Surprise! Dodge Reinvents the Midsize Market Again

Just look at it. Have you ever seen anything quite as dramatic from a domestic car manufacturer? The new Dodge Magnum is a bold, ambitious undertaking for Chrysler Groups performance division, but one that should pay off financially. Read on and decide for yourself.

The basic premise of the Magnum, as far as I see it, is a sports car that fits a family lifestyle. Ive owned a minivan and appreciated its functionality, but now facing the choice of buying another one or opting up to a sport utility, just to get the livability needed to transport three children, two of which are still in car seats, followed by an entourage of two parents and the requisite bags of diapers, clothes and toys, isnt pleasant.

My wife Jennifer, being just barely thirty, isnt ready to play the soccer mom in a minivan role. For

Chrysler Group has definitely made a bold statement with the release of the dramatic Dodge Magnum. Here Jeff Gale, Chrysler designer and son of ex-Chrysler head of design Tom Gale, walks the gathered media around the car on an airfield in Borrego Springs, CA. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

Premium marques such as Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo have

The Magnum is a sports car that fits a family lifestyle. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

In the modernizing process the term "wagon" has become decidedly passé, however, with nameplates such as Avant, Touring, 5, Sportback, V, and now Sport Tourer, in the case of the Magnum, as replacements. Are the new cars distinctive enough to warrant a change in genre designation? Some, like Chryslers

Wagon or Sport Tourer, whatever you call it the Magnum is drop dead gorgeous. This photo shows the unique liftgate design that can be opened without the need of stepping backwards and out of the way. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

When it comes to the new Dodge Magnum I dont think any name would deter sport wagon fans from sitting up and taking notice, let alone those that have never

The Dodge Magnum is one of the coolest cars Ive experienced in decades. It literally owns the road. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

Where does the new Magnum actually fit in? Without doubt it was designed to be a drivers car first and foremost, yet its large size and hyper-functional cargo area, combined with available all-wheel drive, put it in the crossover category. My opinion? Who cares which folder someone wants to file it in? Its one of the coolest cars Ive experienced in decades.

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