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SPEEDtv.com 10 Best Cars: Practical Muscle Category
Written by: Tom Jensen   
11/28/2006 - 07:00 PM
Charlotte, NC
 
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Editor's Note: Over the next two weeks, SPEEDTV.com will countdown 10 of the best cars of 2006/07. This is an admittedly subjective list, geared to real-world enjoyment and functionality, the idea being that any vehicle that qualifies for the list ought to make you smile every time you get behind the wheel.

CATEGORY NO. 9: Practical muscle
THE WINNER: Dodge Magnum SRT8

Let's get this out of the way up front: Most Real Car Guys live in a perpetual state of retarded adolescence when it comes to their rides. Yeah, we know that the demands of family, jobs and middle age demand a certain practicality in our wheels, but what we really want is something that gives us the same cheap thrills we got from our first tire-melting muscle car. We want it all in our cars, the same way some guys fantasize about having a mate who's both a model and a nuclear physicist.

We crave lust, we require practicality. Prior to the Dodge Magnum SRT8, there was no way to reconcile those seemingly disparate objectives. But the Magnum, especially in the SRT8 trim, truly makes it possible to have it all, or at least almost have it all.

Consider this: You get 425 pavement-ripping horsepower from the SRT8's Hemi
V-8 engine. There's also ample room for four adults, even with the sloped roof, plus 27.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row of seats and a five-star safety rating to boot. The SRT 8 also comes with a full assortment of luxury
features, including heated leather seats, a sound system loud enough to induce ear bleeds and optional satellite radio and nav system.

On top of that, even though the Magnum design is a couple of years old now, the SRT8 looks positively evil, riding on 20-inch rims and sitting low to the ground. Our tester was trimmed out in black paint, which was perfect for this bad boy.

And while the SRT8 will sprint from zero to 60 in just 5.5 seconds, it is absolutely docile in everyday driving and a car that delivers a top-notch balance of ride and handling, thanks to an ultra-stiff body structure. It adds up to a remarkable blend of performance and comfort, and with a base price under $40,000, it's a fine value, too. And proof that even though you're older, you still don't have to grow up.

SPEC SHEET: Dodge Magnum SRT8
TYPE: Muscle wagon
SEATING CAPACITY: Two
ENGINE: 6.1-liter V-8
HORSEPOWER: 425
TORQUE: 400
GEARBOX: Five-speed automatic
ZERO TO 60 MPH: 5.5 seconds
EPA FUEL MILEAGE: 14 city/20 highway
BASE PRICE/AS-TESTED: $37,320/$42,855

Click here to see the car that was picked for the entry-level roadster category!

Click here to see the car that was picked for the Entry-level Sports Sedan category!