The Dodge Magnum SRT8: A Surprisingly Thrilling Ride

When it comes to American muscle cars, few are as iconic as the Dodge Magnum SRT8. At first glance, the SRT8 may seem like just another variant of the more practical Magnum sedan, but beneath its utilitarian exterior lies a beast of an engine and a driving experience that's equal parts brutal and beautiful.

The Cargo Space: A Surplus of Power

One of the most notable features of the SRT8 is its cavernous cargo space. When you open up the trunk, you're greeted by two massive subwoofers that seem to be begging to be turned up. Unfortunately, this means that the air conditioning system doesn't quite live up to its promise, leaving passengers to rely on the wind for cooling. However, when it comes to hauling around, the SRT8 has plenty of room to spare.

Design and Aesthetics: Where the Magnum Falls Short

Compared to its V6-equipped brethren, the SRT8 is a visually stunning creature. The front end is sleeker and more refined, with a modified grille that sets it apart from the crowd. However, when it comes to overall design language, the SRT8 does feel like an afterthought – as if Dodge took all the most desirable parts of its other muscle cars and slapped them onto this particular model. But even so, there's something undeniably cool about the way the SRT8 presents itself.

The Engine: A Beast in Disguise

Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the SRT8 is just how much power it packs for its size. The 6.1-liter V8 engine produces a whopping 400 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque, making this an engine that's every bit as brutal as it is beautiful. And with an aftermarket exhaust system in place, the sound is nothing short of intoxicating – like a lion waking up from its slumber, ready to pounce.

A Commercial Comeback

The SRT8 has always had a certain allure to it, but perhaps the most memorable advertising campaign came courtesy of a 2004 commercial featuring a Dodge driver with a surfboard strapped to his roof. The commercial was more about personality and attitude than outright performance, and yet it managed to capture the essence of what made this car so special.

A Surprisingly Pleasant Driving Experience

For all its size and weight, the SRT8 is surprisingly agile on the road. In fact, when driven aggressively, it's almost as if the car is one with the driver – like a extension of their own muscle and attitude. This isn't just about raw power; it's also about finesse and control. The manual transmission can sometimes be finicky, but with the right footwork, this thing becomes almost sublime.

The Verdict: A Muscle Car That Defies Expectations

All in all, the Dodge Magnum SRT8 is a car that defies expectations. It's not just another muscle car; it's an experience. Whether you're cruising down the highway or tearing up the back roads, the SRT8 has something for everyone – from its incredible power to its surprisingly pleasant driving experience. While it may have started life as an afterthought, this engine-swapped beast has become a true icon of American muscle car culture.

The Sound: A Symphony of Power

One of the most distinctive aspects of the SRT8 is its sound profile. Unlike some other engines in the same horsepower class, this one produces a deep, throaty rumble that's both menacing and alluring. It's like nothing else on the road – an experience that's equal parts thrilling and addictive.

A Surprising Lack of Slack

When it comes to performance, the SRT8 has no problem delivering. The gearbox can sometimes feel a bit sluggish, but once you get past that initial hesitation, this thing is off and running like a dream. The acceleration is rapid, the handling is responsive, and the overall driving experience is nothing short of euphoric.

A True Icon of American Muscle Car Culture

The Dodge Magnum SRT8 may not have started life as an iconic muscle car per se, but it's now firmly cemented in the pantheon of American muscle car greatness. Its unique blend of power, performance, and attitude has made it a favorite among enthusiasts – even if it did start out as an afterthought on the Dodge lineup. With its V8 rumble, sport-tuned suspension, and surprisingly pleasant driving experience, this engine-swapped beast is sure to leave you grinning from ear to ear.

The Toyota Supra: A Different Beast

While the SRT8 may not be the most powerful car in its class, it's certainly one of the most distinctive. And when compared to other engines with similar horsepower ratings – such as the 2J engine found in the Toyota Supra – you start to notice just how unique this particular powerplant is.

The Exhaust Routing: A Key Factor

One of the main reasons why the SRT8 sounds so different from its competitors is due to its exhaust routing. Unlike some other engines, which tend to emphasize a raw, throaty growl, the SRT8 produces a smooth, refined sound that's more akin to a symphony orchestra than a brute force muscle car.

The Verdict: A Muscle Car That Defies Expectations

In conclusion, the Dodge Magnum SRT8 is a true original – an engine-swapped beast that defies expectations and leaves you grinning from ear to ear. With its unique blend of power, performance, and attitude, this muscle car has earned its place alongside some of America's most iconic driving machines. Whether you're cruising down the highway or tearing up the back roads, the SRT8 is sure to leave you with memories that will last a lifetime.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enthe dodge magnum srt8 where do i even start with this thing this enormous hearse looking wagon was one of dodge's weirdest attempts at building their own sleeper wagon this car made 425 horsepower in the mid 2000s and sounded like a freaking monster come on grandpa and i'm honestly starting to get a soft spot for this car i have never driven an srt8 version but the day has finally come so what is the dodge magnum srt8 wagon like and is it worth a little bit more praise let's go for a drive and find out before we get started with today's video i just want to give a huge thanks to today's sponsor upstart it can be really hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel when you have high interest debt and sometimes it can be even harder to ask for help that's where upstart comes in upstart powered personal loans can help you pay down high interest debt all online with simple and easy to understand payment terms and upside has helped over 1.8 million customers on their path to financial freedom whether it's paying off credit cards consolidating high interest or funding personal expenses upstart can help you get one fixed monthly payment with a clear payoff date enough start knows you're more than just your credit score rather than just looking at your credit score alone upstart's model considers other factors like your income employment and other information provided in your loan application to find you a smarter rate for your loan and you can check your rate in just minutes for loans between 1 000 and 50 000 without impacting your credit score you can even receive funds as fast as one business day after accepting your loan so don't wait and check your rate today at upstart.com blue that's upstart.comblue to check your rate today and don't forget to use our url to let them know we sent you and go to upstart.com blue hello and welcome to america's biggest hearse or wagon or charger or chrysler 300 wagon anyway this is the dodge magnum srt8 and is honestly a car that's been growing on me and i'm not gonna lie to you so i'm gonna turn this over got him at power that sounds pretty good the dodge magnum was the first car i ever drove my dad had a rental car one time and he said hey look i know you don't have your permit yet but you just want to go drive to your high school and back i got in the car and i drove for my very first time in this big giant wagon the first thing i noticed was the weird shifter thingamajigger with the squiggly lines and i was like that's weird because i was used to seeing column shifters and you know the mid-2000s today i'm driving the srt8 version of the magnum and honestly i am really taking a look at these and going why weren't these more talked about it's a 425 horsepower hemi v8 wagon that's a 6.1 liter in 2006 this one's a 2006 it has a ton of cargo space it just goes on for days and days and days i mean look at this dude i just i can't even reach the camera right now i think a lot of it came down to people just didn't know a lot like the chevy ss a lot of people just saw and said oh it's just a normal commuter car that's a little funky looking and that's what's the downfall of the chevy ss because people just didn't know it looked like a malibu so they didn't buy them the magnum the srt8 version no one knew about it and whenever i bring it up people go oh yeah that was a thing honestly the interior is very much like a chrysler 300 when today dodge and chrysler definitely have more differences in their interiors now the magnum when you get in it it's huge you look in the rearview mirror and that rear windshield is far away from you the magnum you do sit kind of high in it but the seats are extremely comfortable and they're pretty much the same seats as the jeep srt8 of this generation another thing too the gauges they're just white generic srt gauges and the charger of this era was very fast in comparison to say the three valve mustang anything else really in comparison the fact that this wagon could take on the three valve mustang with no issue is pretty spectacular but it's heavy it's big but it's a little dwarf it handles fairly decent for what it is in fact i'm very tempted to do a build on one of these oh cat swap red eye swap i think so so put it down in the comments section below if you'd like to see me do that by the way if you'd like to support this channel head over to patersoncarcare.com it is my own personal product detail line that is made right here in the usfa with original formula so if you are interested to clean your car link in the description below now is it a little floaty around the corners a little bit but my steering input is way better than i expected another thing is that the automatic transmission in auto doesn't really work that well when you kind of roll into it you need to absolutely mat it to do what you want with this thing the steering wheel is this massive school bus style steering wheel with four big spokes but it's very much like what you would find in dodge's other commuter cars at the time the cargo space in this thing is bananas and when you pop the trunk you see two giant subwoofers in this thing unfortunately the ac does not work in this thing so i am burning up to put the windows down for a second but when you go around corners you can work it around pretty good you kind of forget about the really long tail on this thing the front end of the srt8 is miles ahead in aesthetic wise to the normal dodge magnum sxt v6 the srt8 cleaned up the grill a little bit even though all of dodge's design language at the time was the cross grill this definitely kind of tightened everything up and buttoned it all up this actually has an exhaust and a few other things and the previous owner of this car chrome-plated the factory wheels they paid a fortune to make them chrome so that's something okay hello this other than hellcats this might be my favorite sounding hemi i've driven when it comes to all motor hemis and that's including scat packs too wow this thing is throaty this does have an aftermarket exhaust on it which obviously helps but man yeah that this thing picks up pretty good it's every bit of the 400 horsepower they claimed and the dodge magnum srt had this really great commercial the commercial was a guy basically running it on the street driving quickly and this guy pulls up to a stoplight and goes what do you have in that thing and it implies you know he's engine swapped or something here he goes i got a surfboard and a bunch of stuff in the back dude what do you got in that thing i got an amp guitar surfboard ladder and 12 two by fours and when i was a kid i didn't understand the premise of why this car was cool i didn't get it i was like that looks like something my mom would drive but now when i'm older i'm like that looks like something my mom would drive and that's amazing it's a very pleasant angry rumble let's put it in this manual mode thing it doesn't like the manual mode sometimes the manual mode is a little slow but you go sideways so most of the time in manual modes and automatics of this era you go either up or down but you go left to right which is really throwing me off okay yeah i like second gear a lot that's so weird i'm like oh big bertha let's go i am just chucking this thing dude so weird what what is happening dude this thing sounds good okay that sounds amazing yeah it's the happiest and it's two to three shift for sure three two one wow dude buttery smooth too man like there's never an instance where i'm like oh god oh god oh god i'm in a wagon i'm in a minivan thing first thing chrysler 3 ah honestly this sounds better than the srt8 jeep that i drove the same engine for sure it's amazing how some cars with just different exhaust routing can completely change the character of a car i think a good example on the complete opposite end is the toyota supra toyota supra has this very signature scream from the 2j like this elephant trunk 2j but you've if you engine swap a 2j into an s chassis or something along those lines it doesn't sound the same it's close but it's not the same i think the same goes for this since it's so long maybe it's routed differently okay dude this thing this gates momentum way faster than i expected okay you know what after finally driving this thing i really respect it i've had a really good time in this oh boy come on grandpa like i legitimately have had fun in this car does the gearbox slack off sometimes yeah you bet but at the same time am i having fun and the snaps and the crackles that aren't overbearing like a burble dude like it just has a nice snarl to it like a lion it just odd it's so awesome when you kind of roll into it and you make it kind of come alive with the valve train just opens up it sounds amazing oh boy come on grandpa this makes no sense oh man that's amazing guys the srt8 magnum what do you think of it do you think it's cool do you think it was a stupid idea to put it you know in this long big body hurst looking car let me know in the comment section below because for me this thing sounds awesome and it kind of has like a v-tech sensation it doesn't open up till later like after 4000 rpm that's when it really wants to wake up and on that note i upload on tuesdays thursdays and sundays and i will see you guys next time take it easy have a wonderful day goodbyethe dodge magnum srt8 where do i even start with this thing this enormous hearse looking wagon was one of dodge's weirdest attempts at building their own sleeper wagon this car made 425 horsepower in the mid 2000s and sounded like a freaking monster come on grandpa and i'm honestly starting to get a soft spot for this car i have never driven an srt8 version but the day has finally come so what is the dodge magnum srt8 wagon like and is it worth a little bit more praise let's go for a drive and find out before we get started with today's video i just want to give a huge thanks to today's sponsor upstart it can be really hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel when you have high interest debt and sometimes it can be even harder to ask for help that's where upstart comes in upstart powered personal loans can help you pay down high interest debt all online with simple and easy to understand payment terms and upside has helped over 1.8 million customers on their path to financial freedom whether it's paying off credit cards consolidating high interest or funding personal expenses upstart can help you get one fixed monthly payment with a clear payoff date enough start knows you're more than just your credit score rather than just looking at your credit score alone upstart's model considers other factors like your income employment and other information provided in your loan application to find you a smarter rate for your loan and you can check your rate in just minutes for loans between 1 000 and 50 000 without impacting your credit score you can even receive funds as fast as one business day after accepting your loan so don't wait and check your rate today at upstart.com blue that's upstart.comblue to check your rate today and don't forget to use our url to let them know we sent you and go to upstart.com blue hello and welcome to america's biggest hearse or wagon or charger or chrysler 300 wagon anyway this is the dodge magnum srt8 and is honestly a car that's been growing on me and i'm not gonna lie to you so i'm gonna turn this over got him at power that sounds pretty good the dodge magnum was the first car i ever drove my dad had a rental car one time and he said hey look i know you don't have your permit yet but you just want to go drive to your high school and back i got in the car and i drove for my very first time in this big giant wagon the first thing i noticed was the weird shifter thingamajigger with the squiggly lines and i was like that's weird because i was used to seeing column shifters and you know the mid-2000s today i'm driving the srt8 version of the magnum and honestly i am really taking a look at these and going why weren't these more talked about it's a 425 horsepower hemi v8 wagon that's a 6.1 liter in 2006 this one's a 2006 it has a ton of cargo space it just goes on for days and days and days i mean look at this dude i just i can't even reach the camera right now i think a lot of it came down to people just didn't know a lot like the chevy ss a lot of people just saw and said oh it's just a normal commuter car that's a little funky looking and that's what's the downfall of the chevy ss because people just didn't know it looked like a malibu so they didn't buy them the magnum the srt8 version no one knew about it and whenever i bring it up people go oh yeah that was a thing honestly the interior is very much like a chrysler 300 when today dodge and chrysler definitely have more differences in their interiors now the magnum when you get in it it's huge you look in the rearview mirror and that rear windshield is far away from you the magnum you do sit kind of high in it but the seats are extremely comfortable and they're pretty much the same seats as the jeep srt8 of this generation another thing too the gauges they're just white generic srt gauges and the charger of this era was very fast in comparison to say the three valve mustang anything else really in comparison the fact that this wagon could take on the three valve mustang with no issue is pretty spectacular but it's heavy it's big but it's a little dwarf it handles fairly decent for what it is in fact i'm very tempted to do a build on one of these oh cat swap red eye swap i think so so put it down in the comments section below if you'd like to see me do that by the way if you'd like to support this channel head over to patersoncarcare.com it is my own personal product detail line that is made right here in the usfa with original formula so if you are interested to clean your car link in the description below now is it a little floaty around the corners a little bit but my steering input is way better than i expected another thing is that the automatic transmission in auto doesn't really work that well when you kind of roll into it you need to absolutely mat it to do what you want with this thing the steering wheel is this massive school bus style steering wheel with four big spokes but it's very much like what you would find in dodge's other commuter cars at the time the cargo space in this thing is bananas and when you pop the trunk you see two giant subwoofers in this thing unfortunately the ac does not work in this thing so i am burning up to put the windows down for a second but when you go around corners you can work it around pretty good you kind of forget about the really long tail on this thing the front end of the srt8 is miles ahead in aesthetic wise to the normal dodge magnum sxt v6 the srt8 cleaned up the grill a little bit even though all of dodge's design language at the time was the cross grill this definitely kind of tightened everything up and buttoned it all up this actually has an exhaust and a few other things and the previous owner of this car chrome-plated the factory wheels they paid a fortune to make them chrome so that's something okay hello this other than hellcats this might be my favorite sounding hemi i've driven when it comes to all motor hemis and that's including scat packs too wow this thing is throaty this does have an aftermarket exhaust on it which obviously helps but man yeah that this thing picks up pretty good it's every bit of the 400 horsepower they claimed and the dodge magnum srt had this really great commercial the commercial was a guy basically running it on the street driving quickly and this guy pulls up to a stoplight and goes what do you have in that thing and it implies you know he's engine swapped or something here he goes i got a surfboard and a bunch of stuff in the back dude what do you got in that thing i got an amp guitar surfboard ladder and 12 two by fours and when i was a kid i didn't understand the premise of why this car was cool i didn't get it i was like that looks like something my mom would drive but now when i'm older i'm like that looks like something my mom would drive and that's amazing it's a very pleasant angry rumble let's put it in this manual mode thing it doesn't like the manual mode sometimes the manual mode is a little slow but you go sideways so most of the time in manual modes and automatics of this era you go either up or down but you go left to right which is really throwing me off okay yeah i like second gear a lot that's so weird i'm like oh big bertha let's go i am just chucking this thing dude so weird what what is happening dude this thing sounds good okay that sounds amazing yeah it's the happiest and it's two to three shift for sure three two one wow dude buttery smooth too man like there's never an instance where i'm like oh god oh god oh god i'm in a wagon i'm in a minivan thing first thing chrysler 3 ah honestly this sounds better than the srt8 jeep that i drove the same engine for sure it's amazing how some cars with just different exhaust routing can completely change the character of a car i think a good example on the complete opposite end is the toyota supra toyota supra has this very signature scream from the 2j like this elephant trunk 2j but you've if you engine swap a 2j into an s chassis or something along those lines it doesn't sound the same it's close but it's not the same i think the same goes for this since it's so long maybe it's routed differently okay dude this thing this gates momentum way faster than i expected okay you know what after finally driving this thing i really respect it i've had a really good time in this oh boy come on grandpa like i legitimately have had fun in this car does the gearbox slack off sometimes yeah you bet but at the same time am i having fun and the snaps and the crackles that aren't overbearing like a burble dude like it just has a nice snarl to it like a lion it just odd it's so awesome when you kind of roll into it and you make it kind of come alive with the valve train just opens up it sounds amazing oh boy come on grandpa this makes no sense oh man that's amazing guys the srt8 magnum what do you think of it do you think it's cool do you think it was a stupid idea to put it you know in this long big body hurst looking car let me know in the comment section below because for me this thing sounds awesome and it kind of has like a v-tech sensation it doesn't open up till later like after 4000 rpm that's when it really wants to wake up and on that note i upload on tuesdays thursdays and sundays and i will see you guys next time take it easy have a wonderful day goodbye\n"