SRT Magnum Road Test

[Cuda340]

Here are some interesting quotes from a road test of the 2007 6.1 SRT Magnum by acarplace.com:

"The SRT group takes ordinary vehicles and turns them into high performance muscle machines.; they have three cars and a Jeep named SRT-8, all using the 6.1 liter Hemi engine. The least likely of the trio is the Dodge Magnum, the station wagon we’re not supposed to call a station wagon.

The Magnum R/T has a nice ride and surprisingly good dry-road handling, with quite a bit of power; but it's hard to break the rear tires loose for longer than it takes to chirp them. Though big, it's easy to throw through tight or fast turns, and works well on wet roads, keeping its footing even when we tried to knock it off kilter with sudden straight-line acceleration. The SRT-8 ups the ante by over 80 horsepower, making it more difficult to keep the rear tires planted, especially on wet or dirty roads. Acceleration is a blast, and unpowered dry-clean road cornering is even better than the Magnum's already-quite-good performance.

In the hands of a professional driver, the sheer amount of tilt you can experience in a Magnum is amazing - as is the speed with which it flies around a skidpad, electronic controls off. Turn them on, and the throttle automatically cuts back to a sane level to get you around the turn as fast as you can go without losing control. The SRT8, with its big high performance tires and bigger engine, goes even faster around those dry turns. Steering is heavy but tight, and the Magnum feels very bit its two and a quarter tons. (Even with the stability control system ostensibly shut off, the computer will intervene if it feels things are really out of control - but it’ll intervene with a lighter hand).

In addition to getting the SRT8 around turns more quickly, those big wheels make room for massive, bright red Brembo brakes, a full 14 inches in front and nearly 14 inches in the rear, sporting four pistons per caliper and bringing the two-and-a-quarter ton vehicle to a full stop from 60 mph in a mere 112 feet - an accident-preventing distance considerably shorter than most big or small cars (and considerably shorter than the already class-leading Magnum R/T).
With so much power, and with performance tires tuned for clean, dry roads, the traction and stability control systems become important in bad weather or on dirty or wet roads. This leads to sudden interventions, unexpected lack of acceleration, and stuttering as the systems work; on the lighter side, the systems really do work. But don't expect big acceleration on dirty or wet roads; the SRT-8 likes it clean and dry, thanks to tires designed for the best possible 0-100-0 times rather than commuting.

Acceleration is extremely good, but not always predictable. The engine makes good power in low rpms, but really comes into its own when revved. The Mercedes five-speed automatic transmission doesn’t always shift for optimal acceleration, but stays in low gears longer so if you hit the gas, back off the throttle for a moment, and still want instant power, you can get it. Once you get the feel of the transmission and can consistently get that power, taking the odd grain of sand on the road into account, the SRT-8 feels as though it has far more brute force than cars with similar sprint times, such as the Lexus GS450h, albeit less than all-out sports cars like the Corvette. In case you were wondering, the ideal-condition 0-6o time is about 5.0 - 5.2 seconds, with 0-100 in about 12 seconds, a 13-13.6 second quarter mile, a top speed of 165-170 mph (depending on quoted source), a skidpad rating of .9 g, and a zero to 100 mph back to zero time of under 17 seconds.

The 6.1 Hemi roars loudly into life and has a fairly loud, deep note, making it clear that it means business. Inside the Magnum, though, it is not at all annoying, as it is in some cars with performance-sounding exhausts; the rumble isn't evident at normal speeds, and isn't overpowering at idle. On the highway, the Magnum has moderate wind noise at higher speeds, but isn't too noisy. It also feels completely stable and in control. Acceleration comes immediately; then the transmission downshifts, and the Magnum shoots forward, sometimes with the stability control having to take over even at highway speeds due to the raw power of the Hemi.

The SRT8 is almost a steal at $38,345, compared with similar cars (such as a Mercedes E-Class); a base Corvette, with only two seats, two doors, and no real trunk, but admittedly better gas mileage and performance, runs over $45,000, and can't be used to take your kids to school (or your carpool to work). That price includes four-wheel antilock brakes, the various stability and traction control programs, adjustable pedals, tire pressure monitor, vehicle information center, 160 amp alternator and 730 amp battery, solar control glass, rear wiper/washer and defroster, tilt-telescope steering column, air conditioning, power locks and windows, cruise, satellite radio with Boston Acoustics speakers, wheel-mounted audio controls, full lighting package, rear vents, fog lights, power heated folding mirrors, 20 inch wheels with low-profile tires, spoiler, and the ever-popular but often not included floor mats.
Our test car had three option packages which raised the price to $41,900 - still quite reasonable for the speed when compared to Eurowagons. These were Option Group I, with air filtering, automatic headlights, dual-zone thermostatic climate control, heated front seats, and rear cargo organizer, all for a reasonable $735; Option Group III, with navigation system, auto-dimming rearview mirror (not an option we recommend), and UConnect hands-free cellphone system, for a whopping $1,870; and the sunroof for $950. Option Group III really seems to defeat the purpose of an SRT, since the buyers of this car should be able to operate a standard day-night mirror, ask for directions, and shut off their cell-phones while driving a brutally fast performance car.

The fun side of the SRT-8 is the incredibly powerful engine. Accelerating is quick and thrilling; you never have to worry about passing power; and cornering is terrific. The down side is the vulnerability to dirt and water on the roads, not to mention snow, due to the performance tires (snow also tends to get stuck in the wheels, and has to be poked out); and the great thirst of a Hemi tuned for power, without MDS, coupled to a power-tuned automatic. The result of all this is 14 mpg in the city, 20 on the highway, according to the EPA - we experienced, on a car not yet broken in, 12-13 city and 19 highway, so we think you can really achieve EPA results without much trouble. (This gas mileage is, by the way, better than that of the Mercedes ML500!)

The SRT-8 would probably be more fun (and perhaps even slightly better on gas) with a stick-shift, but that's not in the cards - at least not until the 2008 Dodge Challenger shows up. For ordinary use, drivers might want to buy a spare set of wheels with all-season radials for less stunning dry-road performance and better not-perfect-road acceleration and handling.
The SRT-8 is a blast to drive, providing great performance with lots of room; but when it comes down to it, the lighter-feel, better-mileage, cheaper Charger Daytona is a better balance, unless you really crave that extra blast of power and the extra g-forces on the turns."

See: http://www.acarplace.com/reviews/2007/srt8.html

[BJoe]

Sounds like the station wagon from hell, me likes!