1992 Dodge Dakota

Do pickups have mid-life crises?  Somewhere between 1991 and 1992, the Dodge Dakota woke up believing it was a Mustang.  As if adding a V8 engine in 1991 wasn't enough, the Dodge Dakota delivered even more power in 1992.  A re-engineered fuel injection system gave the 3.9-liter engine an incredible boost of horsepower from 125 to 180 (that is not a typo), which is more than the 1991 V8 even rated.  Not to be outdone, the V8 received its own boost, going from 170 to 230-horsepower.  The 2.5-liter, 4-cylinder remained at a respectable, if not quite practical, 116-horsepower.  

This new series of engines warranted its own name, something large, powerful and solid, yet with a bit of class.  Hmm, the Magnum Series works nicely.  Paired with the 5-speed manual transmission, the V8 was clocked at 0-60 in 8 seconds.  What does the Dakota think it is, some kind of muscle car?

Not surprisingly, most owners were blown away by the speed and power of what, on the outside, appeared to still be a mid-size pickup.  The roomy cab and cargo room was also a selling point.  A bad paint job still haunts the Dodge Dakotas, and though they praise its durability, owners seem to rack up quite a list of repairs.