With the audience currently obsessed with crossovers and SUVs, the traditional station wagon in Western markets is struggling hard. Consequently, Dodge has zero plans to revive the iconic Magnum nameplate by stretching the new four-door Charger into a “long-roof” variant. Even if they did have a change of heart, it’s far more likely the name would be slapped onto an electric vehicle rather than a gas-guzzling beast.
The lack of official plans hasn’t stopped the digital rendering community from taking matters into their own hands, often with questionable results. The latest Dodge Magnum rendering to hit the web, created by Nihar Mazumdar on Behance, attempts to resurrect the legend by using an Opel Astra as a donor body.
While the logic makes sense on paper, since Stellantis owns both Dodge and Opel, the reality is a bit of a stylistic car crash. A true Dodge Magnum would be significantly larger than the sixth-generation Astra Sports Tourer. This virtual mashup attempts to graft a modern Dodge grille and lighting signature onto the compact German wagon. While the rear rendered elements aren’t entirely offensive, the car simply cannot hide its European hatchback roots. Far from the American taste about “family cars”. To make matters weirder, the interior looks more like a Peugeot than a muscle car, failing to do any justice to the Magnum legacy.
In a perfect automotive world, a new-gen Magnum would be a proper, wide-bodied version of the latest Charger, ideally screaming with V8 power. Instead, we have here virtual experiments that feel like an identity crisis on wheels.
Since the demand for traditional wagons remains at an all-time low, don’t hold your breath for an official revival. Unless you’re a fan of compact French-German hybrids masquerading as American muscle, this digital Magnum is as close as we’re going to get.
