Ah, sure, the Dodge Magnum, arguably the forgotten LX. It was conceived when Detroit bean counters nonetheless held out hope for the traditional American station wagon. It did not damage that then-DaimlerChrysler had determined to construct its subsequent spherical of enormous household sedans on a platform that was strategically seasoned with components of the Mercedes-Benz W220 and W211, the previous of which was already practically a decade outdated. If anyone is aware of the right way to do a wagon, it is the Germans, proper?
However there was nothing characteristically German about what confirmed up in Dodge showrooms in 2005. The Magnum was huge, brash and unapologetically current. The exhaust observe would possibly as effectively have been a recording of some people chanting “U-S-A!” at a yard bar-b-q. Who knew the Dodge Charger, Dodge Challenger and Chrysler 300 would dwell lengthy sufficient that we might overlook about their long-lost sibling? The Charger and 300 each reached smoking age earlier than being put out to pasture — and really practically died sufficiently old to legally drink. That makes the Magum 20 years outdated too, technically, nevertheless it was discontinued after its 4th mannequin 12 months, method again in 2008.
The automotive panorama has modified fairly a bit over the previous 20 years. Chrysler’s LX fashions developed too, although not practically as a lot as lots of their contemporaries. Regardless of their much-improved powertrains and top-notch infotainment programs, the 2024 Charger, Challenger and 300 had been nonetheless similar to the vehicles that debuted in 2004. By advantage of its early demise, the Magnum noticed solely modest upgrades over the course of its run, by no means benefiting from the excellent powertrain overhaul that elevated its extra resiliant siblings.
Why is the Dodge Magnum a future traditional?
The Magnum was not a efficiency automobile, initially. Nor was it the one home station wagon to make a splash with fanatics over the previous 20 years; Cadillac’s likewise-short-lived CTS wagon takes that nod and earns a pile of additional credit score for being supplied with a high-performance V variant with a guide transmission. However the Magnum’s mixture of seems and everyday-branded availability made it accessible to fanatics of nearly any price range. Sadly, due at the least partially to Chrysler’s cringeworthy mid-aughts construct high quality, lots of them at the moment are adorning junkyards. Cleaner ones are far tougher to search out and it is solely a matter of time earlier than they will be really scarce.
Put merely although, wagons are cool, and this wagon occurred to come back with not one, however two potent American V8s. As an early pioneer of Dodge’s LX-led efficiency revival, Magnum was one of many first vehicles to put on the SRT-8 badge.
What’s the best instance of the Dodge Magnum?
We cannot mince phrases: the Magnum, broadly, was not Chrysler at its finest. Fashions produced for the 2005-2007 mannequin years particularly got here with dreary cabins and a borderline-asthmatic base engine. The two.7-liter V6 made 190 horsepower and 190 pound-feet of torque when it debuted in 2005, which was fairly unimpressive even then (The time period “rental spec” was thrown round liberally and appropriately). The three.5-liter improve made a much more respectable 250 horsepower and 250 pound-feet, however the actual enjoyable began one step larger. The R/T debuted with 340 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque due to its then-fresh however now-ubiquitous 5.7-liter Hemi V8. The SRT-8, which arrived in 2006, cranked that as much as 425 horsepower and 420 pound-feet with a 6.1-liter V8. The Magnum’s Mercedes-Benz commonalities facilitated some handy parts-sharing preparations, notably together with the 5-speed computerized that sat behind every of the Magnum’s 4 obtainable engines. No guide gearbox was supplied, nor was a mechanical limited-slip differential.
Whereas there’s usually nuance concerned in choosing one of the best model of a automobile, this one’s fairly easy: the SRT-8 is the place it is at. It was the one mannequin supplied with the 6.1-liter V8, and whereas its efficiency is paltry by the requirements of contemporary SRT fashions, it was the largest, baddest Hemi rocket on the highway in 2006. Until you are solely in it for the aesthetic and discover a tremendous clear V6, you are higher off springing for SRT-8, or at the least an R/T.
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Are there any good alternate options to the Magnum?
Essentially the most notable different to the Magnum could be the Cadillac CTS wagon. Just like the Magnum, it was supplied each as a plain household hauler and in a high-performance variant (the V). Cadillac requested a bit extra money for the far-more-luxurious CTS and people searching for a guide are pressured right into a V mannequin — a mixture produced in exceedingly restricted numbers — however you may get what you pay for. It is correspondingly extra spectacular each when it comes to cabin appointments and efficiency (of each the accelerative and cornering form).
Those that are much less beholden to nation of manufacture may additionally look to a number of up to date alternate options from abroad. The Mercedes-Benz E-Class wagon (with which the Magnum shares some ancestry) checks most of the identical containers, gives a considerably higher cabin (an admittedly low bar), and the E55 and E63 AMG variants will scratch that V8 efficiency itch much more aggressively than the large Dodge. However you may pay a fairly penny for these upgrades, each up entrance and in long-term upkeep. If all you need is a fairly peppy household wagon, we would level to the Saab 9-5 and Audi A6 Avant of the day.
If the wagon half is not vital, effectively, we’re probably not positive what you are doing right here, nevertheless it’s definitely doable to get a much better Hemi-powered Dodge nowadays than it was in 2008. The fashionable SRT-powered LX fashions boast way more thrilling engine lineups (Hellcat, anyone?), vastly improved interiors and construct sheets that do not learn like a quick meals receipt. Any considered one of them will do properly.
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