| The new Magnum is a great looking car that | | | | the Dodge vehicles I've sampled have had a |
| will get your neighbors talking as you rumble | | | | sharp improvement in interior quality. While |
| around the block. The unique styling of the | | | | on the road, the car is very solid and the |
| Magnum will also attract gawkers in the form | | | | seats are comfortable even on long highway |
| of 18-22 year old guys pointing for their | | | | runs. |
| friends to "check that out". And a few people | | | | |
| will approach you as you are filling up the | | | | As much as I like the looks, after driving it |
| gas tank to ask, "Does it really have a | | | | a while I really have to question the design |
| Hemi?", with only a vague notion that it | | | | concept that the Magnum offers. It is a |
| somehow makes the car better. | | | | station wagon built to transport a lot of |
| | | | people and a lot of stuff. But mating this |
| The Magnum is offered with many different | | | | with a powerful engine with the taught |
| engine sizes (either a 6-cylinder or | | | | racing-like suspension is uncomfortable for |
| 8-cylinder) with your choice of horsepower | | | | both. It is like having a Corvette tow a |
| output of 190, 250, 340 and 425. The price of | | | | small trailer, and you are in the trailer and |
| the vehicle also corresponds with the engine | | | | the Corvette driver is 15 years-old, pushing |
| size starting at $30,345 to the expensive | | | | the car to its limits. (Only an actual |
| STR-8 model for $37,320. A big part of the | | | | Corvette has a much more comfortable |
| mystique around this car is the Hemi engine. | | | | suspension than the Magnum). Even driving on |
| The Hemi is short for hemispherical | | | | smooth roads, the steering is very darty and |
| combustion chamber, which creates more | | | | difficult to control. And with a large car, |
| efficient fuel burning and allows larger | | | | all that weaving and road feedback is |
| valves for better airflow. Basically, it | | | | exaggerated for the passengers and everything |
| produces more power than an engine with its | | | | you've stored in the back. |
| displacement would normally produce. (There | | | | |
| are also drawbacks to the Hemi, which is why | | | | I like having a navigation system, but |
| it isn't the only engine that Chrysler | | | | figuring out how to use it with the steering |
| produces). | | | | wheel controls made me frequently refer to |
| | | | the user's manual. In spite of the high |
| The interior of the car looks much more | | | | horsepower and low-end torque I played with |
| expensive than you'd expect for the price of | | | | when starting from a full stop, the RT model |
| the Magnum. Since Mercedes bought Chrysler, | | | | I drove averaged 20 MPG on the higway. |