird models was because production numbers were low.
The Chevrolet Camaro was closet to the Ford Mustang, with sales reaching around 100,000 for the 1970 year. Although sales were not high for the Dodge and the Pontiac, the other manufacturers did produce many more vehicles. Hence, there was a lot more to sell.
Overall, the 1970 Dodge Challenger was not the most popular car from this lineup. But, it did offer the best performance. It didn't take the reign for the biggest engine, as the Pontiac's 7.5-liter engine did. Yet, its performance was still way better and certainly did pack a punch.