The
Dodge Magnum name has been used on a number of different
automobileAn automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
s. The most recent is a large rear-wheel drive
station wagonA station wagon is a body style variant of a sedan/saloon with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at the back via a third or fifth door , instead of a trunk lid...
introduced in 2004 for the 2005 model year and produced through to 2008. This new Magnum is
DodgeDodge is a United States-based brand of automobiles, minivans, and sport utility vehicles, manufactured and marketed by Chrysler Group LLC in more than 60 different countries and territories worldwide....
's first car to use the new
Chrysler LX platformThe LX platform is Chrysler's full-size rear wheel drive automobile platform for the mid part of the first decade of the 21st century. The LX was developed in America from the previous Chrysler LH platform, which had been designed to allow it to be easily upgraded to rear and all-wheel drive...
, shared with the
Chrysler 300The Chrysler 300 is a full-size upscale car first shown at the 2003 New York Auto Show as a concept car. Sales in the U.S. began in the spring of 2004 as an early 2005 model year car. Designed by Ralph Gilles, the new 300 was built as a high-end sedan while the SRT-8 model was designed to be the...
and the
Dodge ChargerThe Dodge Charger LX is a rear-wheel drive four-door automobile introduced in February 2005. Built by Chrysler for its North American Dodge brand, the car was created to continue the Dodge Charger line, and replaced the Dodge Intrepid as Dodge's full-size sedan...
. The LX Line is assembled at
Brampton AssemblyBrampton Assembly is a Chrysler automobile factory is located at 2000 Williams Parkway East, in Brampton, Ontario, Canada. Originally built by American Motors Corporation for US$260 million, the manufacturing plant was specially designed for building the Eagle Premier.-History:In June 1984,...
Plant, near Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Historically, the Dodge Magnum model name had been used from 1978 to 1979 for a large coupe in the United States. In Brazil, the Magnum name was a top of the line version of the local Dodge Dart from 1979 to 1981. In Mexico, the Dodge Magnum was a sporty rear-wheel drive two-door car based on Chrysler's M body (American Dodge Diplomat/Plymouth Gran Fury). It had a 360 CID (5.9L) V-8 engine with a single 4 barrel carburetor rated at 300 hp. From 1983 to 1988 it was a sporty two-door K-car with available turbocharger from 1984 on. Four engines were offered for the Mexican Magnum K, a SOHC I-4 2.2L (K-Trans-4), a turbocharged SOHC I-4 2.2L (1983–86) and two other 2.5L SOHC I-4s, with and without turbocharger (1987–88). The Mexican front-wheel drive Magnum was officially called "Dodge Magnum 400" between 1983 and 1984, as it was a sporty Mexican variation of the American Dodge 400 of the early eighties. For 1985, the "400" suffix was dropped. For the 1987 season, the turbocharger received an intercooler and the power from the turbo engine changed from 140 to 150 hp. The K-car based Magnum was replaced by the Mexican Chrysler Shadow GTS for the 1989 model year.
1978–1979
The 1978 and 1979 Dodge Magnum in the United States and
CanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
was an addition to the
Chrysler Chrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925....
line up that allowed
Richard PettyRichard Lee Petty is a former NASCAR driver who raced in the Strictly Stock/Grand National Era and the NASCAR Winston Cup Series...
to continue racing with a
MoparMopar is the automobile parts and service arm of Chrysler Group LLC. The term was first used by Chrysler in the 1920s and has been in continuous use ever since. Mopar parts are original equipment manufactured parts for Chrysler vehicles...
. The Magnum replaced the
ChargerThe Dodge Charger was a mid-size automobile produced by Dodge. The 1966-1974 Chargers were based on the Chrysler B platform. The 1975-1978 Chargers were based on the Chrysler Cordoba.-Origin of the Charger:...
SE in Dodge's lineup in two forms; the "XE" and the "GT". It was the last vehicle to use the long running
Chrysler B platformThe Chrysler B platform was the basis for rear-wheel drive Chrysler cars from 1962 through 1979, and the front-wheel drive Eagle Premier / Dodge Monaco 1988 through 1992. All of the B-body cars in a given model year for either make were built upon the same chassis...
. The appearance was somewhat of a rounded off Charger, and was in response to getting a car that would be eligible for
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
that would be more aerodynamic, something the 1975-78 Charger was not. Styling features included four rectangular headlights behind retractable clear covers, with narrow opera windows, and an optional T-bar or power sunroof. The Magnum was well-featured with power steering, brakes and seats; the suspension included Chrysler's standard adjustable, longitudinal torsion bars, lower trailing links, and front and rear anti-sway bars. The base engine was the 318 in³ V8 with Lean Burn, while two and four-barrel carbureted 360 and 400 V8s were also available; weight was nearly 3900 lb (1,769 kg). The 400 was dropped from the option list in 1979 as Chrysler stopped production of big-block V-8's in production cars at the end of 1978. A performance model, the "GT" was available with the 400
V8A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of four cylinders, in most cases set at a right angle to each other but sometimes at a narrower angle, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft....
in 1978 and the "E58" police interceptor (360 V8-195 HP) engine in 1979 along with HD suspension, special axle, special "GT" badging and a "turned metal" dash applique. Technology was advanced for the time with an onboard spark control computer from inception, electronic ignition, and a lockup torque converter. The Magnum name was discarded quickly in favor of the
MiradaThe Dodge Mirada was a full-sized, rear-wheel drive coupe built from 1980–83, and was one of the three cars based on the Chrysler J platform, the other models being the second generation Chrysler Cordoba and the Imperial, these three vehicles being Chrysler's response to the downsizing of its car...
, a smaller car that was also a rebadged Chrysler Cordoba. The Magnum has something of a cult following today, with several clubs and enthusiasts who are dedicated to the recognition and preservation of Chrysler's "last B-body". In 1979, they made 3,704 Dodge Magnums with the T-Top.
NASCAR
For the 1978
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
season, the 1974 Charger that Chrysler teams had continued to use was no longer eligible for competition. Chrysler worked on several car designs to smooth out the current 1975 bodied Charger into something that would be reasonably aerodynamic for the big racetracks and the Magnum design was settled on early in 1977 for use in the 1978 racing season. While not as aerodynamic as the previous 1974 Charger body, the shape of the Magnum showed promise, and the Petty built test cars easily reached 190 mi/h on test runs. Once out on the tracks the cars ran well with Richard Petty almost winning his Daytona 125 (finishing 2nd), and lead 30+ laps of the Daytona 500 until a blown front tire caused him to wreck. However, the lack of factory support of continued development of the small-block Chrysler 360 V8 as a race engine was becoming more of a problem, and in high speed racing traffic the Magnum did not handle well.
Richard PettyRichard Lee Petty is a former NASCAR driver who raced in the Strictly Stock/Grand National Era and the NASCAR Winston Cup Series...
was particularly harsh in his criticism of the car. By the latter half of the 1978 season, Petty and
Neil BonnettLawrence Neil Bonnett was a NASCAR driver who compiled 18 victories and 20 poles over his 18-year career. The Alabama native currently ranks 35th in all-time NASCAR Cup victories. He appeared in the 1983 film Stroker Ace and the 1990 film Days of Thunder...
(the two top Mopar teams) gave up on the cars inconsistent performance and switched to
ChevroletChevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
s, leaving independent drivers
Buddy ArringtonBuddy Arrington is a retired NASCAR Grand National/Winston Cup driver.- Biography :...
(who bought a few of Petty's Magnums, along with some parts) and
Frank WarrenFrank Warren is a retired NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver who raced from 1963 to 1980.Out of 88863 laps finished in his career, Warren had led 72 of them. Warren's total career earnings were $625,886 and while his average finish was 20th place in his entire career. The total amount of miles...
to soldier on without any substantial (Chrysler did provide sheetmetal and some engine parts to teams driving Magnums) factory support. From August 1978, 2-5 independent teams showed up with Magnums in
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
races until January 1981, when
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
switched to smaller bodied cars. The Magnum never enjoyed the racing heritage of its predecessors, but it was not without its own glorious moments. Petty scored 7 top five finishes in his 17 races with the car, and Neil Bonnett won three poles and scored 5 top five finishes with his. Richard Petty recognized the Magnum with a commemorative decal, depicting his famous number 43 emblazoned on a Magnum for his 1992 Fan Appreciation Tour. Though Richard never won a race in a Magnum, Petty's son,
Kyle PettyKyle Eugene Petty is a former American NASCAR driver and is currently a co-host for NASCAR RaceDay and panel member for NASCAR Smarts which are both on SPEED. He also commentates for TNT in the summer. He is the son of racer Richard Petty, grandson of racer Lee Petty, and father of the late Adam...
drove one of his father's year old Dodge Magnums in his first race (1979 Daytona ARCA 200), and won! Kyle raced in 5 NASCAR races using the left-over Magnums in 1979, but by the end of that year wrecked them beyond reasonable repair. As of now (JUL 2008) only two NASCAR Magnums still exist; one (an ex-Petty car) resides in the Talledega NASCAR museum, and the other; (
Marty RobbinsMartin David Robinson , known professionally as Marty Robbins, was an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist...
' 1978 Magnum #42) has been superbly restored and is owned by a private party in southern CA. The owner plans on racing it in the vintage NASCAR series.
Brazil
In the old Simca Factory in São Bernardo do Campo, São Paulo, Brazil, the
Dodge DartThe Dodge Dart is an automobile built by the Dodge division of the Chrysler Corporation from 1960-1976 in North America, with production extended to later years in various other markets. The Dart was introduced as a lower-priced, shorter wheelbase, full-size Dodge in 1960 and 1961, became a...
was produced from 1969 to 1981 (more than 92,000 cars were sold) with minor changes from the original model starting in 1969 and largely based on the 1968 Dart GT (and GTS). For its last three years of production, a 2-door upper trim level version of the Dart was sold as the
Magnum, featuring the the 318 in³ V8 engine used in all Dodge coupe and sedan models in Brazil. A unique fiberglass front fascia that included four headlights (to change it to look, similar to the American Dodge Swinger 1974-1975) was used while the rear end was very similar to the American Dart 1975(the Dart model from the same year was identical to the Swinger from USA). The Magnum (top of the line) was sold as a separate model from the Dart (bottom line), despite being almost identical to the Dart(was a status upgrade).
The Dodge was very well received in Brazil. Today you can find cars clubs with lots of Dodge coupes in good condition. The coupe and sedan models in Brazil were (all variations from the Dart 1968 model): Dart[1969-1981](with 2 doors coupe from 1970-1981 or 4 doors sedan from 1969 to 1981), Dart SE, Dart DeLuxo (with 2 and 4 doors models), Gran Coupe(enhanced from de Dart DeLuxo, with 2 doors only), Gran Sedan (enhanced of the the Dart DeLuxo model, with 4 doors only), Charger R/T [1971-1980](2 doors only, from 1971 to 1980 it was the top model in sport segment), LeBaron (substitute for the 'Gran Sedan', with 4 doors a sedan, from 1979 to 1981) and Magnum (substitute for the 'Gran Coupe' the top model in the luxurius segment from 1979 to 1981).
Mexican Market
In 1970 Automex (former name of Chrysler de Mexico) started the production of the Chrysler Valiant Super Bee based in the Chrysler A-Body semi-fastback (notchback) platform (same used on the American 1970-1976 Plymouth Duster). First, it had a 318 CID (5.2L) engine rated at 270 hp (1970-74), then, in 1975 was this was replaced by the famous 360 CID 4-barrel (5.9L) engine rated at 300 hp. It was produced from 1970 to 1976, and then (for the 1977-79 model years) it changed to the F-body (Dodge Aspen/Plymouth Volaré) body, being very similar to the American 1976-1980 Plymouth Volaré Road Runner. The F-body Valiant Super Bee was the fastest car in Mexico in the seventies, with a 360 CID engine rated at 300 hp. It lasted through the 1980 model year.
In 1979, Chrysler de México introduced the Chrysler LeBaron based in the M-Body Platform, and two years later it introduced the Dodge Diplomat as Dodge Dart. This Mexican M-body Dart was very similar to the American Plymouth Gran Fury in appearance/trim, but had Chrysler's Rallye road wheels instead of deluxe wheel covers. As the same case that in 1970, Chrysler de Mexico used a small platform and the name of an American sports car (the B-Body Dodge Magnum) and equipped it with the 360 LA V8 engine. The Mexican Dodge Magnum had the 360 CID (5.9L) engine with a Carter Thermoquad four barrel carburator rated in 300 hp, oil cooler Mopar, a 3-Speed A727 automatic transmission, with the 4-speed A833 manual transmission optional, heavy duty suspension, power brakes, estabilizer bar in the front and rear and a Dana 44 differential with positive pass and positraction. All the windows and windshield chromed metals were painted flat black, only the bumpers and the front grill were chromed, and the front fascia wore "Magnum" logo, in the side of the front fenders was put again the "Magnum" logo with a 5.9L decal. The Mexican RWD Dodge Magnum was offered only for the 1981-1982 model years.
The K-car based Mexican Dodge Magnum was a sporty 2-door compact, based on the Dodge Aries coupé body (with blackout 1982-1985 Dodge 400 grille in 1983-1985 and a blackout 1986-1988 Plymouth Caravelle grille in 1986-1988) offered from 1983 to 1988 with available turbocharger ("TurboChrysler" engine) from 1984 on. Four engines were offered for the Mexican Dodge Magnum K, a SOHC I-4 2.2L (K-Trans-4, 1983-86), a turbocharged SOHC I-4 2.2L (1984–1986) and two other 2.5L SOHC I-4s, with and without turbocharger (1987–88). When it was introduced, the Mexican Dodge Magnum 400 Turbo was advertised as "Mexico's fastest car" in the TV commercials of the time, and it surely was in 1985, when the "Fox" (1979-1984) 5.0L Mexican Ford Mustang was dropped from the catalog of Ford Mexico. The Mexican front-wheel drive Magnum was officially called "Dodge Magnum 400" between 1983 and 1984, as it was a sporty Mexican variation of the American Dodge 400 of the early eighties (without the vinyl roof of the US version and with high output 2.2L engine (available turbocharger from 1984 on), heavy-duty suspension, sporty wheels, tires, dash, steering wheel, console, shifter and seats). In 1984, the Mexican Magnum 400 Turbo was the closest thing to an American Dodge Daytona Turbo south of the border. For 1985, the "400" suffix was dropped. For the 1987 season, the turbocharger received an intercooler and the power from the turbo engine changed from 140 to 150 hp. The K-car based Magnum was replaced by the Mexican Chrysler Shadow GTS for the 1989 model year.
2004–2008
The Magnum name was revived in 2004 as a 2005
station wagonA station wagon is a body style variant of a sedan/saloon with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at the back via a third or fifth door , instead of a trunk lid...
on the
Chrysler LX platformThe LX platform is Chrysler's full-size rear wheel drive automobile platform for the mid part of the first decade of the 21st century. The LX was developed in America from the previous Chrysler LH platform, which had been designed to allow it to be easily upgraded to rear and all-wheel drive...
. The new Magnum was essentially a station wagon version of the
Chrysler 300The Chrysler 300 is a full-size upscale car first shown at the 2003 New York Auto Show as a concept car. Sales in the U.S. began in the spring of 2004 as an early 2005 model year car. Designed by Ralph Gilles, the new 300 was built as a high-end sedan while the SRT-8 model was designed to be the...
, with minor cosmetic changes. It was built in
Brampton, OntarioBrampton is the third-largest city in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario, Canada and the seat of Peel Region. As of the 2006 census, Brampton's population stood at 433,806, making it the 11th largest city in Canada. It is also one of Canada's fastest growing municipalities, with an average...
, Canada.
The Magnum was Dodge's first station wagon since the discontinuation of the
Dodge ColtThe Dodge Colt and the similar Plymouth Champ and Plymouth Colt, were subcompact cars sold by Dodge and Plymouth from 1970 to 1994. They were captive imports from Mitsubishi Motors, initially twins of the rear-wheel drive Galant and Lancer families before shifting to the smaller front-wheel drive...
wagon in 1991, and though it was the largest American-brand station wagon introduced since the discontinuation of GM's
B bodyThe B platform, or B-body, was General Motors' full-size rear-wheel drive automobile platform. It was closely related to the C-body and D-body and was used for coupés, sedans, and station wagons....
wagons in 1996, at 143 cubic feet of combined passenger and cargo volume, it does not qualify as a full-size wagon according to traditional EPA standards (160 cubic feet or more). It is however, the last mid-size station wagon (140 to 160 cubic feet of combined passenger and cargo volume) sold by an
American automobile manufacturer in the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(though in
EuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
the
Chrysler 300The Chrysler 300 is a full-size upscale car first shown at the 2003 New York Auto Show as a concept car. Sales in the U.S. began in the spring of 2004 as an early 2005 model year car. Designed by Ralph Gilles, the new 300 was built as a high-end sedan while the SRT-8 model was designed to be the...
Touring- a version of the Magnum with the 300C's front clip and interior- was sold). The Cadillac CTS Wagon comes close, but is classified as a "sport wagon." Based on the similar size and styling, the Dodge Magnum could be considered by some a spiritual successor to the
AMC ConcordThe AMC Concord is a compact car produced by the American Motors Corporation for the 1978 through 1983 model years. The Concord replaced the AMC Hornet and to some extent the mid-size AMC Matador, discontinued after 1978 in a market moving to downsized automobiles...
.
The Magnum had four engine options; the
SE features the 190
hpHorsepower is the name of several units of measurement of power. The most common definitions equal between 735.5 and 750 watts.Horsepower was originally defined to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses in continuous operation. The unit was widely adopted to measure the...
2.72 L LH V6, the
SXT had the 250 hp 3.5 L V6, and the
RT had the new 340 hp 5.7 L Hemi V8. The SRT-8 has a 425 hp 6.1
L
Hemi engine.
All-wheel drive became an option in 2005 on SXT and RT models. The SRT8, AWD SXT, and the RT use a
Mercedes-BenzMercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
-derived 5-speed
automatic transmissionAn automatic transmission is one type of motor vehicle transmission that can automatically change gear ratios as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually...
, while all other models use a four-speed automatic.
The Magnum was on
Car and DriverCar and Driver is an American automotive enthusiast magazine. Its total circulation is 1.31 million. It is owned by Hearst Magazines, who purchased prior owner Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S. in 2011...
's Ten Best listCar and Driver magazine annually nominates a list of what it considers the Ten Best cars and Five Best trucks.All production vehicles for sale in that calendar year are considered with these restrictions:# The vehicle must be on sale by January...
for 2005.
Police Version
As with the Intrepid, the Magnum was made available as a police car. Like the related LX Charger, it was rear-wheel drive. As such, it was hoped that its rear-drive handling would appeal to departments retiring their few remaining
CapricesThe Chevrolet Caprice is a full-sized automobile produced by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors in North America for the 1965 through 1996 model years. Full-size Chevrolet sales peaked in 1965 with over a million sold. It was the most popular American car in the sixties and early seventies....
, as an alternative to the
Ford Crown Victoria-1992–1994:Released in March 1991 as an early 1992 model, the Crown Victoria sedan was completely redesigned with a rounder, eight-window roofline . The redesign reduced the coefficient of drag from 0.42 to 0.34; the suspension setup was also heavily revised...
. Available only to law enforcement, emergency agencies, and government agencies, the vehicle had the SXT's V6 as the base engine and the Hemi as an option, along with police-specific options such as a steering-column mounted shifter, deactivated interior rear windows and locks.
SRT-8
A high performance
SRT-8 version debuted at the 2005 Los Angeles Auto Show. It went on sale in 2005 as a 2006 model. Like the
300CThe Chrysler Corporation has used the designation Chrysler 300C to refer to two different vehicles, which are described in separate articles.* The 1957 Chrysler 300C, that year's version of the Chrysler 300 "letter series"; a large, high-performance luxury coupe sold in very limited numbers.* The...
SRT-8, it featured the new 370 cu in (6.1 l) Hemi engine, which produces 425 hp (317 kW). 20" wheels, firmer suspension, bigger brakes (Brembo), new lower-body treatment, and a revised front and rear-fascia completes the transformation. The SRT-8 was named
Best New Modern Muscle Car in the 2006
Canadian Car of the YearCanadian Car of the Year winners, as chosen by the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada:-Canadian Car of the Year:-2011:Canadian Car of the Year winners, as chosen by the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada:...
contest.
Motor TrendMotor Trend is an American automobile magazine. It first appeared in September 1949, issued by Petersen Publishing Company in Los Angeles, and bearing the tag line "The Magazine for a Motoring World". Petersen Publishing was sold to British publisher EMAP in 1998, who sold the former Petersen...
Test Results:
- 0-60 mph: 5.1 sec
- 0-100 mph: 11.7 sec
- Standing 1/4-mile: 13.1 sec @ 108 mi/h
2008 changes
For the 2008 model year, the Magnum received a facelift as well as an updated interior in line with that of the Dodge Charger. The front fascia sported new aggressively squared off headlights and a smaller rectangular grille more reminiscent of the Charger. The SRT-8 variant gained a new hood scoop. A new bright red paint scheme was introduced. The new changes brought the car closer to its Charger platform mate, away from the
Chrysler 300The Chrysler 300 is a full-size upscale car first shown at the 2003 New York Auto Show as a concept car. Sales in the U.S. began in the spring of 2004 as an early 2005 model year car. Designed by Ralph Gilles, the new 300 was built as a high-end sedan while the SRT-8 model was designed to be the...
.
Cancellation
On November 1, 2007, Chrysler announced that, as part of its restructuring plans, the Dodge Magnum would be one of four models discontinued after the 2008 model year. In Chrysler's words: "The Magnum, along with the PT Cruiser convertible, the Crossfire, and the Pacifica were not earning their keep". The production ended in late March, 2008. The Dodge Magnum, (along with the short-wheelbase Dodge Caravan), has been replaced by the
Dodge JourneyThe Dodge Journey is a mid-size crossover SUV built by the Dodge division of Chrysler.-First generation :Unveiled first at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show, and later appearing at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, the Journey identified internally as the JC49, has an almost identical wheelbase as the...
.
On July 17, 2011, Ralph Gilles (Chrysler Group Design Chief, head of the SRT division, and former head of Dodge Division) told the New York Times that Chrysler may revive the Magnum.
Gilles says folks at Chrysler are still proud of the Magnum -- which attracted famously loyal owners. "With the Magnum, we owned the station wagon segment," says Gilles, who oversaw the wagon's creation as design chief. "It was always a pleasure to go to car shows and trade fairs and see the number of Magnums that owners had personalized with such obvious loving care." He blames its death on a single suit who didn't survive with New Chrysler: It "was single-handedly killed by one executive who is no longer with the company. He's retired. A lot of people in the company still like that vehicle -- a lot."
Gilles says Chrysler now is in a position to dream, but he backed off when asked whether Magnum, the Sequel is a sure thing, telling the NYT: "Stay tuned. Great things are coming. That's all I can say."
Europe and Australia
In
EuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, the Magnum was sold as the
Chrysler 300 Touring. It is essentially the same as the U.S.-market Magnum, but with the Chrysler 300C's front end and interior, and right-hand-drive for Australia and the U.K. The 300C Touring adds an available 3.0L CRD Turbo Diesel version. The 300C Touring is assembled in
AustriaAustria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
.
External links