Trying to keep up with the Jones’s, or in this case the Chevrolet Camaro and Ford Mustang, Dodge launched its own version of a muscle car with the 1970 Challenger and was rewarded with a stellar first year when 80,000 of these vehicles were sold.

As you might imagine, power as well as diversity were the biggest draws to this winning auto which sported the larger of two Chrysler E Bodies; the other belonging to the slightly smaller Plymouth Barracuda. The diversity was highlighted by the fact that the R/T Hemi, the public’s most favorite version, came in 18 different colors.

Buyers could choose engines ranging from the least powerful slant-six coupe to the 7.0 liter engine capable of producing 425 horsepower of thrust. The highest output Challenger Hemi engine, the 7.0 liter using a four-speed manual transmission, could top the car out at 104 mph in a quarter mile.

The Challenger in 1970 offered the 727 automatic transmission as standard equipment, not the four-speed.

In spite of design difficulties that kept the Challenger from handling well because of its weight, the car was a popular seller simply because it was a “muscle car” and was attractive.

Challengers—with their thin-blade bumpers in front, rounded bodies with air flow patterns, and recessed grilles—were visually new and refreshing to the eye. Buyers had a similar number of trim variations to choose from as they did colors.

Over the years, this particular version of Dodge became a favorite of film makers who often inserted the car in chase scenes, such as in the high-speed pursuit movie Vanishing Point filmed in 1971 shortly after the first 1970 Challenger was sold to the public.

These beautiful “muscle cars” can be restored in memory by purchasing a Precision Die-Cast Replica to sit on your desk or mantle. The detailing in this 1:18 scale model, which is almost 10” long, is so clear that you’ll have a particularized view of a 383 Magnum V-8 engine under an opening hood, carpeted interior visible through doors that open, and much more .