The 2008 Dodge Magnum SRT8. Image: Chrysler Group LLC
Call me biased, but the Dodge Magnum SRT8 was one of the coolest vehicles to ever roll off an assembly line. Whatever evil genius came up with the idea to stuff the biggest Hemi V-8 in Dodge’s inventory into a chopped and stylized station wagon deserves props, because the Dodge Magnum SRT8 may be the most versatile enthusiast ride on the planet. It looks cool, it goes like stink and it’s happy to run the interstate all day long at triple digits if you care to do so. It’s part muscle wagon and part GT car, and there’s a good chance that the entire Magnum family may be heading back into production.
Ralph Gilles, head of the SRT group at Chrysler, recently told the New York Times that killing the Magnum off was the decision of a single executive, now retired. Back in Chrysler’s pre-bankruptcy days, such a move probably made sense. The Magnum wasn’t delivering the sales that the company expected, and they were no longer in a position to keep an unprofitable vehicle in the product mix. After a five year production run, the Magnum was axed after the 2008 model year.
A lot of people within Chrysler still love the Magnum, and there are no other full size station wagons currently in production. If offered in AWD, it would even appeal to customers in snow-belt states, and it may well prove to be an attractive alternative to SUVs and crossovers. An SRT8 version would now carry a 6.4 liter Hemi V-8, which puts out 470 horsepower and 470 foot-pounds of torque under the hood of the new Charger SRT8. That’s a bump of 45 horsepower over the previous generation Magnum SRT8, and I’m guessing that a second generation Magnum would tip the scales a few hundred pounds lighter than first generation cars.
I hope Gilles is right, because America needs cars like the Magnum. Station wagons make sense on so many levels, and the Magnum was always a personal favorite. Stay tuned for further details as Dodge hammers out their upcoming product plans.
Source: New York Times Wheels
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
