Chrysler Lancer Reviews

The big question everyone is asking right now is not whether or not the $6.2 billion of taxpayer's money the Federal Government has stumped up for the local car industry is good value but whether the parent companies of Holden and Ford Australia in the US will be in existence next year.If, as is looking increasingly likely, they go belly up, where does that leave Holden and Ford Australia? And what becomes of our $6.2 billion investment.It's the subject of much speculation and calls into question the massive leg-up provided by us, the Australian taxpayer, to local subsidiaries of GM and Ford. And remember, both US parent companies have been in the poo for longer than a few months - their problems go right back to the start of the century when there was a lack of suitable development and poor forward planning. This resulted in both companies getting in a right pickle with the wrong vehicles at the wrong time, push sales driven by discounting and other ridiculous practices, zero per cent finance and a whole train crash of don'ts.They were too focused on cranking out massive pick-up trucks and not the sort of cars they needed to stay ahead of the game.A little crystal ball gazing is tempting in a situation like this, with a smattering of some hypothetical scenarios.Locally, Toyota stands to benefit hugely in the event of the demise or sell-off of Holden and Ford. And rest assured, GM and Ford wouldn't hesitate to flick their non-core businesses to keep the US parent companies afloat at home.That $6.2 billion earmarked for three companies would neatly go back to one, and Toyota has already moved solidly towards making a “green” hybrid car in Australia for which the funds are ostensibly provided. It's a fair old wad in the back pocket for Toyota.But there are other delicious possibilities.Could it be possible for Ford Australia and Holden to move to nationalised ownership and Australia take advantage of the wealth of talent and experience available there. It could be used to tap into a select market, manufacture cars locally and even start supplying technology and components to other carmakers. What red-blooded Aussie wouldn't buy a good car made here by a fair-dinkum Aussie company and not some quasi-Aussie company. It would be unthinkable, un-Australian.And remember, we are the supplier of most raw materials that go into making a car.Nationalisation has become a dirty word in the runaway capitalistic western world where most things are based on short term planning and the fast buck. Look where that led.And with the current international economic problem unsolved, nationalisation is happening anyway even to the pillars of the capitalist system - they are begging for government money.But I suspect the nationalisation pill would be too bitter for us to swallow so at a local level the second scenario probably has more weight _ foreign ownership for Holden and Ford Australia. And we are talking Tata for Ford (possibly Ford the world including Australia) and a Chinese manufacturer for Holden, possibly SAIC which is in an expansionist mood, has plenty of funds and recently took over SsangYong.Tata has already shown its hand purchasing Land Rover and Jaguar - both formerly part of Ford's Premier Auto Group and the Indian company seems well provisioned with funds.China already has a hand in our “local” cars as suppliers of components like windscreens, brakes, lights, switches, wipers and other bits and pieces. They know what's going on here and no doubt would like a car making foothold in an advanced, western economy like ours.Then again, GM, Ford and Chrysler in the US could just shut up shop, hang up the gun and fade into the past. Vultures would be circling already and despite the worrying international situation, some have plenty of cash for a cheap buy-out - they only have to wait it out.Look no further than Japan or Korea for the wherewithall to pick the prime cuts of GM, Ford and Chrysler. Hyundai probably has eyes for Jeep and some of the Europeans could also be in a buy-out position at the right price - Mercedes Benz for GM Opel for instance. We won't have to wait long to find out..... 

General Motors, Ford and Chrysler are arguing for their share of the rescue money provided by the American government as they continue to suffer the biggest losses in motoring history.The Bush administration opposes their call for cash but a bill has been presented by the Democratic party to the country's Congress, which is also in transition following the landslide win by president-elect Barak Obama, to give them some short-term relief.If any deal is approved - which seems a longshot - it will include a provision that none of the money can be used to pay executive bonuses.These have been a multi-million dollar windfall for most senior executives at the Big Three for decades, but look to pass into history - at least until the river of red ink in Detroit is damed.The proposal for the $25 billion assistance package has created a political furore in the USA, where one side of politics says the Big Three only have themselves to blame and the other is trying to protect jobs and even the pension and health insurance entitlements of retired workers.A USA Today-Gallup poll shows the split, as a 47 per cent of adults said they believe loans and other help for carmakers is "not that important".Meanwhile, everything from paperclips to concept cars has been culled as General Motors fights for survival.The one-time world leader, which is now certain to be overtaken by Toyota on the 2008 sales charts, has slashed all non-essential spending and has even withdrawn from the Los Angeles Motor Show later this week.GM was planning to unveil a new Buick concept car and something exciting for Saab, but has pulled both cars and also decided to keep its senior executives away from the California car show.Ford and Chrysler are also expected to go low-key in LA, leaving import brands including Nissan and Mazda - which will reveal their all- new 370Z and Mazda3 - to make the running.But it is the GM cutbacks which are making news in the USA, as the company - which is losing billions each month - reduces spending on everything from stationary to company cars. It has cut all executive bonuses and raised prices for executive lease cars.GM has admitted it will run out of cash reserves by the end of the year.Chrysler has also eliminated bonuses and is pushing e-mail to save on paper costs, while Ford is not having any Christmas parties in 2008 and has slashed all non-essential staff travel. 

Its bold presence and striking looks have given it a real chance in our big car market. Drivetrains and performanceThe 300C is available as a sedan or wagon – 300C Touring – and comes with a choice of four engines: 3.5 litre V6, 3.0 litre CRD V6, 5.7 litre HEMI V8, and the stonking 6.1 litre HEMI V8 SRT we tested, with its 317kW of power and a chunky 569Nm of torque at our disposal.With that under the bonnet you can expect to reach 265km/h, getting to the first hundred in just over five seconds.At just under two tonnes and just over five meters long, the big SRT8 gets power to the wheels via a five speed automatic with AutoStick for manual shifting.For a superior driving experience the 300C has a near 50/50 weight distribution, rear-wheel drive, ESP and five-link rear suspension.As was to be expected, fuel consumption is on the high side at 14 litres/100kms. ExteriorStanding at over five meters long and nearly two meters wide, the 300C has a bold presence on the road.But more than just its sheer size; the high belt line, huge proportion of side glass, chrome exterior mirrors and door handles and the classic, stately grille design come together to create a vehicle that commands respect.The SRT version also has massive 20 inch wheels and an integrated spoiler with high mounted stop light. InteriorThe 300C’s cavernous interior is lined with soft touch surfaces and luxury leather-trimmed seats. The front bucket seats are heated.Tortoise shell and California Walnut trim is available for the bigger V6 and the lesser V8 respectively, with the SRT8 dominated inside by dark leather trim and aluminium panelling.Dual Zone Automatic Temperature Control, a five feature memory system for the driver, rain sensing wipers and a Multimedia Infotainment Systemwith Navigation are all standard on the SRT8.Cargo capacity is flexible thanks to 60/40 split-folding rear seats and large boot. Two front and two rear cup holders make long distance driving easier. SafetyAlong with Electronic Stability Program which includes Electronic throttle control, all speed traction control and Yaw-Control sensor/Steering Control sensor, the 300C range has a Rear park assist System, Tyre Pressure Monitoring System, brake assist and big Brembo brakes.A comprehensive airbag package rounds out the 300C’s impressive safety features. PricingPricing for the 300C range starts at $53,990 for the 3.5 litre V6 auto sedan.The 6.1 litre, Hemi SRT8 auto that we tested starts at $71,990 for the sedan and $74,990 for the Touring – the most expensive car. DRIVINGOur first thought after seeing the 300C in the flesh was how the hell we were going to get it in and out of our miniscule car park without scraping it on one of the many — largely unnecessary – cement pylons. At over five meters long and a coat of paint under two meters wide, its no little shopping trolley.But seeing it in person also revealed its impressive, muscular presence. The huge grille, splashes of chrome and enormous 20” wheels gave it an attitude we reckoned would have attracted those of us who love a good gangster flick and want to bling their way round in a big mean car and count the stares.The 300C’s interior is cavernous. There’s a fine line between the luxury of a lot of space, and feeling you could get lost just in the centre console bin — it really doesn’t need to be that big. Just a fraction smaller and you wouldn’t need a two-way to speak to your passengers. But negatives aside, the seats are comfortable and supportive and the aluminium dash and thumping stereo give a prestigious feel.The sheer power of the big V8 doesn’t disappoint and is surprising given the car’s size. A short squirt on the throttle produces instant thrust and that 'thump in the back of your seat’ punch. Ride and handling — thanks to the 50/50 weight distribution and five-link rear suspension — is firm and smooth and it corners as well as a lot of cars half its size. All in all, it’s probably a little on the large side for out modest needs but it definitely shook off a lot of initial criticisms after a few days behind the wheel. 

Teaming up with its in-house electric-drive production/advanced technology team, ENVI, Chrysler have already fitted the Grand Voyager, the Jeep Wrangler and a Dodge performance sports car with the advanced electric–drive technology to give consumers a taste of what’s in store.The car giant will produce a combination of all-electric vehicles, and range-extended vehicles that use a small petrol engine.The all-electric vehicles use a simple three component system -an electric motor to drive the wheels, a lithium-ion battery to power the electric motor and a controller to manage energy flow.The range-extended vehicle uses the same three component system but with a small petrol motor and electric generator for additional energy to power the electric-drive system when needed.Dodge EVThe rear-wheel drive Dodge EV is the only all-electric prototype. It produces 200kW and 650Nm and reaches 100kms/h in a very rapid sub five seconds, on its way to a top speed of 120.With a continuous driving range of around 300kms, Chrysler claims the Dodge EV can travel more than three times the distance of the average daily commute for most Americans before needing a recharge.Jeep EVWith range-extended electric technology, the Jeep EV produces 200kW and 400Nm. Using around 36 litres of petrol it can travel up to 650kms, including 65kms of all-electric power.Chrysler EVOutputting similar numbers to the Jeep for fuel economy, the Chrysler uses a 190kW motor that produces 350Nm of torque. It gets from 0-100kms/h in around nine seconds.Sadly, none of them look like the three concept vehicles the American brand featured at this year’s Detroit Motor Show in January, but the pentastar bosses are adamant they are serious about alternative fuels.“We have a social responsibility to our consumers to deliver environmentally friendly, fuel-efficient, advanced electric vehicles, and our intention is to meet that responsibility quickly and more broadly than any other automobile manufacturer,” said Bob Nardelli, Chairman and CEO – Chrysler LLC.“The introduction of the Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge electric vehicles provides a glimpse of the very near future, and demonstrates that we are serious and well along in the development of bringing electric vehicles to market.“We’re not ready to announce what our first electric vehicle production model will be, but we are developing a full portfolio of electric vehicles and range-extended electric vehicles for production.This technology will be applied to front-wheel-drive, rear-wheel-drive and body-on-frame four-wheel-drive platforms over the next several years.”  

This means motorists may have long delays to convert their car to running on LPG which costs less than 70 a litre.

If anyone knows how to build a people mover it should be Chrysler. After all, the company claims to have invented the mini-van segment back in 1983. The latest descendent of that model is the new Grand Voyager, which is about to go on sale locally. It is the biggest overhaul of the model since the American people mover arrived here in 1997.“This is the ultimate vehicle for families and people on the go,” says Chrysler Australia managing director Gerry Jenkins. “It offers the flexibility of seven seats and room for heaps of gear without sacrificing fuel economy. The all-new Grand Voyager is the new standard.”That is a bold statement for the under-pressure brand. Chrysler has failed to live up to expectations with its new models.Only the 300C remains strong and accounts for more than half of the brand's sales to February.The good news is the Grand Voyager is a very solid performer. It offers vastly improved exterior style, excellent interior space and some clever seating.The most notable change for the new model is the styling. The people mover has been given a complete makeover in a bid to make it look more like the 300C. The design team was led by Trevor Creed, the man responsible for the popular sedan. The new model is longer and wider and has a squarer look with sharper lines. The improved design carries over to the interior. Although the quality still lags behind European and local standards it is better than previous American models. Hard plastics and unsupportive seats remain the biggest complaints.But what it lacks in quality it makes up for in quantity. The Grand Voyager will seat seven people comfortably unlike some of its people mover rivals. Unlike its competitors which adopt a two-three-two seating layout, the Grand Voyager uses a two-two-three system.Because the second row only accommodates two seats it lets the company fit larger units. Chrysler has two clever seating options available for the second row. The first is Stow 'n Go that sees the seats fold down into underfloor storage bins to give more cargo space. The other option is Swivel 'n Go that sees the two chairs rotate through 180 degrees to let passengers travel backwards.The third-row rear seats are also packed with clever features. They can be stowed away to turn the car into a two-seater or can be folded backwards to provide “stadium seating” so you can really sit in comfort.The seats are just part of a comprehensive in-car entertainment system that can include three video screens and satellite navigation.Chrysler has also incorporated “trends in home lighting” by giving the car halo lights to give it a moody feel at night.Another plus is the rear-parking camera that is standard across the range.The three-model line-up is priced from $56,990 for the 3.8-litre V6 petrol LX. The mid-level Touring starts at $62,990 and the range-topping Limited is priced from $72,990. The 2.8-litre diesel adds $3000 across the range.Chrysler Australia expects 60 per cent of customers to go for the Limited model.While it's good news that the Grand Voyager has a diesel for the first time, it is not as sophisticated or smooth as its European rivals.Its saving grace is the strong fuel economy figures it returns which makes it the engine of choice. On our drive we used 8.8 litres per 100km on a long stretch of country driving and Chrysler claims it will use 12.3 litres per 100km in the city.But while it may not be an impressive engine, with 120kW of power and 360Nm of torque, the CRD is up to the task of moving the van that weighs over two tonnes.The V6 petrol engine produces 142kW and 305Nm and has a more responsive powerplant than the oil burner. But with a combined city fuel economy figure of 18.8 litres per 100km it can't match the CRD.In addition to adding the diesel, Chrysler has also upgraded the gearbox from a four-speed automatic to a six-speed.Australia receives the European suspension tune that is firmer and more responsive than the US settings. Despite this it's still a soft ride but it's very comfortable, especially on long trips. Even though you won't mistake the mini-van for a car it does hide its size well.Comfort is the key with the new car. The designers have tried to maximise interior space by “shrink-wrapping” it. That means the interior contours to the mechanical structure underneath which results in a more cluttered look but more importantly opens up a lot more usable space for the passengers.Competitors such as the Honda Odyssey and Citroen C4 Picasso are cheaper and are worth considering. Although they lack the interior space of the Grand Voyager they offer a far superior driving experience.But in the end you won't buy the Grand Voyager for its performance credentials, you buy it to comfortably carry a large family. And on those grounds it's a winner. SnapshotChrysler Grand VoyagerPrice: $56,990-$75,990Engine: 3.8L/V6 petrol 142kW/305Nm, 2.8L/4-cylinder turbodiesel 120kW/360NmTransmission: 6-speed autoEconomy: 12.3L/100km petrol, 9.3L/100km diesel claimed 

VERDICT + Generous equipment list. Spacious cabin. Respectable fuel consumption.- Severe quality issues. Cabin comfort shortfalls. Mediocre road manners. The Australian migration southward from large cars to medium-sized varieties has emboldened a number of manufacturers to bring new models here from overseas, and most of these have been welcome arrivals that add to the richness of our motoring culture.All of them deserve a chance here, and all will attract at least some custom from the established brand names. But sometimes, as in the case of the Chrysler Sebring, a car comes along that feels so out of kilter with Australian expectations that it seems destined to fail.We appreciate the high level of equipment on the Sebring, including some uncommon features on the series-leading $37,490 Limited model variant tested here.However, first impressions are often lasting impressions, and after a less-than-favourable test drive we are now wondering about the extent to which prospective customers, too, have found fault with this American-built sedan after a mere trickle of sales since its launch.Quite apart from the excessively creased and chromed exterior design, the Sebring has a number of drawbacks — ranging from drastic quality shortfalls to a mediocre driving experience — that put it well behind its Japanese and European competition.Despite being a premium model, the Limited cabin is littered with hard and unappealing plastics and our test car had a number of faults that come with substandard construction, including unaligned exterior doors, numerous examples of ill-fitting interior trim and an excruciating noise (like metal being twisted) whenever the driver's window was raised.The storage box on the centre dash stack would open with a squeak, and the centre console box would shut with a twang.You could post letters in the 5mm gap between the top of the glovebox and the dashboard. Rear seat passengers were repeatedly snagged by the loose trim behind one of the front seats.Within a few kilometres from our starting point, when coming to a halt on a downhill slope, our test car also threw on the park brake warning light — something repeated on several other occasions.There is leather trim on the seats and steering wheel, but this does not extend to the doors or the handbrake. The plastic touch points for the elbow on the doors aren't particularly soft, and the front seats are flat and unsupportive.The front passenger is also short-changed in not receiving electric seat adjustment or the means to alter seat lumbar, and neither front occupant is provided with an overhead grab-handle.The driver's footwell is narrow and does not contain a footrest. The handbrake is in an awkward position on the left-hand side of the centre console. The ignition, too, is on the left-hand side of the steering column, a position we never got used to after a week of driving — and, judging by the scratches on the opposite side, something other users have also found problematic.Other scratches from general wear and tear in a near-new car (with less than 8000km on the odometer) were all too obvious on the metallic-coloured plastic surfaces on the centre console and doors.While cup placement and phone recharging requirements are well considered, the basic storage facilities leave more to be desired.Moreover, the glovebox cannot be locked, the climate control airconditioning has just a single zone, and the rear head restraints do not hunker down when not in use to maximise rearward vision for the driver.We could go on in this vein for a lot longer, but the point is clear. Blatant cost cutting and a severe lack of attention to detail have permeated the Sebring, overshadowing a value story it would otherwise tell.After all, the standard specification runs to seven airbags, traction and stability control, ABS brakes (with electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist), a tyre pressure monitoring system, trip computer, alarm, cruise control, a six-speaker CD/MP3 stereo (with steering mounted-controls), an auto-dipping rear-view mirror, a well-designed backlit instrument cluster and a novel drink warmer/cooler. The Limited adds a premium stereo, sunroof, headlamp washers, “tortoise shell” interior accents and 18-inch wheels (up from 17).The other main attraction is the all-round roominess, most notably for rear-seat passengers. Amenities also improve in the back seat, with overhead grab-handles making an appearance (albeit without hinges) and door bins incorporating a bottle holder (unlike the front).Having said that, the seatbelt sash can get caught under the headrest in the centre-rear position, leaving it slack and creating an extra check for parents who allow children to buckle themselves in.The boot is another hit-and-miss affair, offering a below-average 441 litres in overall volume (extendable via the split-fold backrests) and forcing people to work around intrusions from the suspension turrets and the parcel shelf area.Cargo hammock hooks are provided, though not luggage tie-down points. A temporary spare wheel is also used.The Sebring's driving experience is nothing to write home about, with average four-cylinder engine performance and mediocre road manners.Combined with a basic four-speed automatic transmission, the inherently smooth 2.4-litre petrol engine produces 125kW at 6000rpm and 220Nm at 4500rpm — enough to send the 1560kg Limited from 0-100km/h in an unremarkable 11.3 seconds, and (given the excessive noise at high revs) for the driver not to test the performance claims too often.The engine is quiet when cruising on the open road, but with a load onboard and in hillier terrain it suffers from a lack of pulling power at the lower end of the rev range.The gearbox is forced to work overtime in these situations, often plunging into second, but it executes all tasks asked of it with a degree of finesse.The driver can exercise more control with the sequential manual mode, although a fifth gear would doubtless be a worthwhile addition.In terms of fuel consumption, we averaged a respectable 10.6 litres per 100km on our test.The front strut and rear multi-link suspension tune is described as European for this American sedan, but in Australian conditions the Sebring feels underdone — not all at sea, but anchored offshore all the same.It absorbs road imperfections at speed with a minimum of fuss, but the Sebring tends to wallow in the bends and mid-corner bumps can send the rear end off course, which is not so much a cause for concern as a telegram to the driver that there is little point in pushing the envelope.Enthusiastic cornering is met with determined resistance (but howls of protest) from the 18-inch Kumho tyres, while braking performance soon deteriorates in demanding conditions.The steering is devoid of feel. Rattling in the steering rack is a regular intrusion across country roads, with lumps in tighter bends producing anything from moderate steering twitchiness to savage kickback.In all, the Sebring is a stunning disappointment. What had looked to be a strong contender in an ultra-competitive class has, in fact, proved to be nothing of the sort. SECOND OPINIONTony Jones, 52Occupation: Market managerLocation: Wantirna South, VicCurrent car: Chrysler Sebring LimitedPrevious car: Renault LagunaOther cars considered: Alfa Romeo 156, Peugeot 407, Renault LagunaTony Jones has no concerns over build quality with his Chrysler Sebring. While he believes that perception could bring the car's resale value down at trade-in time, Tony's Sebring Limited at least appears to be well screwed together.“So far mine's all right. Nothing has fallen off. The finish on the upholstery is very good. There's no rattles or any sort of odd noises coming out of it. It all sticks together all right at the moment, touch wood. I got a recall (notice) on it for a potential radiator fan issue. But my car was apparently okay.”Tony's preference was for a diesel-powered vehicle, but he was unimpressed with the changeover price Renault offered with a diesel Laguna (from his previous petrol V6) and subsequently looked elsewhere. He tried a diesel from Dodge and Jeep but he found the Sebring suited his needs best. “I'd never even heard of it — never seen one, and still haven't seen very many others (after five months),” he says. “But it was distinctive and while the four-cylinder engine wasn't a diesel it suited what I was looking for, not just from an economy point of view but a green aspect as well.“I don't need a fast sportscar. I was looking for something that I could fit my wife and at least two big adults in the back. When I took it for a (test) drive, I thought it was a little bit noisy, but it's not like a little four-cylinder car. It's actually quite comfortable from a noise perspective. It's not a performance car, but it has all of the performance it needs for taking off at the lights and it's great on the open roads — I'm averaging around 8.2-8.3 litres per 100km.“It never loses traction, it stops well, corners okay — it feels and drives like a bigger car. It's just that feeling you get. It feels higher on the road. It's got all the creature comforts — the leather, the electric driver's seat, all the adjustable arrangements there.“The controls are good, you can reach everything, but it doesn't have a left footrest which I occasionally find a bit annoying. And the brake pedal and the accelerator — you've got to be a little bit careful because they're close together.” HOW IT MEASURES UPChrysler Sebring LimitedSerious quality glitches leave this vehicle well behind class standards. Positive aspects include the individual style, interior space and equipment level. But the fault lines run too deep.Price: $37,490Warranty: 3 years/100,000kmEngine: 2.4-litre four-cylinderPower/Torque: 125kW/220NmTransmission: Front-drive, four-speed auto onlySeats/Weight: Five/1560kgFuel tank/type: 64 litres/normal unleadedLitres/100km: 8.9 city/highway combined0-100km/h: 11.3 secondsTurning circle: 11.1mAirbags/ESC: Seven/YesValue: * * 1/2Performance: * * *Overall: * * 1/2  Toyota Camry AtevaCamry is the car Toyota's rivals use as the class benchmark.And for good reason. Ticks the box in most areas of the drive and packaging. First-rate build quality. Take a closer look, Chrysler.Price: $33,750Warranty: 3 years/100,000kmEngine: 2.4-litre four-cylinderPower/Torque: 117kW/218NmTransmission: Front-drive, five-speed auto onlySeats/Weight: Five/1530kgFuel tank/type: 70 litres/normal unleadedLitres/100km: 9.9 city/highway combined0-100km/h: 9.7 secondsTurning circle: 11.0mAirbags/ESC: Six/YesValue: * * * *Performance: * * * 1/2Overall: * * * 1/2  Ford Mondeo ZetecAvailable in hatch or sedan, the new Belgian-built Mondeo is a fabulous all-rounder. This base petrol engine is perhaps the weakest link, but the drive overall is excellent. A value package.Price: $34,990Warranty: 3 years/100,000kmEngine: 2.3-litre four-cylinderPower/Torque: 118kW/208NmTransmission: Front-drive, six-speed auto onlySeats/Weight: Five/1562kgFuel tank/type: 70 litres/normal unleadedLitres/100km: 9.5 city/highway combined0-100km/h: 10.5 seconds (European fig)Turning circle: 11.45mAirbags/ESC: Seven/YesValue: * * * *Performance: * * * 1/2Overall: * * * *  Honda Accord EuroThe name has always suggested to us a kind of Japanese paranoia, but the ageing Euro is an accomplished car. Offers a fine drive, but curtain airbags are restricted to the Luxury variant.Price: $33,990Warranty: 3 years/100,000kmEngine: 2.4-litre four-cylinderPower/Torque: 140kW/223NmTransmission: Front-drive, six-speed manual (5-speed auto $2000)Seats/Weight: Five/1375kgFuel tank/type: 65 litres/premium unleaded Litres/100km: 9.1 city/highway combined0-100km/h: n/aTurning circle: 10.8mAirbags/ESC: Four/YesValue: * * * 1/2Performance: * * * 1/2Overall: * * * 1/2 

Surrounded by hybrid and fuel cell cars of every type and size the stars of the annual Big Apple motorfest remain the muscle cars.

But with its stunning and modern hot-rod design, and only 12 Prowlers believed to be in Australia, it's definitely a car worth exploring.One man who couldn't resist temptation is American car enthusiast Peter Gasiliauskas.After first seeing the glamorous Prowler at a car show in the US, Gasiliauskas was an instant fan but never thought it would really be possible.Years later, he joined some Chrysler Prowler internet sites and started to monitor their value, with a hope of one day buying his own.“One came up for sale on this US website,” he says. “It was owned by a woman (in San Diego), who had won it at a casino, kept it for a year and then decided to sell it. It only had 2000 miles (about 3200km) on it. She didn't drive it much.”After hearing, “Get it. You won't be happy if you don't” from his wife, and sending friends who live in the US to check it out, Gasiliauskas embarked on becoming a Prowler owner.“I transferred the money over and bought it sight unseen,” he says.“When it arrived I sent it up to Queensland to get it converted to right-hand-drive.”While the initial outlay for the Prowler was $US35,000 (about $50,000 at the time), it became much more expensive; more than double the price once factoring in shipping costs and converting it to right-hand-drive, which has to be done for all cars under 30-years-old.Gasiliauskas says he had to borrow money on his house to be able to afford the car, but it's a decision he doesn't regret in the slightest.“It's not the sort of car you like to own and just have sit in the garage,” Gasiliauskas says. “I like to use it every opportunity I get.”He has also accessorised the car with some aftermarket features, such as a hard-top roof instead of the standard fabric.“I think it looks better with the hard top on, it's what makes it look smart,” he says.“But you need two people to take the roof off, it's manual and hard work.”He's also added a rear spoiler and matching trailer, which solves the lack of storage space in the car, especially for weekends away.Today, the trailer alone is worth about $8000, while importing a Prowler and converting it wouldn't leave you much change from $120,000.Hitting the road usually results in a lot of curious eyes trying their hardest to read the badge to find out just what the car really is.Originally badged a Plymouth, the production Prowler was introduced in 1997, based on a previous concept car that debuted at the Detroit motor show in 1993. Despite none being made in 1998, it continued to be produced until 2002, with a name change in 2000 to the Chrysler Prowler.“In total, through all of the years, they only made about 11,000 and the colour I have, candy red, they only ever made 301,” he says.It is powered by 3.5-litre V6 engine with an automatic tiptronic transmission and drives through the rear wheels. Power steering, cruise control, air conditioning and a five-stack CD player are all standard features.“It's a really comfortable car, the kind of car you can sit in and drive for hours,” he says.“It looks small but it's really quite a roomy fit but hard to get in and out of.”Being a fairly new car and having acquired some Prowler repair books from the US, Gasiliauskas hasn't experienced any problems but dreads the day something does go wrong.“No one has the computer equipment to repair it,” he says. “If I do have a problem, I'll have to approach Chrysler and see what they can do.”This isn't the only eye-catching vehicle Gasiliauskas has owned, having been involved on the hot-rod scene for more than 25 years. More than 100 cars have come and gone through his garages. He also currently owns a 1959 Cadillac.But the Prowler is one car Gasiliauskas will be holding on to for a long time to come.“What I do like is the fact that no one knows what it is,” he says. Snapshot 2002 Chrysler Prowler Value when new: about $50,000Value now: about $120,000 with shipping and conversion costsVerdict: Stunning hot-rod with all the benefits of recent technology, while still turning heads. 

The dramatic sedan, and its wagon sibling the Touring, is a money-maker as well as a brand flagship, helping lift the marquee’s awareness in this market.Launched in 2004, the V6 and V8 sedans were soon joined by the Touring and a diesel engine option in mid-2006. The 317kW SRT8 version arrived in late 2006.This is quite a family of premium sedans and wagons with striking style matched with a little muscle.These are not, in the long run, perhaps as sharp in dynamics as Holden's Statesman or the Europeans in this price bracket.Yet the American sedans' and wagons' style and substance make most of that irrelevant.For here is a machine that feels like a car and not just a well-polished collection of steel, plastics, glass and gadgets.Here is a car that feels as if it wants to be driven from here to Cairns and back down to Sydney and around the coast to Melbourne, but skipping Adelaide, then coming back up through the back of New South Wales.The 300C is big and comfortable. It soaks up bad roads with indifference if without quite the ride control a German vehicle may bring to the job.This feel-good character arrives from a number of sources – the distinctive styling, the effortless cruising and the handsome interior.That all this can be done with, among other engine options, a willing and responsive diesel engine returning under 10 litres for 100km is a bonus.The diesel is not slow with a 0 to 100km/h time around 8.6 seconds and a suggested top speed of 230km/h. This compares with around 7 seconds for the 5.7-litre V8 and a 250km/h top speed; the SRT8, according to the factory, runs low five seconds and a top speed of 265km/h.All these – sales figures and performance data – are useful numbers.And so, for season 2008, little has changed in the 300C range.All the sedans now have an integrated rear boot lid spoiler and high-mounted brake light.Inside, there's been a minor refresh with LED lighting added to front cup holders and map pockets, a Boston Acoustics eight-speaker surround-sound system and Chrysler's MyGIG multimedia entertainment system with 20GB hard drive.An iPod interface is added to the hands-free phone system.There are silver inserts for the instruments and more airbags with seat-mounted side airbags up front and side-curtain bags for the rear. Now standard on SRT8 models, optional on others, is adaptive cruise control, which adjusts the set speed to accommodate surrounding traffic.And the 5.7-litre version now offers a fuel-saver-mode display as part of the Electronic Vehicle Information Centre, allowing the driver to see when the V8 has dropped to four-cylinder mode to save fuel. (Chrysler's multi-displacement system allows the engine to turn from V8 to V4 in one stroke of the piston when less than 90 per cent of the engine's torque is required.)Prices for the 300C still start at $53,990 and $59,990 for the 5.7-litre V8. The diesel-powered Chrysler has crept up $400 to $58,390 and the SRT8, now with adaptive cruise and satellite navigation, is up $2000 to $73,990. Touring versions are $3000 extra.And all these Chryslers remain attractive cars at attractive prices.