Dodge Magnum RT
Our Favourite Estate Car
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If you have to own an Estate car, the choice for the dedicated petrolhead is limited. On the budget side you could lay your hands on the nippy but bland looking Subaru Legacy, a Mundano of some description or if you want V8 power then your into BMW, Audi, Merc territory. Where are the mid range estate cars with grunt? Conspicuous by their absence.
Dodge may have the answer though. The new Magnum RT hits the streets soom powered by a 340 horsepower, 390 foot-pound HEMI V-8 engine mated to an electronically controlled five-speed automatic transmission (with 'AutoStick'). It comes complete with 18-inch polished aluminum wheels, dual exhaust, large disc brakes, leather seats and a monster sound system.
Price to our American cousins is $29,370. Yep, that's £16,171! The price of a 1.8 litre Vectra...
The Dodge Magnum is built a factory in Canada before being shipped to the USA.
So, with DaimlerChrysler announcing that the Dodge brand is to return to the UK, can we expect bargain priced V8 muscle at last? No, thought not. 
www.hsv.com.au/cars/vy2/default.htm
If Vauxhall starts selling Monaros and possibly Utes or whatever, depending on sales we might get more of the aussie range.
danmangt40 said:
true, lusifer, but anything with a 5.7 liter v8 is compared to a 1.8 liter anything...
Why would people (even if it isn't you danmangt40 comparing the 2 engine displacment sizes) compare such 2 engines? A 1.8l and 5.7l engine are likely to be in two diffferent cars in different markets, designed for different things (the closest to common ground being an Elise 1.8l and the Vette 5.7l). If GM get such good economy from a 5.7l engine in a car like a Vette which is built at such a bargain price, able to do everything pretty well, built with some compromise, and its performance being the high priority, and not economy, which is supposed to be big on gas guzzling, then their economy cars must be very good on MPG - lol.
LuS1fer said:
Trouble is, with such great cars to choose from, I'm quite happy to keep filling up the tank.
Z06, CTS-V, Mustang Cobra, Magnum RT...stop it, you're killing me.
Not forgetting that the Z06 is more economical than its European counterparts - I don't see anyone saying that the European supercars are not economical, which is the truth. I suppose it's all to do with perceptions.
Apparently, Dodge is making a Charger again. There's a concept, it looks nice (modern, with a hint of muscle car styling), but has 4 doors, however. And there's the Ford GT, and lets not forget that Ferrari and Porsche are playing catchup to that car.
>> Edited by z064life on Wednesday 7th January 12:33
1998 Camaro Z28 fuel injected 5.7 - never actually measured it as I lost my anorak but it's better than the 5.0 round town and as good on a run.
As with ANY high performance car, if you used full throttle 100% of the time (impossible), you'd get far worse consumption. But remember Clarkson's test of the Range Rover where he got 9mpg? A friend of a friend has a DB7 and her "round town" figure is also 9mpg.
American car manufacturers get slapped with penalties if their cars don't conform to certain pollution standards so their computers are incredible at extracting amazing economy and incredible performance at the same time. MOT emissions are a breeze, way, way below what's permitted.
LuS1fer said:
1987 Camaro Z28 4 barrel carb 5.0 - 19mpg through morning traffic run to work and around 28-30mpg on a run.
Kindin' me?
I mean figures from standard testing. SAE / DIN kinda stuff . . . Or magazine reviews like:
http://auto.consumerguide.com/auto/new/reviews/full/index.cfm/id/37564
'2004 Ford Mustang - Test manual-transmission GTs averaged 15.5 mpg, a Mach 1 16.3 with more highway miles. Expect slightly better with V6. Cobra convertibles averaged 13.8 mpg with gas-eating performance tests, 17.4 in mostly highway driving. '
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