Did you know you could buy a Hemi-powered Dodge Dart compact? Granted, it was 1968 and they only made a handful of them—all shipped with lightweight body components and without a warranty—but technically, if you had the cash, it could be done. Now, some 46 years later, the Hemi Dart has returned, albeit only in race trim.
Built specifically for the NHRA Pro Stock series, Dodge claims these Pro Stock Darts share more than just a name with the production version, and by that they mean it was developed with the same computerized design tools and tested in the same wind tunnel as the consumer vehicle. The definition of "Pro Stock" has evolved dramatically over the years, and today's race cars share about as much with their factory-built inspiration as a genuine Rolex does with a Canal Street–sourced knockoff. Sadly, wheelie bars, racing slicks, and buzz-bomb-shaped hood scoops won't be appearing on dealership-bound Darts anytime soon.
- Long-Term Test: Dodge Dart Rallye 1.4T Manual
- Comparison Test: Dodge Dart Rallye vs. Ford Focus SE
- Feature: The Wild World of Wheelstanding Championships
Never content to let a meta moment, no matter how retro, pass by, Dodge posed the new Pro Stock Dart with a genuine elephant—apparently his name is Luke—in a not-so-subtle reference to the Hemi's "elephant motor" nickname. The fact that the Hemi is also celebrating its 50th anniversary doesn't hurt the effort either. Also of note is the prominent placement of the Magneti Marelli insignia, a Fiat-Chrysler owned brand that is in the early stages of a marketing push to make it a well-known OEM and replacement parts brand here in the U.S.
Bookended by the Dart on one side and the new 2015 Chrysler 200 on the other, we've speculated that the Dodge Avenger will soon disappear from showrooms. Now, with the Pro Stocks Dart officially replacing the Avenger on the quarter-mile scene, it seems the end may be nigh.
from Car and Driver Blog http://ift.tt/nSHy27
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