Engineering refinements are designed to provide longer trouble-free motoring and greater ease of operation. Five safety accessories, formerly optional, have been made standard.
The Dart again features a choice of 20 V-8 and six-cylinder models. They will make their public debut in Dodge dealerships on September 30.
"The Dart has been a continuing success since its introduction as a compact in 1963, because it offers the agile performance of a small car and the family-size spaciousness of a larger car," said Dodge General Manager Byron J. Nichols.
"Over the years, the Dart has built a reputation among car-buyers for being a fine value. It will be an even better value in 1966."
Dart seats and door panels have a fresh, more luxurious appearance for 1966. Fabric patterns are new. The instrument panel is highly stylized but definitely driver-oriented.
Sedans, long the favorite family car, have traditionally had cloth upholstery. But optional all-vinyl upholstery is offered in the Dart 270 four-door sedan. Dodge designers point out that the vinyl is easier to clean and more practical for family use.
All-vinyl upholstery is standard in Dart 270 and GT convertibles and 2-door hardtops and in Dart 270 station wagons.
Interiors of the top-of-the-line Dart GT feature new front bucket seats and an optional between-seats console which houses the gear selector for the automatic or four-speed manual transmissions. The seats have an ultra-modern "shell" design and look far more expensive than one would expect in a compact.
An option on the Dart GT hardtop is black or white vinyl covering for the forward part of the roof, set off by bright moldings. This gives the roof a landau effect.
Standard safety equipment in the 1966 Dart includes front and rear belts, padded instrument panel, windshield washer, multi-speed windshield wipers, back-up lights and left outside rear-view mirror.
Standard engines in the Dart are a 170-cubic-inch six-cylinder (101 horsepower) and a 273-cubic-inch V-8 (180 hp). Optional power plants are a 225-cubic-inch, six-cylinder engine (145 hp) and a high-performance, four-barrel-carburetor version of the 273 V-8 called the Charger 273 (235 hp).
A choice of three transmissions is offered: three-speed and four-speed manual and three-speed automatic.
The four-speed manual has a new shift mechanism that provides rapid, easy shifting into all forward speeds. There is a lockout device that prevents accidental shifts into reverse.
Engineering improvements in the automatic transmission provide smoother, quieter operation. Changes in the three-speed manual transmission allow easier shifting.
Power steering has been improved to give the driver greater assist when parking. At low engine speeds, the power boost is increased 30 percent.
Front-wheel disc brakes are an option in the 1966 Dart. These brakes, designed for rallying, offer more reliable, stable stopping action under repeated hard usage.
The Dart has a 111-inch wheelbase. Basic exterior dimensions are nearly the same as last year's. The four-door sedan is 196 inches in overall length, 71 inches wide, and 53 inches high.
The '66 Dart provides a choice of 17 exterior colors and nine two-tone combinations.
The body model line-up includes a two-door sedan, four-door sedan and station wagon in the economical "Dart" series; a two-door sedan, two-door hardtop, four-door sedan, convertible and station wagon in the middle-line "Dart 270" series; and a two-door hardtop and convertible in the sporty "Dart GT" series.