The second generation of the Torino debuted in 1970 with more elegant styling than the slab-sided '68 and '69 had. While certainly a beautiful car, its entrance into NASCAR to replace the previous year's cars was a setback. The Torino, while looking the part, was actually slower on the bigger high speed ovals than the previous generation, especially the Torino Talladega in 1969. So the Mopar camp dominated much of the 1970 season with the Plymouth Superbird and Dodge Charger Daytona, with most Ford teams switching back to the '69 cars expect for some of the short tracks.

The hottest Torino was the Cobra, featuring the 428 Cobra Jet engine and unique grille and badges. While not as flashy and sometimes overshadowed by the Mustang, the Torino was a beast in its own right.