The retro style American Chrysler 300 sedan with its high waist and low glass line has just been updated and released for sale in Australia this month. Chrysler claims the new model rivals Lexus’s LS460 for comfort and noise suppression, Hyundai’s Genesis for technology and features, the Toyota Avalon for fuel economy and BMW 5 Series for ride and handling.
Prices start at $43,000 for the entry level 300 Limited model, $46,000 for the luxury 300C V6 model and $66,000 for the 300 6.4 litre performance SRT8.
Chrysler is offering three new engines starting with a 3.6-litre petrol V6 and a 3.0-litre turbo diesel V6 (Limited, 300C and 300C Luxury models) and a 347 kw / 550 nm 6.4-litre “Hemi” V8, 13.0L/100km average fuel consumption for the performance flagship SRT8.
Standard features include seven airbags, proximity key entry and push-button start, 21cm central touch screen, 8-way power adjustable front seats, dual-zone climate control, power steering-wheel adjustment, automatic bi-xenon swivelling and self-levelling headlights, fog lights, rear seat air vents, illuminated cup holders, tyre pressure monitors and 18-inch alloy wheels.
The 300C Luxury sedan upgrades to premium front and back heated leather seats and cooling for front seats with seat memory, radio and mirrors memory, factory satellite navigation, 9 speaker audio system with subwoofer and 506 watt amplifier, rain-sensitive wipers, powered rear-window sunshade, auto dipping high beam headlights, heated steering wheel and front cup-holders available with heating and cooling.
In addition to the above the 300 SRT8 performance sedan also gets premium leather, interior upholstered with piano black and carbon fibre accents. It also receives steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters for the 8 speed auto ZF German high-performance transmission and a cruise control that can automatically adapt the car’s speed to those in front and a forward collision warning system. The sound system is up-graded to a Harman Kardon 19-speaker, 900-watt system with a 10-inch subwoofer.
Chrysler, has also added performance related equipment in a rear spoiler, large front air dams, big-bore twin exhausts and SRT-design 20 inch alloy wheels. Front and rear parking sensors are added to complement the rear-view camera, 4piston Brembo brakes all around and two modes of performance-tuned mechanical steering (V6 models get electro-mechanical steering) and a dedicated 3 level sport suspension stability control adjustment.
Chrysler’s new 347kw SRT8’s performance, specifications and appeal, certainly puts the cat amongst the pigeons in setting a benchmark in style, performance and price, compared to the locally produced Holden Special Vehicles (HSV) 225 kw GTS and Ford Performance Vehicles (FPV) 335kw GT. Speculation grows whether the Holden and Ford performance works will up the ante in the kilowatt wars!