Langley Dodge buyers may have wondered what the “R/T” label attached to a particular Dodge model means. The brand name plays a very important role in establishing the quality description of the particular vehicle to be sold. So a Dodge model car with an “R/T” attached to it means great value.
The “R/T” label, which is short for “Road” and “Track”, refers to the quality of the engine that is attached to the Dodge vehicle. When an “R/T” tag is placed on a Dodge model car, it means that it has the 375-horsepower 440 Magnum V8 engine, with corresponding heavy-duty suspension, rugged tires, and an improved cooling system.
In 1967, the Dodge Coronet was the car model in which the R/T package was first installed. Chargers were equipped with R/Ts in 1968 and in 1970, with the introduction of the Dodge Challenger to the market; car enthusiasts could purchase an R/T model with a wide variety of engines and options.
However, R/T cars gradually slid down to almost nothing when in 1972, premium vehicle insurance rates soared and fuel supplies were hit by the infamous oil embargo. An attempt was made to revive R/T vehicles in the late 1970s through the Dodge Aspen, but it failed.
Dodge Neon and Stealth from the 1990s carried the R/T nameplate. However, it didn’t gain the long-awaited niche market until ten years later, when rear-wheel-drive performance-car seekers became all the rage.
Today, when you see a particular Dodge model with the R/T tag, always think of it as a performance vehicle in both “Road” and “Track.” Of course, more than the flashy wheels, accessories, badging and body aesthetics, R/T speaks to the standout vehicles that are Dodge models.
Langley Dodge dealers and buyers should be able to immediately sense the historicity and value every time the latest Dodge R/T models are displayed in their showrooms.