What makes the Dodge Magnum wagon something that still holds our interest almost 25 years after the higher-ups at Dodge ditched the wagon? During the resurgence of Mopar and the muscle car, Dodge brought us a series of cars meant to show the muscle of American car manufacturers. The Magnum was part of this lean-back-toward American power and was a low-slung beast ready to get on the road and a great commuter. This Dodge offering is a short-lived attempt at something different, but not too distant that many underappreciated when it was available new. Our attention is held partly by what we missed out on before we realized it, as well as thoughts of what this wagon could have grown to become.

The 1978 Magnum

The original iteration of the Dodge Magnum was a long, low two-door cruising machine. Dodge made the Magnum around the same time as the Dodge Charger and on the same chassis. Interestingly similar to the way the Magnum of the 2000s came to be. This original Magnum was a coupe with an astonishingly long wheelbase of 115 inches and an overall length of 215.7 inches. After size and name, the similarities between the original and Magnum that came 30 years after ended quickly. The old school Magnum paints a fierce picture of the first glace as it looks like all hood and engine room. This '78 Magnum is one of those cars that, when seen today, looks like a throwback to a bygone era or a cartoon car from the classic “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?”

2005 Rebirth

The Magnum Wagon was created for the 2005 model year and had exterior styling that made it appealing to many buyers. Offered in two trim packages to start, the base model was a reasonably capable commuter car with some extra pizzazz. The bodywork was a little chunky, which gave a feeling of strength emphasized by the broad, flared fenders and the 120-inch wheelbase. However, the overall height seemed a bit too tall and a little awkward.

The SE and the SXT were the only trims offered in the first year of production. The SE was standard with a 2.7-liter V-6 engine with 190 horsepower. The SXT came with a slightly bigger 3.5-liter V-6 putting out 250 horsepower. Both were available with all-wheel drive, though that option changed the chassis and added even more height to the already awkward proportions that came standard. The cargo space was terrific, though. With the rear seats up, there were 27 cubic feet of space which transformed into almost 72 cubic feet with the seats down—an appealing feature for a car that was supposed to appeal to families. The 2005 model still left room for improvement.

2006 and the R/T and SRT8

The Magnum saw two new trims added in 2006. The R/T version and the SRT8 version had the same engine as the Chargers that Dodge was making. The main improvements came in slightly lower ground body height, making the overall look more cohesive. That is unless you bought the all-wheel drive version still. The R/T went with the 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 that produced 340 horsepower and zoomed from 0-60 in six seconds flat. Then there was the 6.1-liter Hemi V-8 that put 425 horsepower and slammed you from 0-60 in 5.1 seconds. The speed is comparable to the Mercedes-AMG E55 of the same era, which is a fantastic feat considering that the Magnum SRT8 was under $40,000 brand new.

SRT8: Coveted Sleeper Wagon

The SRT8 may be the reason that the Magnum holds our attention still. This powerhouse sleeper was one of the best “power wagons” produced by an American manufacturer. It was an unassuming station wagon that looked far too small for anyone to sit comfortably from the outside. It was surprisingly roomy, even for tall folks. It had massive cargo space and was as comfortable to drive out for a night on the town as it was to commute to and from work daily. And, if you had the SRT8, then the Magnum sounded as vicious as it looks.

The SRT8 was quick, handled surprisingly well, and was only around for three years, receiving a facelift for its last year in production and ultimately being left by the wayside. Many today query the decision about the what-ifs the car left behind. What could the Magnum have been had it stuck around the way the Charger did? Would the versions have come out with the same available engines? Can you imagine what that wagon would have been like with one of the newer engines dropped into it? These are just ponderings that we will never know the answer to now. The abrupt demise of this car with potential may also be the reason there is much interest in the Magnum.

The Magnum is Left Behind

Let’s face it. The Magnum Wagon sold about as well as one would expect a station wagon to sell on the American market. The sales weren’t awful, averaging about 40,000 overall copies over the four years Dodge sold it. Still, the Magnum was never destined for long life. Even though it was given a revamp for the 2008 model year, the sales dropped significantly, and even the SRT8 couldn’t save the day. With just over 6,900 examples sold in 2008, the Magnum was officially shelved, and the 2008 body restyle only lasted a year. The 2008 SRT8 only saw 239 copies come off the production line, an indicator that this was all she wrote for the car world.

A Curious Decision

Why the makers at Dodge decided to give up on the Magnum is a decision said to have been brought about by the financial crisis. Still, it seems a bit convoluted to some. There are whisperings that a single person was responsible, but who knows? We know that the company gave the Dodge Magnum the boot the same year as the Crossfire, the original Pacifica, and the PT Cruiser convertible, so maybe it was just not cutting the crisis. The Dodge Magnum sold well compared to these other cars that got left behind, so we will only be left to postulate on the things that could have been and what a Magnum with a Hellcat engine could have sounded like had we ever been given a chance to see it.

FAQ

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Back in 2010, the LFA carried a base price of $375,000

Q: How many LFAs are left?

Back in 2020, there were 12 brand-new LFA cars in Lexus dealerships.

Q: Why is the LFA so special?

It is fast, overengineered and it sounds amazing.