The Dodge Magnum station wagon did come with available all-wheel-drive from the factory, essentially Mercedes-Benz’s 4MATIC system. It was popular in places where snow is an actual concern, or for Subaru owners who wanted to give an American nameplate a shot. Or not, if the Magnum’s sales record has anything to say about it. If you wanted four wheels to be turning with power, the Magnum was for you. If your definition of “off-roading” stops at a gravel track, however, the Magnum was not for you. This was a large car with all-wheel-drive, not an AMC Eagle for the 21st century. There simply isn’t enough ground clearance or gearing to help a Magnum out of any situation it finds itself in, and there isn’t enough room in the wheelwells for any really useful off-road rubber, either.
The Ford Ranger, on the other hand, is a neat little pickup that has several good traits: well-sorted powertrains, an actual frame, a four-wheel-drive system that functions well, and they’re cheap. No shame in that…they were cheap off the showroom floor and they are cheap on the market. Cost amortization is a beautiful thing and Ford ran with it. But if something happened to the body of said Ranger, would you dump money into a truck that, financially, isn’t worth saving? Apparently somebody decided against that, but what happened next all but defies explanation. A 2008 Dodge Magnum wound up being mounted onto the Ranger’s chassis, 4.0L V6, five-speed manual trans, and all. From the outside, things look well sorted. From the inside…not so much. But if you’re actually going to take this Frankenstein trail-running, would you care?
Craigslist Link: 2008 Dodge Magnum on a 2004 Ford Ranger chassis
(Thanks to Glen Williams for the tip!)
