Chrysler 300C 2008 News

 It was a time when bigger was better, when automotive prestige was measured by the metre.Many Australians in the 1940s aspired to own an American car of the sort being built and sold by Holden and Ford. But by the time Chrysler released the 300C in 2005, there had been a seismic shift in the market and US cars were regarded as gas guzzlers that were poorly built and less refined than European or Japanese rivals.But the 300C had a number of things going for it that would help it find its niche; US cars still had a following here, it was built and backed by DaimlerChrysler and it was distinctively styled.Model watch The 300C was a surprise hit. With its big, bold chrome grille, tall slab sides and chopped roofline it caught the imagination of a section of the local motoring public.Spend time in a 300C and it quickly became evident it was a head-turner. People might not necessarily have known what it was, but they sure took notice of it.Chrysler was aiming to steal a slice of the big-car market from the Fairlane LTD and Statesman Caprice, and it succeeded.Under the bonnet was either a 183kW 3.5-litre, single-overhead-camshaft V6 or a 250kW 5.7-litre Hemi V8 that had cylinder deactivation to save on fuel bills.Chrysler claimed cylinder deactivation — it was called MDS — was good for 10 to 20 per cent savings.The V6 was given a four-speed auto; the V8 a five-speed auto with a slapstick manual change.On the road, the 300C was surprisingly un-American. Instead of the expected sloppiness, it steered with precision and feel, braked confidently and the handling was well balanced and reassuring.Not such a surprise was the 300C's ride, which was comfortable and absorbent with good isolation and little noise intrusion, even on its 18-inch wheels and tyres.Standard gear included climate-controlled airconditioning, cruise control, fog lamps, CD stacker, remote central locking, full electrics and full leather trim.On the lotFor a V6 pay $36,000-$40,000 for a 2005-2006 model; add $5000-$6000 for a Hemi V8. Though style is an attraction for 300C buyers, the allure of the Hemi V8 probably makes it a better resale proposition than the V6.In the shopIt's early days in the life of the 300C, but owners report few problems so far. Nothing significant has come to light; the issues reported are minor and have been addressed by Chrysler.The softish ride can result in damage to the under body and suspension if driven too fast over speed humps, so make note of any noise coming from the suspension.Replacing low-profile tyres fitted to large diameter aftermarket alloy wheels can be expensive, so check the price of the tyres before deciding on a car with big wheels.In a crunchMass is a great protector when it comes to a crash, and the 300C is well endowed in that area. It weighs more than 1800kg.Being a large car, the 300C is not as agile as a smaller one, but its chassis is well balanced and electronic stability control helps out. The anti-skid brakes are powerful and its steering lets the driver know what's going on, so it has a powerful primary safety package.Airbags all round complete a modern safety arsenal that will provide good occupant protection.At the pump A heavy car with a big V8 isn't a recipe for low fuel consumption, so be prepared for a shock.The cylinder deactivation system on the Hemi V8 is a mitigating factor in its favour, but the 5.7-litre V8 will still be thirsty.Expect 15 litres for 100km around town and 12 litres on the highway for both V6 and V8 models.Owner's viewsShane Hann was one of the first to place an order when Chrysler imported the cars in 2005. Back then these cars were relatively unknown, and the number of looks and comments were astounding. He has done a few modifications; changing the exhaust so the Hemi can really sing, fitting 22-inch rims and dropping the ride height 35mm.Paul Carton is still grinning after two years and 30,000km at the wheel of a 300C. He says it's big and comfortable, but oozes power, and he loves driving it. He gets less than 15 litres/100km commuting and about 11 on the highway run.The bottom line Striking looks turn heads, but the beauty of the 300C is more than skin deep. 79/100 All angles Look for Head-turning stylingHemi V8 performanceReasonable fuel economy for a heavy V8 carComfortable rideReassuring handlingRivalsHolden Statesman/Caprice (2004-2006) $30,000-$50,000Ford Fairlane/LTD (2005-2006) $38,000-$49,000Jaguar XJ8 (1997-2001) $20,000-$51,000  

The Dodge Challenger SRT8 will be unveiled as a production car at the Chicago motor show in February, with a full arsenal of Camaro-busting weapons. It will be in US showrooms by June, giving it a 12-month advantage over the Camaro, which is into final prototype testing by GM Holden engineers in Melbourne.“We are a year ahead,” Chrysler chief designer Trevor Creed says. The British-born stylist has led the design-driven success of a range of Chrysler cars and he has high hopes for the Challenger. It was first shown nearly two years ago as a concept car at the Detroit motor show and will be production-ready on February 6. Challenger order books opened on December 3 and 4300 cars were sold that day.Chrysler plans to sell 120,000 cars over the life of the Challenger program, starting with the hot-rod SRT8 automatic. “It's 120,000 over the lifespan of four years,” Creed says.“The first 4000 or so are the SRT8s, and we are building a batch of SRT8s that will have a 6.1-litre V8. And then our next batch is regular Challenger and Challenger RT, which is 3.5-litre V6 and 5.7-litre Hemi. The next year is a regular build of those again, plus SRT8 with a six-speed manual transmission.”Creed says the Challenger has been built from the same mechanical package as the top-selling 300C sedan, but there are no plans for a right-hand-drive model for Australia.“Challenger is a short-wheelbase version of the 300C. It's the same front, the same rear, shorter in the middle by four inches with a new body style on,” he says.The Challenger is coming as US baby boomers snap up retro-style muscle cars, led by the Ford Mustang.

Chrysler will axe four models next year in a global cost-cutting plan.The vehicles to go include the Chrysler PT Cruiser convertible, Chrysler Crossfire sportscar, Chrysler Pacifica SUV and the Dodge Magnum (a wagon version of the 300C sedan).Australia only imports the PT Cruiser convertible and Crossfire.DaimlerChrysler Australia/Pacific PR manager Jerry Stamoulis emphasised that the PT Cruiser sedan would remain and that the cabrio was “only low volume; about 10 a month”.However, he admitted the loss of the Crossfire would be a blow.“Crossfire is the biggest blow for us because it's a very attractive car, drives well and had a positive response from media and public,” he said. “But as yet we have received no date as such for these to be cut.”While cutting its cloth to fit a suspected worsening in the US economic climate, Chrysler will next year add four models.There will be two new Dodges — the Journey minivan and Challenger large-medium sedan — plus two new hybrid SUV models — the Chrysler Aspen and Dodge Durango.Stamoulis said the Challenger was in left-hand drive only.“So that is not a plan at all at this stage,” he said.“It is early days for discussing the hybrids. They are developing the hybrids for the US, but there are no specific dates for us as yet.“The Dodge Journey we are working on bringing to Australia in 2008, but they have not officially said whether it will be released here.“At this stage it is looking likely for later in 2008.”Stamoulis said Chrysler's Australian portfolio would not suffer from the loss of two models.“It's not as if we don't have a decent portfolio,” he said.“We've had five new models this year — the Sebring, Avenger, Compass, Patriot and Nitro — and the sixth will be Sebring Cabrio in December, so essentially we've brought in six new cars this year and are losing two in the next 18 months.”Chrysler Australia will also re-introduce the new Voyager and launch the Jeep Cherokee in February.Global Chrysler chairman and CEO Robert Nardelli said the impending model cuts reflected an expected reduction in sales next year.The new round of cutbacks follows an earlier announcement that Chrysler planned to chop 85,000 units from its fourth-quarter production plans.“These actions reflect our new customer-driven philosophy and allow us to focus our resources on new, more profitable and appealing products,” he said.The cuts will lead to a loss of 12,000 jobs in American factories.Nardelli said their plans were in addition to cutting 13,000 jobs by the three-year Recovery and Transformation Plan announced in February.

The big, bold car grille is emerging as the styling feature of cars to come.

Now an appropriately styled limited-edition version of the Chrysler 300C 'E490' show car will be in showrooms by the end of the year. Chrysler Group Australia-Pacific, managing director Gerry Jenkins, expects a more modest version of the E490 concept to slip into the range below the 6.1-litre SRT8. The car will be built in-house at the same factory that builds the 300C in Graz, Austria. CARSguide understands one of the biggest stumbling blocks to its development has been the car's rorty exhaust note, which does not meet drive-by noise regulations. However, Jenkins reckons noise is not the issue, saying the company was trying to figure out the car's marketing and positioning in the line-up. Despite this, DaimlerChrysler is pushing ahead with plans for the E490, as well as increasing the accessories available through Chrysler's Mopar performance division. "Certainly there is customer interest in the 6.1-litre HEMI SRT8," Jenkins says. But Jenkins reckons all 300C owners should have the option of personalising their cars. "At the bottom end there is a customer who wants the utility and functionality of the 300C, and somewhere in-between there is a customer who wants the base vehicle but wants to dress it up and personalise it," he says. Jenkins says that personalised 300C sedans and wagons could eventually account for 15 per cent of overall sales of the car. Buyers of the 300C spend about $12,000 dressing up their cars. "A lot of our buyers are already taking their cars to the local car shop and dressing them up," he says. Now Jenkins wants a slice of the action — and the 300C is not the only car in his sights. He says there is huge scope for customised Jeeps and Dodges. He is looking at German company Startech, which sells a range of high-end cosmetic enhancements for the three brands. "They do a little bit of tuning but we're more interested in the cosmetics," Jenkins says. The E490 got its name because of its power rating — 490 horsepower — in pre-metric terms, which equates to 365kW, 48kW more than the standard SRT8. After the jet-black car appeared at the Melbourne Motor Show in March, Chrysler dealers were inundated by interested buyers. The company took a $74,990 SRT8 Touring and added a huge cold-air intake system and modified exhaust. A $6380 Alpine audio system was added, along with XPH 20-inch Cruise alloys, dark window tinting and E490 badging.