The Mercedes-AMG E63 and Audi RS6 are considered the most hardcore and interesting station wagons in America right now. They're rare and super-expensive, but they might not even be that interesting if Dodge kept making the Magnum and stuck a Hellcat engine into it.
Think about it: Hellcat setups dominate almost every segment they occupy in America, from trucks to muscle cars. It's impossible not to see the appeal of a 700+ horsepower V8 available for the kind of money German automakers would charge you for a V6.
Chrysler actually had modern wagons that fit the same description. The Magnum is the obvious one, but Chrysler also offered a 300C Touring in some markets. You can't deny this is a European influence, mainly from the Mercedes and BMW. Even the name supports this.
Ever since the first Hellcats were introduced in 2015, America has been captivated by this new performance branding. All sorts of Jeeps and Dodges, both old and new, gained supercharged V8s. Lots of Magnum projects also popped up.
We've featured many of them over the years, but there's always something missing. For example, this one from last year looks like a 2006 car when viewed from the back. But there's no such problem with the Magnum created by Junkyard Dave. While he's been taking his sweet time with it, the project is coming out looking better than stock. And you can tell this is a labor of love for him.
The basic, boxy shell of a Magnum has been chopped and massaged into a convincing Hellcat shape. The mods are too numerous to count, but as you can see, it's got Charger doors with the famous creases and the widebody fenders at both ends.
Of course, this is now a high-roofed wagon too. But the 2021 Magnum is more of a shooting brake to our eyes. The rear shoulders lines wrap tightly around the body and lead your eyes to the Charger's LED taillights.
Let's imagine for a second that Dodge didn't stop making the Magnum in 2007. What would you pay for a monster version like this nowadays? Well, the Charger Redeye Widebody starts at about $80,000. A wagon would cost more, but even at $85,000, having 797 horsepower versus the 591 horsepower of the RS6 would be worth it.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News