DAIMLER-CHRYSLER

MAGNUM SRT8: The Monstrosity of a station wagon muscle car

In the past, Dodge had wagons, but as history has shown, they are models that in recent times have failed to maintain their popularity, yet in 2005 Dodge tried to relive those days with the Dodge Magnum. In its traditional versions it didn't make as much noise, but what caught the attention was the SRT-8 version with the HEMI V8 engine of 425 hp.
The Dodge Magnum arrived in 2005, at the same time as the Chrysler 300C, and both vehicles shared platform and powertrain. However, the Magnum missed some of the luxuries of the 300C to lower its price slightly. Part of its creation had to do with Chrysler's interest in growing its sales in the European market, where station wagons are more appreciated than in the United States and generally in the Americas. On the old continent, Dodge doesn't have that much presence, which is why the Magnum was offered as a Chrysler 300C Touring.



Dodge, true to its tradition of large and powerful engines, decided to equip the 2006 model with a 6.1-liter HEMI V8 capable of delivering 425 hp and 570 Nm of torque that were sent to the rear axle through a 5-speed automatic transmission. With this engine the Dodge Magnum SRT-8 was able to accelerate from 0 to 100 km / h in just 5.1 seconds and reach 272 km / h at top speed.



All these figures made the Magnum SRT-8 gain a large base of followers, so Dodge gave it a more powerful engine, lowered the suspension a bit to make it firmer, equipped high-performance Brembo brakes and calibrated some other elements so that the SRT-8 acronym can be used in its name.
It was basically a turkey-looking muscle car. The fun could be as much as the driver wanted, as it was possible to disable the traction and stability control to skid or slide easily.



It should be noted that when the Magnum was developed, Daimler continued to be strongly linked to Chrysler, therefore, transmission, rear suspension, stability control, steering and various electronic elements came directly from Mercedes-Benz.
The common versions were somewhat sober, there were some interesting features, but nothing that would break the mold. Luckily, the touches received by the sports version gave him a front with larger air intakes, a hood with air inlet in the center, side skirts and more muscular bumpers that also showed a bit of his dual exhaust outlets. The wheels were 18 inches.


Brembo brakes

The most attractive model was 2006, for 2008 it presented a facelift that gave it a slightly more square front and that to a certain extent sought to bring it closer to what the brand used at that time.
The interior was a different matter, although it received much praise, the quality of the materials and assembly was famous for not being the best at the moment. There were many hard plastics and areas that some reported with finishing problems.
The sports version added certain optional elements, sports seats and a more powerful audio system. For the time it already had navigation, AM / FM radio, electric windows, air conditioning and some other amenities. It stood out for its space in the trunk, because being a station wagon it could reach a capacity of 764 liters without folding the seats in the second row.



The Dodge Magnum was a risky bet, but with better execution it could have been more relevant. The SRT-8 version managed to captivate several, but for its misfortune, shortly after being introduced, the Dodge Charger came on the scene with a body and a more popular name.
Later on, the recession came in 2008 that affected the United States and put its auto industry in check, where all brands were forced to cut costs and thereby eliminate some models that were not so successful.

Autonews