2012 Chrysler 300 Reviews

Commodore Z and Chrysler 300 Ltd go head-to-head in this comparative review.

It isn't by any means lean, but it's certainly mean. The SRT8, pinnacle of the Chrysler 300 range, oozes visual menace. Cherry red paint on the test car caught many eyes and so did the darkened grille and wheels.The foreboding first impression is no illusion. Start it and the mumbling rumble may change your mind about the malevolence within.The aggressive theme continues on the price list. The muscular new 300 halo car is up by only $1000 to $66,000, an increase more than offset by the new model's engine and features upgrades.It sits on 20in wheels and has a 19 speaker (including a subwoofer and 900-watt amp) sound system, electrically adjustable steering, dual zone climate control with rear vents, heated and ventilated seats, heated and cooled front cup holders.The trim is Nappa leather/alcantara, with folding heated and driver's side auto-dimming exterior mirrors, real carbon fibre trim bits, a large sports steering wheel with paddleshifters, trip, sound system, phone and active cruise control buttons.When it comes to cutting edge technology, the bent-eight brigade isn't the first place you usually look. But the SRT8's big 6.4-litre unit up from 6.1 now has variable valve timing and electronic throttle control, as well as upgraded cylinder-dropout system to ease the thirst.The combined cycle figure for 98 RON has dropped from 14.2 to 13L/100km, although the computer showed 15.2 when we handed the car back, somewhat reluctantly, to Chrysler. The growth in cubic capacity means an extra 30kW and 62Nm, giving the SRT8 347kW at 6100rpm, as well as 631Nm about 2000rpm earlier.Unlike the petrol V6, which gets a new ZF eight-speed auto, the musclebound monster of the 300 range retains the "proven'' (their term) five-speed tranny, which delivers reasonable shift quality despite all the forces being exerted. Sport mode sharpens up the controls and the suspension to a level that makes corners more amusing.Other bits worthy of mention include the automatic bi-xenon headlights with auto high-beam dip, rain-sensing wipers, active cruise control, a limited slip diff and the touchscreen complete with performance computer from which the boffins can get all manner of trivial info.The base-car isn't easy to miss and the bodykit and trim extras on the SRT8 don't scream and shout like an overt aftermarket monstrosity, but you'll notice it.Big, square and powerful, the SRT8's xenon/LED lit snout warrants more than a glance in the mirror or from the footpath. The cabin is plush, with plenty of leather and carbon fibre, with the driver presented with a quite large and chunky sports steering wheel to direct the big sedan.High safety praise from US crash-testers for the new 300 range has not yet been endorsed with an NCAP prang, but it comes with dual front, front-side, full-length curtain and a driver's knee, switchable stability and traction control, Brembo four-pot front and rear ventilated discs brakes (that get dried when the wipers are on), a blind spot warning, a tyre pressure monitoring system, rear camera, parking sensors fore and aft.But the forward collision alert had a false starts, beeping pessimistic warnings when entering a sweeping bend carved through a small hill - it's a tight section of road but the rockface was never in danger of gaining any cherry-red paint.There's something special about the sensation of a very large car leaping away from standstill in a melodious yet maniacal way. Yet sauntering through traffic on a daily basis in the SRT8, it's quiet and almost civilised, quietly slipping through the traffic most of which is having a look at it as well.The ride in normal mode is a little on the wallowy side, particularly through the front end - I was concerned about hitting the front bumps stops on a small speed bump. Subtlety is not the brand's strong point visually or dynamically.The Sport mode tightens the suspension up nicely, not far past the point of day-to-day use it’s only the aggressive transmission mapping that would stop you using this mode all the time. The Chrysler is a rapid machine in a straight line, with the quick-spinning V8 singing sweetly. But corners, even in Sport mode, betray the kerb weight.The Yank is less remote in the steering thanks to the retention of hydraulic assistance but it still falls short of rivals from HSV and FPV. The SRT8 has plenty of good safety gear listed and the active cruise control is worthy of mention for being able to hold a set speed downhill without a car in front - yet another brand who can show Lexus how that's done.

When it comes to the Chrysler 300, we’ve all heard the put-downs – Yank tank; Mafia staff car and so on. Yet the new model doesn’t deserve any of these jokes. Driving the two larger-than-life vehicles back to back illustrated a breadth of appeal rarely found in a big sedan.Now owned by Italian automobile giant Fiat, Chrysler is aiming to make a bigger dent downunder than before and the new 300 series large sedan was the first product range to burst out of brand new Melbourne headquarters onto the Australian market a couple of months ago.The cars are an eclectic lot, coming in versions from the 300 Limited, to the 300C, the 300C Luxury and the range-topping SRT8. Prices start at $43,000 for the petrol Limited, the diesel adds $5000, and top out at $66,000 for the Hemi V8 SRT 8.We experienced the 300C Luxury 3.0-litre V6 diesel and 300 SRT8 6.4-litre Hemi V8, fine examples from either end of the product spectrum.Thanks to advanced automotive technology, both models tested behaved like much smaller cars, making for a relaxed driving experience. For example, when parking, a reversing camera with guidelines and a park distance alarm system are on hand to take the measurements and tailor the right approach.The diesel takes advantage of Chrysler’s link to Fiat and comes from VM Motori in Cento, Italy, while the SRT 8 (for Street and Race Technology V8) pays homage to the US company’s well-documented Hemi history.The new V6 diesel has lost weight over its predecessor by means of aluminium cylinder heads, while twin overhead chain-driven camshafts have increased torque to 550 Nm between 1800 and 2000 rpm, and power to 176 kW at 4000rpm.The all-new 6.4-litre Hemi V8, one of the world’s most powerful naturally-aspirated V8s, punches out 347 kW at 6100 rpm. That’s 500 horsepower in muscle car terms, and this is most certainly a machine with muscle. It has 631 Nm of torque at a rather high 4150 rpm. Both engines are mated with a five-speed automatic transmission.An upgraded version of Chrysler’s multiple-displacement system now deactivates half the V8 engine’s cylinders over a wider range of operation, lowering fuel consumption from five to 20 per cent depending on driving conditions.As for fuel consumption, at the lower end of the scale the diesel got down to 7.5 litres per 100 kilometres on bouts of motorway driving, while the big petrol job slurped anything up to 29 litres per 100 kilometres in serious stop/start city travel. Oh, dear...A new electro-hydraulic power steering system on the 300C Luxury helps provide improved fuel efficiency and better steering capability. The SRT 8 calls on a fully hydraulic steering system.At night, HID Bi-xenon headlamps project three times the brightness of conventional headlights, while an adaptive system moves the beam from left to right in line with vehicle speed and steering wheel input, and is self levelling in keeping with crests and dips in the road.Inside the passenger cabin, under city-style driving conditions, it was hard to distinguish between the two motors, both producing quick-sharp response to pedal pressure accompanied by little more than a sweet engine hum.More light is let into the cabin by the addition of a quarter-light in the rear doors that, along with a lower belt line and thinner pillars, increases visibility by 15 per cent. The upper windscreen edge is 76mm higher providing improved visibility at traffic lights.The feel and grip of the four-spoke thick-rimmed steering wheel have been enhanced and comes standard with tilt/telescope adjustment for driving comfort. The wheel incorporates cruise control and adaptive cruise control buttons on the front, audio controls on the rear.Information such as satellite navigation, with the one of the clearest 3-D maps around, and vehicle and audio systems, is projected onto a 8.4-inch touch screen on the central dashboard. Of automotive Imax proportions, it is the largest in the market segment. However, the whole thing is let down badly by reflection all but wiping this info out in bright sunlight.     Luxury by name, luxury by nature, expansive seats are aimed at carrying wide-backed corpulent corporates comfortably. There are also acres of legroom back and front, which make the 300s highly attractive to the limo business, and a boot big enough to take several sets of golf clubs, or a generous load of luggage.On the other hand, The Chrysler SRT 8 is fitted with body hugging sports seats, a boon during spirited driving, and sports a discreet boot.-mounted spoiler to hint at the car’s character, while twin exhaust tailpipes make no bones about the potential power under the bonnet.   There’s no ignoring the fact you’re in the SRT 8, with ‘Chrysler’ being etched into the door sills and SRT on the tacho dial and seat backs. The analogue clock, mounted at the centre of the dashboard, a la Bentley, also carries the maker’s name and is a classy cap doff to the past. The Chrysler 300 already has the top rating from the US Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in front, side, rollover and rear crash tests safely tucked under its arm.As well as Electronic Stability Control and Traction Control, standard safety features include full-length side curtain airbags, seat mounted side thorax airbags, driver’s knee airbag duel front seat belt pretensioners, front reactive head restraints.Disc brakes all round have ABS and are augmented by Brake Assist, Ready Alert Braking and Rain Brake Support, the last gently applying brakes to dry out the discs when the wipers are working.Hill Start Assist automatically applies the brakes on inclines to prevent the vehicle rolling backwards. Keyless entry to the car is gained by the holder of the fob merely tugging the door handle. Starting the engine is by means of a dash-mounted button when the foot brake is applied.On the launch of the 300 a couple of months ago the media got to drive the cars on Phillip Island on a sodden racetrack. I recall the rear-wheel drive V8 showed its potential particularly when powering out of corners, wheels spinning freely, the tail wagging enthusiastically.Easing off, the electronic stability control was quick to bring things back in order. It’s just as impressive in day-to-day motoring.Plant the foot and the hemi piped up with a fine deep-throated note perfectly attuned to the car’s sporting nature.Suspension bushes and a rear stabiliser bar help iron out some road harshness over bumps but 20-inch aluminium wheels, fitted with low profile tyres, pick up even minor blemishes in the bitumen.

This is how to drive around feeling like you're in a rap video clip. The new Chrysler 300 (the C is used on the mid-spec models but is absent from the entry-level car and the SRT8) has taken a big step forward mechanically but retained some of the head-turning gangsta looks that set it apart from the rest of the blancmange large car segment.The big Yank - now with Italian masters - has waded back into the big-car battle with plenty in its arsenal, including the new 3.6-litre V6 engine hooked up to an eight-speed ZF auto.The 300 Limited starts off with pricing on its side - at $43,000, its features list is well up to the task of taking on the locals. Cloth trimmed power-adjustable (front) seats, a 60/40 splitfold rear seat, satnav, 18in alloy wheels, an Alpine sound system, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio, cruise and trip computer controls and dual zone climate control with rear vents.There's also keyless entry and ignition, three 12-volt outlets, automatic bi-xenon headlights and LED daytime running lights, heated and folding exterior mirrors, a tyre pressure monitoring display, parking sensors and a reversing camera. Optional on this base model (but fitted to the test car) is the Garmin satnav part of the sound system.The new petrol V6 engine has been heralded for its efforts in other Chrysler Group products and nothing changes here. The smooth, quiet and powerful 3.6-litre unit has dual overhead camshafts and variable valve timing producing 210kW and 340Nm - Chrysler claims 13.9l/100km around town and 6.7l/100km in highway driving from the 72-litre tank.An overall combined cycle number of 9.4 litres per 100km wasn't quite reflected by the trip computer - we finished our predominantly metropolitan time in the 300 with a 12l/100km figure - not thirsty enough to warrant the massive $5000 price premium for the more frugal diesel.While some of the numbers stack up well against the locals, the Chrysler's trump card is its eight-speed ZF automatic transmission, which gives it long legs on the open road. The only drawback to the slick and clever auto is the shifter - an electronic link to the transmission that requires a deft touch to avoid sliding past Reverse and into Park. The big sedan feels tighter and stronger than its predecessor, with increased use of high-strength steel in the body structure.It's bold, squared-off and handsome - the new 300 is being marketed with phrases like timeless and elegant; it is more elegant in some ways than its predecessor, but maintains the different look that sets it apart from the repmobiles on our roads.This is a big beasty, measuring just over 5 metres long, and 1.9m wide, but 1.5m tall, with a 3.1m wheelbase - and you'll need long arms to reach fully-open doors from a seated position. Plenty of chrome bits, dual exhausts and bling headlights all give it a distinctive look, although more than a few people miss the old Bentley-esque grille.The cabin is comfortable and roomy, without being as cavernous as you might expect within - four adults are easily accommodated and boot space of 462 litres will carry their gear, although the wheel arches intrude on the load space.While there's no NCAP rating on the big sedan yet, the 300 has stability and traction control, rain brake support (which uses slight pad pressure to dry the brakes when wipers are on), ready-alert braking (that moves brake pads closer to the disc face for quicker brake response if there's a sharp step off the accelerator pedal), hill start assist and anti-lock brakes.There are (thankfully, given the dimensions and the high rump) front and rear parking sensors and a reversing camera. Airbags number seven in total - dual front and front-side air bags, a driver's knee air bag and full-length curtain airbags. In its US homeland, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety proffers a "good" crash rating and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration awarded it five stars.Don't buy one of these if you're an introvert, as it is still a head-turner, evidence that Aussies still like large cars, even if they're not buying as many. This is a large machine and certainly feels tauter and less of a barge than its forebears.It has lost much of the lumbering lethargy that afflicted its ancestors as well, due in no small part to the more lively powerplant and improved chassis tune. The driveline provides smooth and quiet daily commutes without drinking heavily, with open-road manners that are more than acceptable as well.It still doesn't have the steering or balance that you might expect from a big rear-drive sedan if you use the Ford and Holden as yardsticks - it is certainly much better but the RWD locals still have it covered for steering response and balance.The cabin is very comfortable, has good storage facilities and the features list is more than worthy, including some clever and not-so clever touches - foot-operated park brakes are not a favourite. The sun visors are very effective - they cover the long door side by means of extensions and a sliding function.Full control by the driver of the sound system comes via buttons on the back of the steering wheel spokes - not a new feature but one that is worth mentioning as it leaves the wheel face a little less cluttered.

The modern car that most closely resembles a classic gangster staff car comes from Chrysler. Its 300C, sold here from 2006, had the face and proportions of a 21st-century Capone-mobile. It offered something different to the Fords and Holdens made here and pinched some of their turf.Back then it was a gnat-bite. Large sedans commanded 140,000 buyers a year in 2006 and the 300C sold a total of 7000 over five years.Now Chrysler is back with a new version and boss Clyde Campbell thinks it can do better this time. Two to three times better. "That segment (large sedans) hasn't received good press for 10 years,'' he says. "We think there's a way to make it work.''Campbell believes the 300 -- this time the "C'' denotes just one of three trim levels -- can do for the near-dormant Chrysler brand what the Grand Cherokee has done for Jeep, another member of the group. It's been selling its socks off.The strategy is similar: load it up with gear and sell it at a super-aggressive price. The entry 300 gets a new 3.6-litre petrol V6 teamed with an eight-speed automatic -- unknown at this level -- for $43,000.That's line ball with a Commodore SV6 and below a Falcon G6E. The flagship SRT8, with a 6.4-litre V8, big brakes and track pedigree, is $66,000. An HSV Clubsport with auto is $70,000 while an FPV Falcon GT is more than $71,000. On value they'll be hard-pressed to match the 300 because it's a lot of car for the money.A great big gateau of a car, in fact, at more than 5m long and weighing about two tonnes. In top-spec SRT8 trim it gets 20-inch wheels, huge leather seats, heated or cooled everything, and a control screen IMAX would envy.The sound system boasts no fewer than 19 speakers. Some kit, such as blind spot monitoring or forward collision alert, is not yet available on the locals. The base car misses out on leather, which feels essential in this car, but still gets park sensors, a reversing camera, power seats and auto lamps.So there's a lot of icing on this cake but in engineering terms, it was baked the day before yesterday. The underpinnings were borrowed from Mercedes when Daimler was running Chrysler, and there are bits from the previous generation E-Class and an even older S-Class.The five-speed transmission is also a vestige of that period and it remains the only option if you want the 3.0-litre diesel or V8, and both these engines are developments of the previous units. The parking brake is old-tech foot-operated.The design has been refreshed and the cabin is a big lift in terms of material quality and sound insulation. However, interior space is modest for a car this size, with adequate rather than generous space in the rear.The sunroof, if fitted, crimps head room in the front and the boot, at 462 litres, is smaller than the locals. Fit and finish is nothing special either.The big V8, upgraded from the previous 6.1, sounds the part and has a thirst to match, with consumption of 13.0 litres per 100km on average. That's despite being able to shut down four pistons when cruising.The V6s were sampled on a slightly drier road loop. The diesel is the economy champ, of course, at 7.1l/100km, and there's nothing equivalent in the Falcon-Commodore. It can sound coarse at idle but it's quiet on the move, with ample torque to lug the 300.However, the 3.6 petrol would be my pick out of the two V6s; with its strong mid-range it can handle the car's mass and has a great soundtrack. It also has the advantage of a very smooth eight-speed automatic and on 20-inch wheels achieves 9.7l/100km economy, which at least puts it in the same ball park as the locals.The hoodlum in me warmed to the menace of the original's exterior design; this one just looks odd. Today's gangsters have moved on. Anyone who has seen a television series such as The Wire knows their preferred wheels are enormous SUVs with tinted windows and chrome rims.Crims are just like the rest of us -- they've switched out of large sedans. The exterior design has lost its clarity. Its chin protrudes and the headlights have become generic. The SRT8 has a clumsy spoiler extension to the boot lid.Phillip Island racetrack was the launch venue for the SRT8, which struggled to apply its 347kW in wet and slippery conditions. Any wayward throttle brought the stability control into play and I was tiptoeing through corners.The SRT8's lowered performance suspension and track tuning failed to disguise its weight. This is not something you want to push around a rainy Phillip Island. It would have been a different beast in the dry.Chrysler believes sub-5.0 second 0-100km/h times are possible when the sun shines. I recorded 5.7 seconds on one damp run and the wheels spun for a fortnight.On those huge rims the ride is a bit detailed and fussy. Although the suspension has been tweaked and body stiffened, the 300 still feels ponderous when the roads get twisty. There's nothing alert about the way it changes direction and I was never certain when it was going to settle into a corner.The steering and pedals are fine, but pressing on in either V6 requires concentration. In this respect, and most others, this 300 feels like an evolution of the previous car. It's better and it's cheaper, but essentially the same beast.

A new home and a new family waiting to move in – that’s what’s on the agenda for the Fiat Chrysler Group in Australia right now with the new, almost-finished HQ at Port Melbourne being the scene recently for the launch of the company’s latest 300 range of large sedans.Along with the new 300s come the first eight-speed automatic transmission in a large car costing less than $70,000, a choice of V6 petrol or diesel power, or V8 petrol, a dynamic suspension, more than 60 advanced safety and security features, carbon fibre and wood grain finishes and Napa leather upholstery.Kicking off the Chryslers is the 300 Limited, then comes the 300C, the 300C Luxury and the range-topping SRT8. Prices start at $43,000 for the petrol Limited, the diesel adds $5000, and top out at $66,000 for the Hemi V8 SRT8.Power is supplied by a choice of three engines – V6 petrol and diesel and a V8 Hemi petrol, all driving through the rear wheels.The entry level 300 Limited is powered by Chrysler’s 3.6-litre Pentastar petrol V6 engine producing 210kW of power and 340Nm of torque. It’s mated with the all-new eight-speed ZF automatic transmission, providing greater fuel efficiency with powerful performance via an all-new electronic e-shifter.The motor, says the maker, will return fuel efficiency of 13.9 litres per 100 kilometres in urban driving and 6.7 L/100 km on the highway, covering the 0-100 km/h sprint in just 7 seconds. The V6 diesel, mated with the standard five-speed automatic transmission, returns 9.5 L/100 km in town and 5.7 L/100 km on the highway. With 550 Nm of peak torque on tap from a low 1800 rpm it will propel the 300 from rest to 100 km/h in 7.8 sec, on its way to a top speed of 230 km/h. Topping off the power plants is the all-new 6.4-litre Hemi V8, one of the world’s most powerful naturally aspirated V8s, punching out 347 kW at 6100 rpm and 631 Nm of torque at a low 4150 rpm. A combined fuel consumption cycle of 13.0 L/100 km, with carbon dioxide emissions of 303 g/km is claimed.I get the impression the cabin is more open than in its predecessor; an impression that’s backed up by the addition of a quarter-light in the rear doors resulting in a six-window design that, along with a lower belt line and thinner pillars, increases visibility by 15 per cent. The upper windscreen edge is 76 mm higher, providing improved visibility at traffic signals.The Chrysler 300’s Electronic Vehicle Information Centre is an interactive colour display in the instrument cluster that allows the driver to select and customise  settings such as fuel economy, distance to empty, engine temperature, fluid levels and tyre pressure.It’s well accepted by automobile manufacturers that cars without sufficient cupholders go nowhere. Centre console-mounted slots in the 300 range have heating (red lighting) and cooling (blue lighting) capacity.As before, there’s nothing restrained about the exterior, a high beltline supporting a larger body-to-side glass proportion than before; flared arches providing a perfect frame for 18-inch (300 Limited and 300C) or 20-inch aluminium wheels (available 300C, standard 300C Luxury and SRT8). There’s chrome on every corner and then some.A raft of safety features has already earned the Chrysler 300 the top rating from the US Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in front, side, rollover and rear crash tests. As well as Electronic Stability Control and Traction Control, standard safety features include full-length side curtain airbags, seat-mounted side thorax airbags, driver’s knee airbag, dual front seat belt pre-tensioners and front reactive head restraints.With discs all round, ABS anti-skid brakes have Brake Assist, Ready Alert Braking and Rain Brake Support, the last of which gently applies brakes to dry out the discs when the wipers are working. Hill Start Assist holds the brakes on inclines to prevent the vehicle rolling backwards. Keyless entry is operated by the holder of the fob merely tugging the door handle. Doors close with an assuring clunk. Starting the engine is by means of a dash-mounted button when the foot brake is depressed.Battery charge and tyre pressure monitoring impart an added feeling of security, while a reversing camera image is projected on to an 8.4-inch touch screen – the largest in class – with guidelines for easy manoeuvring in limited space.All were tried out on a track and road day on and around Phillip Island in conditions that were more conducive to wading than driving. The rain was a constant companion throughout the proceedings, reining in performance on the track in an SRT8. Even so, the rear-wheel drive V8 showed its potential when powering out of corners, wheels spinning freely, the tail wagging enthusiastically. Easing off, the electronic stability control was quick to bring things back in order. On the road the 300C, in diesel and petrol versions, provided a smooth, quiet and relaxed ride. Any rough edges have been ironed out in design and development. The Yanks have come up with less tank, more carriage.The feel and grip of the four-spoke thick-rimmed steering wheel have been enhanced and comes standard with tilt/telescope adjustment for driving comfort. The wheel incorporates cruise control or adaptive cruise control buttons on the front, audio controls on the rear. At night, HID Bi-xenon headlamps project three times the brightness of conventional headlights, while an adaptive system moves the beams from left to right in line with vehicle speed and steering wheel input and is self levelling in keeping with crests and dips in the road.