The new Magnum is a great looking automobile which will get your neighbors speaking as you rumble round the block. The unique styling of the Magnum will also attract gawkers in the shape of 18-22 year old fellows pointing for their chums to “check that out”. And some folks will approach you as you are filling up the gas tank to ask, “Does it really have a Hemi?”, with only a vague notion that it somehow makes the car better.

The Magnum is offered with many different engine sizes ( either a 6-cylinder or 8-cylinder) with your selection of h.p. Output of 190, 250, 340 and 425. The price of the vehicle also corresponds with the engine size starting at $30,345 to the pricey STR-8 model for $37,320. A huge part of the mystique around this car is the Hemi engine. The Hemi is short for hemispherical combustion chamber, which creates more efficient fuel burning and allows larger valves for better airflow. Fundamentally , it produces more power than an engine with its displacement would usually produce. ( there also are flaws to the Hemi, and is why it isn’t the only engine that Chrysler produces).

The interior of the automobile looks much more expensive than you would expect for the price of the Magnum. Since Mercedes bought Chrysler, the Dodge automobiles I’ve sampled have had a sharp improvement in interior quality. While on the road, the car is extremely solid and the seats are cosy even on long highway runs.

As much as I like the looks, after driving it some time I really have to query the design concept that the Magnum offers. It is a station wagon built to transport a lot of people and a lot of stuff. But mating this with a powerful engine with the taught racing-like suspension is uncomfortable for both. It is like having a Corvette tow a little trailer, and you are in the trailer and the Corvette driver is 15 years-old, pushing the car to its boundaries. ( Only a Corvette has a way more cosy suspension than the Magnum ). Even driving on smooth roads, the steering is extraordinarily darty and hard to control. And with a big vehicle, all that weaving and road feedback is exaggerated for the passengers and everything you have stored in the back.

I like having a navigation system, but figuring out how to use it with the steering wheel controls made me frequently refer to the user’s manual. In spite of the high horsepower And low-end torque I played with when beginning from a full stop, the RT model I drove averaged twenty M.p.g on the higway.

What I presume to be the target market for this car, those 18-22 year old fellows that I discussed, will likely love this car. And as much as I like driving sports automobiles, the darty steering and sharp suspension make it too uncomfortable without any impressive payoff. The 0-60 sprint is fun for a little while, but I’d pass on buying a Magnum as a daily driving vehicle.

For more reviews about sports cars, visit thesupercars.org and while you are at it, you might also want to have a look at Magnum for sale.

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