A new video from YouTube channel TheSketchMonkey takes the recently revealed Dodge Charger Daytona SRT concept and modifies it into a modern Magnum. It’s more of a shooting break than a wagon, but it dreams of what might be for Dodge’s future performance. And dreaming is free.
The rendering depicts a three-quarter view of the rear of the car, which accentuates the elongated roof. The sedan’s long proportions dissipate with the extra mass over the rear wheels, with the sloping roof running down the square rear end.
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There have been slight changes to the rear fascia, where elements of the concept taillights and rear bumper appear unchanged in the rendering. This concept draws heavily from the history of the Charger’s design even as Dodge uses it to see the future of electrified performance. While the Charger has changed a lot since it first appeared as a muscle coupe nearly 60 years ago, its style lives on in modern Dodge products.
The Daytona SRT Charger is a concept, and we don’t know if it will enter production in its current form. However, cars have style inside and outside of production vehicles. Dodge didn’t provide many details about the concept’s powertrain, but did reveal that it has all-wheel drive, transmission, and its Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust system.
American automakers are feeling nostalgic in the early 2000s. Dodge hoped the wagon could make a triumphant return, launching the Magnum for 2005. But it didn’t last long, disappearing into the dustbin of history after 2008. It shares a lot with the surviving Chargers, for a few more years at least. What happened after Dodge stopped producing the current model remains a mystery, but the Daytona SRT electric Charger concept sees that future, and looks bright.
However, the chances of a modern Magnum seem low. Crossovers and SUVs continue to dominate sales charts, and many automakers are electrifying their crossovers first. While the EV powertrain gives designers new freedom in styling the car, the powertrain adds new constraints with things like floor-mounted batteries. Wagons also remain a small share of the market, but a powerful EV powertrain might just be what the segment needs for a proper revival.
