Continuity mistake: When Cooter (the engineer) goes over to his desk to make a phonecall, after Sheriff Rosco has left, the items on the desk completely change their position between shots. (00:24:55)
Visible crew/equipment: When the campus police pull the Dukes over, in the shot of the police walking over to their car you can see the camera shadow on General Lee, just ahead of the policeman. (00:50:30)
Visible crew/equipment: When Bo and Luke drive the General Lee out of Cooters after he has fixed him, there is a reflection of the camera crew on the side of the General as they are drifting sideways in slow motion.
Revealing mistake: When Uncle Jesse punches Boss Hogg (Burt Reynolds) it is clearly not his, but a stuntman, in the shot from behind as he rolls back over his desk. (00:49:40)
Continuity mistake: When Boss Hogg is cooking in the bar, the ingredients on the side and on the chopping board change position, most noticeable is the onion. (00:30:20)
Other mistake: During the chase between Bo and Luke, and Jimmy and his father, Jimmy is shooting at them with a shotgun. He at one point hits the top corner of the driver door on the General Lee. , but he is shooting from the passenger side of his father's truck.
Continuity mistake: Bo is waiting for Luke's escapade with Laurie, and meanwhile listens to Al Unser Jr.'s story narrated by Laurence Fishburne. He checks out of the case of the tape propping it against the left or the right of the steering wheel depending on the camera angle. (00:02:40)
Factual error: In the courthouse scene the flag behind the judge is a Texas state flag, not a Georgia state flag.
Continuity mistake: During the prison scene while Boss Hogg is talking to the Dukes some guy behind them in the cell keeps making fun of Boss. Boss Hogg finally pulls a hundred dollar bill out with his left hand and says he'll give it to whoever knocks that guy out. When the camera cuts behind Boss Hogg he is now holding it in his right hand, with no time to have changed hands.
Continuity mistake: When Bo lands General Lee on the highway after going up the ramp, the cars around him on the highway change and move between shots. Also when the shot changes General Lee suddenly moves from the outside land to the middle lane. (01:07:45)
Answer: Given the massive hype surrounding the film, and the untold publicity it garnered the Charger, I think it's highly unlikely that it was a coincidence, more a cynical marketing strategy.
Manky