Dodge (Dart) Demon

In 1970, Dodge gained a version of Plymouth's popular Valiant-based fastback Duster and was to be named the Beaver, but when Chrysler's marketing department learned that "beaver" was C.B. slang for vagina, the vehicle was renamed the Dart Demon. 

As was the case with previous Dodge rebadges of Plymouth Valiants, such as the 1961–1962 Lancer, sales of the Demon lagged behind those of the Duster. With optional hood scoops and blackout hood treatment, the car was advertised a performance car. The Demon's Dart-type front fender wheel lips and Duster-type rear wheel fender lips reveal the car was essentially a Duster with Dart front sheetmetal and other minor styling changes.

The Swinger 340, Dart's performance model, was replaced by the Demon 340 with optional hood scoops and blackout hood treatment. In 1971, Chrysler abandoned their longstanding corporate practice of installing left-hand-threaded wheel studs on the left side of the vehicle; all-wheel studs on the Dart thenceforth used conventional right-hand threads.

In 1973, the Demon fastback was renamed Dart Sport in response to Christian groups' complaints about the 'Demon' name and devil-with-pitchfork logo. The high-performance model thus became Dart Sport 340, and 1973 saw styling changes to go along with the name change. The Dart Sport received the same new front end as the other Darts, and its taillights were changed to two lights per side, each with a chrome trim ring. These would remain unchanged through the 1976 model year.

1976 was the Dart's final year in the North American market. The rear-view mirror was mounted on the windshield rather than from the roof. Front disc brakes became standard equipment on 1 January 1976 in accord with more stringent U.S. Federal brake performance requirements, and a new foot-operated parking brake replaced the under-dash T-handle used since the Dart's 1963 introduction as a compact car. The grille's parking lamps were cast in amber, whereas the previous years had clear lenses with amber-colored bulbs. 

The Dart Sport 360 was dropped as a separate model in 1976, but the 360 cubic inch four-barrel, dual exhaust (without catalytic converters) V-8 was a $376 option (except in California) for the $3,370 Dart Sport V8 models with automatic transmission. Car & Driver magazine tested the Dart Sport 360 in the April 1976 issue, and found its top speed of 121.6 M.P.H. to be second.

The A-body Dart was replaced by the F-body Dodge Aspen in late spring of 1976. The compact car segment was expanded with the Omni for Dodge to compete in a rapidly changing automobile market. These were replaced by the smaller front-wheel-drive Aries, as well as several captive import models. Dodge's economy car segment was then filled by the Shadow and the Spirit (unrelated to the AMC Spirit), which themselves were replaced by the Neon. After 35 years, the Dodge Dart (PF) was resurrected or the 2013 model year as a nameplate in the domestic market to replace the Caliber as Dodge's compact passenger car.