Over the years, the station wagon has been viewed as the penultimate in low performance family vehicles, with the Family Truckster from National Lampoons Vacation summing up what many thought about the bulky vehicles.  The growing popularity of minivans and sport utility vehicles, along with the unappealing air around the station wagon had pretty much removed them from the American market, but in 2005, Dodge set out to change the way that people viewed the station wagon.  The Dodge Magnum offered muscular lines and a selection of performance engines with the top dog of the lineup being the Hemi powered Magnum SRT8, packing 425 horsepower.  Built on the same LX platform as the Dodge Charger and the Chrysler 300, the Magnum was just as versatile as an SUV, with similar cargo and seating capacities, but without the boring, slow reputation often attached to family vehicles.  The Magnum proved to be perfect for the family man who wanted something to keep up in traffic, or even take to the track, without having to compromise usefulness in order to drive a performance car.  The Magnum was an instant hit, and it quickly gained a reputation for being a station wagon not to be messed with.  Fast forward to 2007, and the Dodge Magnum is still flying high as one of the most powerful family minded vehicles in the world , but it was still time for a refresh, and at the 2007 North American International Auto Show, Dodge released an even more aggressive-looking Dodge Magnum SRT8.

The performance statistics will remain the same for 2008 with the 6.1L Hemi returning as the SRT8 engine, backed by a five-speed automatic transmission with the AutoStick feature.  The undercarriage looks very similar to the prior Magnums, as along with the drivetrain, the suspension remains the same.  The interior of the SRT8 has received some minor improvements, such as LED lighting near the cup holder and map pockets, as well as carbon fiber trim scattered throughout the interior.  The 2008 Magnum SRT8 will retain the same race-inspired seats that are offered in all SRT vehicles, combining luxury comfort with a firm placement for the driver during spirited romps.

The obvious difference with the new Magnum SRT8 is the redesigned front end, and while this new fascia and hood combo gives the SRT8 a more aggressive look, the upgrades are fully functional.  The new front end is more angular, with the rounded lines of the previous model now flattened a bit, and the headlights, which previously extended up past the top of the grille, are now shorter, giving the Magnum a similar angered look to the Dodge Charger.  The upper and lower grille sections have been altered to allow for more air flow to cool the 425 horsepower engine, and along the sides of the lower grille section, the fog light area is enlarged, allowing more room for the brake system cooling ducts.  These cooling improvements have been made to the front fascia with aerodynamics in mind, and the 2008 Dodge Magnum SRT8 front end yields a lower coefficient of drag than does the prior model.  The final addition along the front end of the new Dodge Magnum SRT8 is the addition of a functional hood scoop.  Aftermarket hoods are very popular among the Magnum tuning market, so it seems as though Dodge has taken that into consideration during the design process, adding a hood style very much like the Dodge Viper and Dodge Ram SRT10 models.  This functional hood scoop allows the engine more fresh air for the combustion process, as well as further help with cooling.

Years ago, Dodge used the slogan “The Rules Have Changed”, and it seems that the people at DCX are constantly changing the rules, keeping the opposition on their toes.  While the Magnum SRT8 is basically untouched by any competitor in the American market, companies such as BMW and Audi have long made popular performance station wagons (referred to as an Avant overseas) and with models such as the Audi RS6 Avant, Dodge has to stay on guard to help keep the powerful Dodge Magnum atop the performance family vehicle market here in the US.  Thanks to these new upgrades, it appears as though the Magnum will remain on top for at least a few more years, because once again, Dodge has made driving a station wagon that much cooler.