For the benefit of those not in the know, the Chrysler 300C is the American carmakers 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 cars first very willing victim, er, owner.
For what its worth, I do agree with the general assessment that the Chrysler 300C isnt 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, itll still command a couple of million pesos and then some. Which, if you get to drive the darn car, youll 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 wont fly off the roads, thats 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 cars 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 well skip all that (yeah, I already said I love it). The 300Cs 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, theres little to complain about. Though I still need some convincing to agree that the 300Cs 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 Benoits Freedom at Midnight album was. Those Boston Acoustic speakers are the best stock speakers Id ever listened to. I practically left my iPod at home in favor of the more crisp, less compressed digital files from my CD collection (its 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 wouldnt want that much more "bling" in their car if it already looked this good?