2006 Dodge Magnum Review

Specifications

Chief Constable Jamie Graham says, “bring it on!”

The outspoken Chief of the Vancouver Police Department in beautiful British Columbia, Canada has long been a Mopar nut. In fact, in the days when he sported lamb-chop sideburns, a full head of hair and bellbottom Wayfarers, he owned a 1969 Dodge Super Bee. In the hedonistic 70s, the Chief also wore the red serge of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) - check out “Due South” reruns to see what I mean.

As a patrol cop amidst the roughneck loggers and oil riggers of western Canada, the Chief spent plenty of time behind the wheel of various Chrysler police products. Enormous Mopar V8s powered the old black-and-whites, gulping fuel through massive four-barrel carburetors well before anyone ever conceived of an energy crisis or conservation. On the long stretches of open highway between the frontier towns Graham policed, the lone cops heavily favored the big Plymouths and Dodges for their unrelenting power and performance.

To the domestic auto manufacturers, the police market in North America is huge, both in numbers and cachet. With the demise of many full-size rear-drive sedans, police departments have been left with little to fulfill their patrol-car needs other than Fords long-running Crown Victoria. DaimlerChrysler is determined to change that by shaking up the police market with arguably one of the coolest rides to hit the domestic landscape in years.

For 2006, Dodge intends to see its Magnum wearing the red and blue lights of law enforcement. With that admirable goal in sight, the boys at DaimlerChrysler sent a spit-polished HEMI-powered Magnum to Jamie Graham for his chiefly inspection and critique. Needless to say, with Super Bee flashbacks and Mopar dreams, the Chief gladly accepted the assignment - strictly out of his dedication to policing, of course.

“With rear-wheel drive and HEMI power at the pavement, the Dodge Magnum police unit will provide the optimum performance option,” said Ray Fisher, Vice President - Fleet and Remarketing for DC. “Dodge dominated the police car business throughout the 1960s, 70s and early 80s, and were proud to continue our police car heritage with even more performance technology.”

If Fisher is right, the radical Magnum may just change the way the policing community thinks. Five years ago, if someone had advised the purchasing department of a big-city police agency that in 2006, their officers would be clamoring to drive station wagons, the hapless fool would be arrested for being mad.

But its true. By late 2005, the deranged detainee might well be carted off in the back seat of a station wagon, but not just any wagon - a 2006 Dodge Magnum Police Special. And if it happens to be a HEMI-powered Magnum, the trip wont take long thanks to 340 horsepower and an arresting 390 pound-feet of torque fed to 18-inch V-rated tires through a five-speed automatic transmission.

But its not just the crook-catching performance of the HEMI that is so vital to the lawman. A police cruiser must also be exceptionally safe and highly versatile - two definitive Magnum traits. Traction control and Electronic Stability Program (ESP) aid the patrol officer during one of the most dangerous aspects of policing, tactical driving.

Whether pursuing an armed bank robber or racing to save a life, a police officer has a lot more to think about than the handling thresholds of his or her patrol car. With its exceptional handling capability, ESP and traction control, the Magnum can literally be a lifesaver in its own right, especially when equipped with the optional side-curtain airbags. Add to that the convenience and flexibility of a station wagon, and the patrol officer will undoubtedly find that his or her “office on wheels” is far more adept than ever before.

Engineers at DaimlerChrysler sharpened their pencils and designed a one-piece “extreme access” liftgate that is hinged approximately 20 inches into the roofline. The expansive gate lifts upward, providing access to a cargo bay the size of a small jail cell. With the rear seat occupied by a con or two, 27.2 cubic feet of cargo area is available to house the plethora of gear needed by todays hi-tech officer.

Sans prisoners, 71.6 cubic feet of cargo space emerges when the rear seat is folded flat. This type of real estate opens the door to limitless equipment accommodation options for the police, not to mention lots more donut-hauling space than a Crown Victoria.

In addition to all the “civilian” attributes Magnum has to offer, the police specd version will keep crime on the run with a certified speedometer, column shifter (to allow room for a computer mount), emergency rear door lock override, heavy-duty five-link suspension, alternator, battery and brakes, inoperable rear door locks and rear windows (crook proof), and special police electrical wiring. Optional cop equipment includes daytime running lamps, dual spot lamps, police-type heavy-duty front seats with manual lumbar adjustment and a full-size spare tire.

Winning back the police market wont be easy for DaimlerChrysler - not when there are chiefs who possess the automotive acumen of Jamie Graham. You can expect him and his colleagues to put the Magnum Police Special through the rigors of boot camp before declaring it tough enough for the streets.

But based on what he has seen so far, Chief Graham is highly impressed with the potential of the young recruit. “The Magnum has outstanding handling and tremendous acceleration,” said Graham as he piloted his tester through urban traffic. “It reminds me of my 1969 Super Bee!”

Can an endorsement get any better! Cmon DaimlerChrysler, bring it on - the boys in blue are eagerly waiting.