"Of all the cars offered by the Division, few have the broad appeal of the Dart line," said Arthur G. Kirchner, Dodge general sales manager.
According to Kirchner, the compact car buyer can find transportation to suit his needs -- both practical and aesthetic -- in the Dart lineup.
"We have the utilitarian sedan with both high and low line trim content, two sporty Demon coupes and two hardtops. All offer driving comfort combined with the maneuverability needed for urban traffic and the stability that is a must for highway driving." Dart offers six models in three series with 16 colors for the 1972 model year. They are the economical Dart and the high line Dart Custom four-door sedans, the Demon coupe and the performance-oriented Demon 340, and the two-door Swinger Special and Swinger Hardtop.
Dart and Dart Demon retain their functional styling for the 1972 model year with refinements in the front and rear.
With a wheelbase of 111 inches, the Dodge Dart has earned the reputation as the most versatile of the compact cars. It offers the dimensional package that provides ease of handling in congested city streets, yet still provides ample seating room and storage capacity in its large, flat-floored trunk.
The basic engine for the Dart line is a 198 cubic-inch six-cylinder powerplant with the 225 cubic-inch six optional. The standard V-8 is the durable 318 cubic-inch engine, while the Demon 340 is available only with the 340 cubic-inch V-8.
A Rallye suspension, which features heavy-duty shocks front and rear, front sway bar, heavy-duty springs and heavy-duty torsion bars, is standard with Demon 340.
Computer designed front seats bring a new level of driver and passenger comfort to the Dart line. A full-foam cushion material has been molded directly onto seat back frames of the full bench and split-back bench seats. Since there are fewer spring elements, the seats have less cross section depth and result in added rear seat knee room.
Among the new features are an electronic ignition system on the 340 cubic-inch V-8, a longer lasting composition-type head gasket on the 318 CID V-8, reduced pedal effort on Darts with nine-inch manual brakes, and several improvements on the TorqueFlite automatic transmission.
Along with the mechanical improvements, Dart offers many new features that involve driver comfort, convenience and safety. One major development is a three-point, single buckle system whereby front seat lap and shoulder seat belts can be fastened and unfastened simultaneously.