Rendered passé by the minivan 20 years ago (which in turn was overshadowed by the SUV), the station wagon is making a comeback, and sometimes they’re actually cool. But these days, when wagons slip into the marketplace, they do so under cover, with assumed names. They’re draped in plastic cladding, shod with four-wheel-drive, and wear tags like “crossover,” “sport tourer,” or “sport wagon.”

Not the Dodge Magnum, which arrived on the scene with all the subtlety of a bullhorn at a Bach recital. The Magnum – especially the Hemi-powered RT version – quickly established itself as the macho alternative to run-of-the-mill family cars. Suddenly, “station wagon” isn’t a dirty word, and people – especially guys – are all ears.

Now, with the introduction of the 2006 Dodge Magnum SRT-8, wagons might actually inspire lust. Dodge’s resident Street and Racing Technology (SRT) gear heads breathed on the Magnum’s Hemi motor, resulting in 6.1 liters of displacement and 425 horsepower combined with 71 cubic feet of cargo space. A sticky suspension, big brakes, and meaty tires are also part of the package.

Taking the Dodge Magnum’s blue collar, bad boy image, the blunt-faced SRT-8 gets a blackout, crosshair mesh grille framed by slash-cut headlamp covers and a deep chin spoiler.