Bling: Chrysler 300C

I’ll be as frank and candid as I can be and I’ll lay it out as early as the second sentence in this opening paragraph. The moment I laid my eyes on the Chrysler 300C, I was enamored. Granted, the car’s appeal does not extend to BMW or Mercedes Benz proportions (where everyone and his grandma gets hooked at first look) but there was just something about that Bentley-like gaping maw that had me swooning at hello. And, to be really honest about it, I never thought I’d actually get to drive the car at all since this was one car that really wasn’t looking to achieve volume sales as much as meet the needs of a very discerning and nit-picky niche. Imagine my surprise and glee, then, when one day I get a call from CATS Motors’ Dona Arcilla asking when I’d be able to pick up their media test unit.

For the benefit of those not in the know, the Chrysler 300C is the American carmaker’s solid and (judging from the awards the car has garnered thus far) relatively successful attempt at capturing a substantial chunk of the full-size luxury sedan fan base. It shares its basic platform with the vaunted Mercedes Benz E-Class but is made available at practically half the price of the German marquee. It has all the bells and whistles one would expect from a luxury car in its class but its uniquely bold fascia almost single handedly places it in a class of its own. Rumor has it that multi-millionaire gangster rapper Snoop Dogg was the car’s first very willing victim, er, owner.

For what it’s worth, I do agree with the general assessment that the Chrysler 300C isn’t for the luxury car traditionalist. Rather, it whets the appetites of those with more daring, chutzpah and moolah. Though it does not fall in the price bracket of its platform mate, it’ll still command a couple of million pesos and then some. Which, if you get to drive the darn car, you’ll agree is quite the bargain.

The Chrysler 300C is blessed with cutting edge technologies like an Electronic Stability Program (ESP), all speed traction control and an Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) that keep it firmly glued to the road. And, being a rear-wheel drive, control and balance are just as predictable. Yes, despite its size, the 300C is quite the agile automobile. I drove the 2.7L DOHC V6 base model and also found the combination of fuel economy and quietness quite impressive. It won’t fly off the roads, that’s for sure, but the more potent 3.5L SOHC V6 and the absolutely angry 5.7L HEMI® V8 are available too from CATS Motors.

More to the point, however, I believe that the Chrysler 300C buyer is more concerned about both the car’s exterior and interior appointments than that which lurks beneath the hood (of course I could be wrong). And certainly, these are two areas that do not at all disappoint.

Enough allusion to that elegantly huge grille has been made so we’ll skip all that (yeah, I already said I love it). The 300C’s body structure, meanwhile, exudes that tank-like yet elegant feel that makes it look and even feel larger than it actually is. Seamless horizontal and circular lines then adorn the 300C to add that touch of structured class. Circular headlamps that illuminate with much gusto round out that distinctly modern feel from the outside.

Inside, there’s little to complain about. Though I still need some convincing to agree that the 300C’s door paneling is the best that the good people at Chrysler could come up with, the chrome door handles and instrument panel trimmings did wonders to impress the homey in me. An intuitive center stack and a standout analog clock also work well in my book. As does the absolutely stunning premium audio system installed in the unit I drove. As much as I enjoyed listening to Snoop Dogg spout his self-glorifying lyrics amidst low-end thumps, I went insane rediscovering how well engineered David Benoit’s Freedom at Midnight album was. Those Boston Acoustic speakers are the best stock speakers I’d ever listened to. I practically left my iPod at home in favor of the more crisp, less compressed digital files from my CD collection (it’s that good, you can actually tell the difference).

With a style, fit and finish that distinctly stands out in an otherwise predictable luxury car segment, the Chrysler 300C strikes right into the very heart of its intended market. The discerning few who want to be different now have their go to automobile. The best thing about this car is that no matter how good and different it looks right off the bat, it can still look better. It can still look even more unique. Those huge wheel wells are just screaming for a set of 20-inch rims. Now who wouldn’t want that much more "bling" in their car if it already looked this good?