February 25, 2005 - Remember a few years back when a couple of noted car zealots, namely race car driver/actor Paul Newman and race team owner/talk show host David Letterman, made popular the stuffing of Ford vee-eights into old rear-drive Volvo 7 and 9 Series wagons? The combination of Mustang GT–like acceleration and soccer-mom-Volvos smoking away from stoplights was more shocking to see than the actual celebs driving these Swedish bricks.

Well if Mr. Newman and Mr. Letterman are looking for their next vehicle that combines frugality and performance, may I suggest the 2005 Dodge Magnum RT.

The Magnum is the station wagon take on the existing Chrysler 300 sedan and upcoming Dodge Charger sedan. Like the rides of Mr. Newman and Letterman, the Magnum is a pan-Atlantic combination of a European chassis with good ol’ American muscle underneath the hood, in this case, the last-generation Mercedes-Benz E Class and the return of the muscle-car-era-legend Chrysler HEMI vee-eight engine.

If you like to drive, for a number of reasons, the RT model is THE Magnum to get.



You can get a base Magnum SE for $27,995 with a 190 horsepower/pound-feet of torque, 2.7-litre vee-six. You can get a Magnum SXT for $31,495 with a 250-horsepower/ pound-feet of torque, 3.5-litre vee-six. But with a base price of $37,595, will you ever forgive yourself if you didn’t get the HEMI with its 340 horsepower, 390 pound-feet of torque, 5.7-litre vee-eight?

With the most power of any Dodge car since the ‘70s, the Magnum RT has the kind of on-demand power that car zealots love to have underfoot. Unlike the HEMI engines from the muscle car era, this engine’s torque curve can be accessed throughout the rev range with maximum twist at 4,000 rpms. Matched up to another piece of Mercedes-donated engineering, the mandatory five-speed manumatic, this nearly 2,000-kilogram wagon has moves that an NFL linebacker would relish. This engine/tranny combo is refined when you’re taking the kids to diving classes, and brutally explosive when you’re alone and reliving your youth smoking rice rockets. It all depends on your mood, circumstances, or the number of points left on your driver’s license.

For those brought up on Accords and Camrys, the thought of driving a high-powered, rear-drive car can cause a tightening of the shorts, especially during our ten-month winters here in The Great White North. No worries really, as all Magnum RTs come with a traction control system that in typical Mercedes fashion cannot be turned off despite a deactivation button on the dash.

And for those who think doughnuts are for dunking, all-wheel-drive is available on the SXT and RT Magnums.



After you’ve shown that kid at the last stoplight in the slammed Integra “who’s his daddy”, the Magnum actually goes down the road very nicely. Even when compared to such well thought of cars such as VW’s Passat GLS wagon (190-hp, $36,560), or Volvo’s V70 2.4i (168-hp $38,495). The RT comes standard with 225/60R-18 touring tires designed to provide comfort over all-out road handling. As the Magnum’s suspension bits are a steel-instead-of-aluminum variation of the last generation E Class, it’s not surprising the balance between comfort and control are what you find in cars costing tens of thousands of dollars more.

Because the front wheels are left alone to steer, it’s quite easy to move this large car around curves, despite a 3048 millimetre wheelbase that is close in length to some full-size pickups. Recognizing the potential speed and mass of this vehicle, when it comes to stopping, Dodge didn’t compromise either. The Magnum's four-wheel discs felt strong and immediate, without the soft feel we’ve encountered in its platform sharing 300C mate.

Overall, the Magnum feels really solid, something we haven’t seen in a Dodge car, Viper excluded, in a number of years.



You do get other “stuff” when you check off the RT box on the options list. Fog lights, a bright grille, leather seats, steering wheel and shift knob, a six-speaker stereo, and a larger 72-litre fuel tank.

The seats are noteworthy. Supportive, with firm cushions and substantial side bolstering to hold you in tight without being too restrictive on family vacations. The black-on-white gauges have a much sportier look than what’s found in the 300C. With less chrome accents throughout, otherwise, it’s the same basic design as the more luxurious Chrysler. The overall interior design is simple and functional, but the quality of the materials is typical of any domestic today. Compared to a Passat, you can see, feel, and hear, where Dodge put their money (the HEMI, stupid).

Station wagon or hot-rod? Family hauler or Euro sports wagon? It’s hard to pigeonhole the Magnum.

Like the Chrysler 300C, if you try to compare the Magnum to similarly priced vehicles against attributes that a car zealot appreciates (power, ride and handling), the competition comes up way short.



If you can forgo the Magnum’s inferior interior build materials and inavailability of a manual transmission, from a bang-for-your-buck viewpoint, even our loaded RT press car at $43,140 smokes such pricey Euro rides such as Volvo’s V70R (300-hp $60,995) or its own corporate bedfellow, the  Mercedes-Benz E500 4MATIC wagon (302-hp $92,150).

Perchance the RT model seems a little “weak”? For around $10k more the Magnum SRT-8 will be coming this summer sporting a 425 horsepower, 6.1-litre HEMI. Chrysler’s Street and Racing Technology (SRT) engineers claim 0-100 km/h acceleration in the low 5-second range.

Whatever 2005 Dodge Magnum you choose, the one area it differs from those hotrod Volvos is in the looks department. There’s no denying this car stands out in day-to-day traffic—it ain’t no Q-ship—which made driving this car all the more fun. If you’re wearing a leather jacket, the urge to flip up the collar and drive with your left arm perched on the windowsill is irresistible.

- John LeBlanc, Publisher, straight-six.com



2005 Dodge Magnum RT

Type: Mid-size, front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, five-passenger, five-door wagon

Base price: $37,595

Price as tested: $43,140 (includes $1,200 PDI, $100 A/C tax, $4,245 options)

Warranty: 3 years/60,000 kms

Engine: 5.7-litre vee-eight. 340-hp @ 5,000 rpm, 390 lb-ft @ 4,0000 rpm

Transmission: Driver-adaptive 5-speed automatic with Auto Shift.

Suspension: Front suspension: Independent 4-link, with stabilizer bar; Rear suspension: Independent 5-arm multilink with stabilizer bar.

Brakes: Four discs with ABS and traction control.

Wheels: 18-in. alloy

Tires: 225/60R-18 all-season performance

Wheelbase: 3,048 mm (120 in)

Overall length: 5,022 mm (197.7 in)

Overall height: 1,483 mm (58.3 in)

Overall width: 1,882 mm (74.1 in)

Curb weight: 1,945kg (4,289lb.)

Optional features: Convenience Group II: Air Cond with Dual Zone Control, Heated Front Seats, Power Adjustable Pedals, Power Front Seats ($935.00); Electronics Convenience Group: Garage Door Opener, Steering Wheel-Mounted Audio Controls. Temperature & Compass Gauge, Traveler/Mini Trip Computer, Electronic Vehicle Information Centre ($765.00; Side Supplemental Air Bags, Window Curtain,Frt & Rr ($390.00); Radio - AM/FM Cass/CD, 6-Disc, MP3 ($650.00); Cargo Convenience Group: Organizer - Rear, Cargo
Roof Rack ($455.00); Sunroof Power ($1,050.00)None

Fuel economy: City: 13.8 l/100 km (21 mpg), Hwy: 8.8 l/100 km (32 mpg)

Fuel type: 89 octane gasoline