Forgotten pickup truck wasn’t just the fastest truck in America, it used to be the fastest vehicle

This Dodge held the title of the fastest truck in America back in the ’70s.

In fact, the pickup was the country’s fastest vehicle, period, for a hot minute.

So why has the Dodge Li’l Red Express faded into relative obscurity?

This iconic vehicle deserves a spot in the Automotive Hall of Fame, thanks to its toy-like looks and exceptional specs.

When Dodge made a life-sized Hot Wheels

The 1970s were history-making years for Dodge, the heyday for the Challenger and the Charger.

Later in the decade, the automaker decided to add a pickup to its line of formidable muscle cars.

The Li’l Red Express was part of its Adult Toys lineup, which was a range of cars designed to look like real-life Hot Wheels, basically.

The truck had a Western theme to it, with wood paneling, a Canyon Red paint job, and rodeo-ready decals.

It was met with mixed reviews and was ultimately only produced for two years.

One of the major factors was its cost, which was about $7,400.

That’s not quite the cost of a Cybertruck but was considered steep at the time.

While it didn’t make a huge impact on the market, it did hold a notable title for its short shelf life.

How Li’l Red Express became the fastest truck in America

The Li’l Red Express had a 5.9-liter V8, able to produce a modest 225HP and 295LB-FT of torque.

It achieved the title of fastest American-built production vehicle in 1978, outpacing even Corvettes and Camaros.

Li’l Red earned the title fair and square, however, it was only able to thanks to a loophole.

In the 1970s, certain emission laws didn’t apply to light trucks, so Dodge was allowed to quietly pop a police-spec V8 into the pickup.

The truck covered the 0 to 100MPH sprint in 19.9 seconds and recorded a top speed of 118.9MPH.

In the years to come, however, it was overtaken by Ford’s Mustang and Chevrolet’s Corvette.

Only 7,305 units were ever made, making this an incredible collector’s piece.

Today, you could expect to pay up to $25,700 for a 1978 model.

Not bad for a piece of nearly forgotten automotive history.

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