DodgeDakota
... offer a 5.2 liter V-8 engine that produces 230 horsepower and 295 pound feet of torque at 3,200 Revolutions Per Minute (R.P.M.). These figures are far greater than Ford’s 4.0 liter and Chevrolet’s 4.3 liter V-6 engines. In addition to Dakotas new 4.7 liter engine, Dodge offers two more engines for the Dakota: the 2.5 L I-4 producing 120 h.p. and the 3.9 L making 175 h.p. This is what makes the Dakota such a versatile vehicle, it can fit the needs of just about anyone requiring a small compact truck or someone who wants the power of a full-size but without the size of the truck. One of the great things about the Dakota is it’s broad range of capability it has. Being a mid-size pickup that offers the power of a V-8 engine, the Dakota leads it’s class in towing and payload capacity. When properly equipped the Dakota can tow 6,700 pounds with the next generation magnum 4.7 V-8 engine. Handling those extreme loads of payload should not be a problem considering Dakota can carry a devastating 2,100 pounds of equipment. Given any circumstance, the Dakota will out perform both the Chevrolet S-10 and the Ford Ranger. The Dodge Dakota’s new body style was taken from the concept of the newly styled full-size Dodge Ram pickup which first appeared in ’94. If a person were to look at the Dakota and the Ram parked side by side, he/she would most likely say that the Dakota was a small version of the Ram. This is what makes the Dakota’s appearance so popular. When the new style of Ram came out the front, body style became a benchmark for all future truck designers to follow. First Chevrolet tried to copy by changing the S-10’s front end to a more rounded and stream-line style. Then Ford made the same attempt with the Ranger. Both companies got similar results but nothing spectacular. With Dakotas inherited style from the Ram, it...