2020 Ram 2500/3500: MotorTrend Truck of the Year

Groover wrote:

Boomerweps wrote:
IMnotsoHO, Motor Trend awards are garbage. Most of their writers seem to be industry shills. I remember when the new Plymouth Duster was their "Car of the a Year". ;(
That was a rounded fastback Valiant upgrade for those not aware.

I don't know what your issue was with the original Duster. I had a '67 Valiant but my brother had a '72 Dart equivalent to the Duster. both were great cars. The Dart had the 340 Magnum in it and would hold its own against any Mustang or Camaro he encountered and was a lot more functional when you weren't racing. It had a huge trunk and decent back seat, plus it would tow his small boat. With the factory hood scoop, hood mounted tack, rear spoiler and lake pipes it was as sporty as any of the competition. The speedometer only went to 120mph but it would do 55mph at 2000rpm and you could take the tach past 6000. It ran on regular gas and idled smoothly but when you punched it, it was gone.

They called some other cars Dusters later on. Maybe that is what you are thinking of. But, from 74 through mid 80's nobody had anything to brag about.

So-so styled small (for the time) economy car that had a big engine option. Valiants were a good economy (for the time) car with a very dependable slant 6. Good basics but "Car of the Year" I never understood. I expect a Vehicle of the Year to have something significant or special to it. Maybe I'm jaded. Fond memories I can understand.