autoevolution
 

1978 Dodge Magnum Discards NASCAR Coupe Heritage in Favor of Old School Wagon DNA

Just in case you fancy an old-school 1970s station wagon on the driveway above anything else, here’s a CGI transformation of the 1978-79 Dodge Magnum. It keeps the NASCAR connection, though. So you can hit 190 mph (306 kph) at the mall...
1978 Dodge Magnum station wagon render with NASCAR vibes by jlord8 on Instagram 6 photos
Photo: jlord8/Instagram
1978 Dodge Magnum station wagon render with NASCAR vibes by jlord8 on InstagramDodge Magnum SRT-8Dodge Magnum SRT-8Dodge Magnum SRT-81978 Dodge Magnum station wagon render with NASCAR vibes by jlord8 on Instagram
Many automotive aficionados will remember the Magnum nameplate as something that looked very 2000s, and Dodge. And it was actually a Charger-derived station wagon created on the backbones of Chrysler’s LX architecture. It lived a noticeably short life, though, only for the 2005 through 2008 model years.

On the other hand, diehard Chrysler and Dodge fans will also point out the Magnum was also used in America for the 1978 and 1979 model years. Back then, it was also closely related to the Charger, but wore the gowns of a traditional Chrysler B-platform two-door coupe. Interestingly, it was the last vehicle to use the long-running architecture, and also something with deep NASCAR ties.

Not all of them were positive, though, as the legendary Richard Petty was quoted as he declared “the Magnum is underivable at 190 mph (306 kph).” Still, the model wasn’t without its achievements, and among other things, Kyle Petty drove one of his father’s left-over Magnums during his first-ever race in 1979... and won the Daytona ARCA 200.

Now, with that in mind, here’s Jim – the virtual artist behind the jlord8 account on social media – turning all the heritage upside down and gunning for the short-lived 2000s station wagon’s references. With NASCAR-appropriate tires and wheels, of course, to make sure there’s at least one seed of scandal. So, in keeping with Petty’s warning, one could virtually drive this thing at 189 mph (304 kph) around the shopping mall’s parking lot...

Or, as a fan-suggested alternative, perhaps the pixel master could enhance the ‘78 Magnum coupe turned five-door wagon with SRT-8 cues. That way, those tires would have their work cut out when trying to send the 425 horsepower to the ground. That is, of course, if the 6.1-liter Hemi V8 has enough space under the hood...


If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)

Editor's note: Gallery includes images of the second-generation 2005-2008 Dodge Magnum SRT-8.

About the author: Aurel Niculescu
Aurel Niculescu profile photo

Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution.
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories