Two very different 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona Hemi models produced one of the most interesting comparisons at Mecum Monterey 2026. An exceptionally rare black four-speed car failed to sell despite reaching $2.2 million, while a Spring Green example with an automatic transmission found a new owner for $1.32 million.
This rare Dodge Hemi Daytona was offered $2.2 million and still didn’t sell
Had the seller accepted the $2.2 million offer, the black Daytona would have ranked behind only the record-setting F8 Dark Green Metallic car that sold for $3.36 million at Monterey in 2024. That car also combined the 426 Hemi with a four-speed manual transmission and remains the most expensive Charger Daytona sold at public auction.
The black car certainly has rarity on its side. Dodge produced just 503 Charger Daytonas in 1969, including 70 with the 426 Hemi. Only 22 Hemi Daytonas received the four-speed manual, and Mecum identifies this example as the only one built with a black exterior, white interior and white rear wing.
Its 426-cubic-inch Hemi V8 produces 425 hp and works with an A833 four-speed manual, a 4.10-geared Dana rear axle and the A34 Super Track Pak. The car also includes power steering, power brakes, bucket seats, a center console, Tic-Toc-Tach and an AM radio with an eight-track player. Black steel wheels with small hubcaps and white-stripe tires complete an unusually restrained appearance for one of the most dramatic American muscle cars ever built.
Its documentation includes the original $5,324 window sticker, original build sheet and warranty book. Mecum currently lists the car under its Bid Goes On program after the reserve went unmet, leaving open the possibility of a private deal after the auction.
The Spring Green Daytona took a different path. It sold for $1.32 million and represents one of only two known Hemi Daytonas finished in F6 Spring Green Metallic. Unlike the black car, Mecum specifically confirms its original drivetrain and matching-numbers 426 Hemi. It uses the A727 TorqueFlite automatic transmission and retains its original black interior.
The two results show how auction value and actual selling price can diverge. On paper, the black four-speed has the rarer configuration, but Monterey bidders still stopped at $2.2 million, below the number its owner was prepared to accept.