The Dodge Dart was a brand of automobile built by the Dodge Motors Division of the Chrysler Corporation, then headquartered in Highland Park, Michigan. The Dodge Dart was introduced as a lower-priced, shorter wheelbase, full-sized model of Dodge in 1960/61 and to a compact family of cars produced between 1962 and 1975. Dodge also used the "Dart" name for a Ghia built show car in the 1950s.
1960-1961
The first production Dodge Dart's were full size cars developed to appease Dodge's dealer network, which was without an inexpensive entry level automobile to sell by the late 1950s. The Dart was conceived as a shorter wheelbase full size car than the standard sized Dodge line. The Dart line was divided into three sub series, entry level the Seneca, the Pioneer and the well-appointed Phoenix.
Introduced for the 1960 model year, the Dart was at once a marketing masterstroke - sales of the Dart out-stripped those of the full sized Dodge Matador and Dodge Polara , but it also created an in-house competitor for Chrysler's very own Plymouth division. Even advertising from 1960 and 1961 compared the Dart to the "C" car (Chevrolet), the "F" car (Ford) and the "P" car, Chrysler's Plymouth. As Dart sales climbed, Plymouth's sales dropped. Dart sales were so strong in 1960, that Dodge had to drop its Matador line after one year, fielding only its upmarket Polara model in 1961 along side the Dart and its three subseries. The success of the Dart was also found to be erroding Dodge's image as a producer of middle class, middle priced, automobiles.
1962
For 1962, the Dodge Dart was downsized as part of Chrysler's ill-planned effort to compete with what it thought was Chevrolet's year to attempt a down sized version of its full size cars. Chevrolet fielded a full-sized car and the Dart ended up being more akin to an intermediate than a true full-sized car. The size difference was even more noticeable when Dodge introduced the Chrysler based Dodge 880 model as a late addition to the 1962 model year. The Dart sub-series that had been fielded in 1960 and 1961 were terminated; the 1962 Dart was now a de-trimmed version of the Polara.
1963-1975
Beginning in 1963, the Dart stepped into its role as Dodge's compact car, in line with Plymouth's Valiant. The two cars would share this role, and increasingly parts and overall design themes until they were discontinued in 1976. Until 1967, Darts were available in 2-door, 4-door sedans, convertible and four-door station wagon body styles.
For the most part, both Dodge and Plymouth shared the basic 1967 four door body for their Dart and Valaint lines. The Dart was granted a two door hardtop model dubbed the "Swinger". Plymouth, which wasn't granted the hardtop option, introduced the Plymouth Duster, based on the Dart/Valiant body. Dodge was granted its version of the Duster, named the Dodge Demon, and Valiant got its hardtop, which it named the Plymouth Scamp.
The Dodge Dart was replaced by the Dodge Aspen beginning in 1976.
The name was briefly used in 1980 and 1981 on Mexican-market Dodge Diplomats.
Dodge Dart Performance Packages
The Dart was available with a range of engines, from the workhorse Chrysler Slant 6 engine to the big-block 383 B engine.
For the 1969 model year only, there was also the addition of the 440 RB engine In the Dart GTS model, and a very few 426 Hemi models in the 'Hurst' edition Dart.
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