Bold Star: Chrysler 300C (2005)

September 21,2005

WHEN YOU’RE THE LATEST TO ARRIVE AT A CROWDED PARTY, you would have to be something quite special to attract an iota of attention. The Chrysler 300C has just joined a dance floor already filled with BMWs, Mercedes, and Volvos, but it has something on its side: presence. Enough to suck all the oxygen from the room.

Indeed, the 300C looks as if it’s vacuuming the ground with its hunkered-down stance.

Subtlety has been left on the design-room floor. The vertical face, comprised of a huge rectangular chrome grille flanked by four round headlamps, cuts the most intimidating countenance this side of a Rolls Royce. The profile is just as striking, with a high beltline capped by a small angular greenhouse. The tail is the most conventional, but it still sports a unique look, with small light clusters flanking a large slab of trunk lid.

The interior is packed with features and electric gadgetry usually reserved for sedans costing twice its price. Both front seats are electronically adjustable with memory function, and the steering wheel is power-adjustable for reach and rake. Also standard equipment are: leather trim, wood grain paneling, moon roof, a 6-disc in-dash CD changer with Boston Acoustics 8-speaker system, dual zone climate control, an analog clock, back-up sensors, and xenon HID headlamps. The 300C also features class-leading interior space with a 60/40 split-fold rear bench with center arm rest.

The 300C would have been a noteworthy car even if the appeal ended there. There’s more to this story, though, as there’s some Teutonic engineering underneath that American skin; after all, the company is not known as DaimlerChrysler for nothing.

Taking a U-turn from the big Chryslers of the 1980s, which opted for front-wheel drive, the 300C channels all its power to the rear wheels. This allows for steering that’s free of vices, even with substantial power. In the USA, the “C” appellation means a 5.7 liter HEMI V8 under the hood, but here all variants are known as 300C. The car we drove was powered by a longitudinally-mounted 3.5 liter V6, pumping out a respectable 250 hp and 340 Nm.

The 300C pulls strongly from a standstill, shoving off eagerly with just a prod of the throttle. There’s a satisfying surge of power all the way to highway speed. Shifts are smooth and unobtrusive.

You have an excellent idea of where the front corners are, as the hood is clearly visible all the way to its edges, unlike in most sedans where it drops out of sight. The confident handling is aided by 18-inch wheels wrapped with Pirelli P7 tires. Electronic Stability Program helps keeps the car pointed where the driver intends, just like its brethren with the 3-pointed star.

Rear passengers accustomed to the large greenhouses of Japanese sedans might find the small glass area claustrophobic, but the chunky roofline guarantees adequate headroom. Seat width is generous for two passengers, and adequate for three.

The Chrysler 300C is big, brash statement that makes other sedans look mundane. The real beauty is that it packs the right hardware to carry off its bold approach. Throw in the reasonable price and service support from the new Chrysler distributor, and the latest arrival looks very attractive indeed.

By Jason Ang | Photos By Ulysses Ang

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