The Chrysler 300C - For Sale and Up For Grabs in Australia
January 2011
The Chrysler 300C is a full-size luxury-type sedan that made its debut as a concept car at the 2003 New York Auto Show. The brainchild of Ralph Gilles, the new Chrysler 300C was manufactured as a stately sedan while the Chrysler SRT-8 model was engineered to represent the high performance version. The Chrysler 300C is sold in Australia as the first full-size Chrysler car marketed in the country since the Valiant hit the automotive tar pits in1981.
The top-line Chrysler 300C for sale in Australia is powered by a 5.7 litre Hemi V8 engine which employs the Multidisplacement System (MDS). This powerplant can operate on four cylinders when less power is required to lower total fuel consumption. When all 8 cylinders are running, the 300C is capable of 250 kW (340 hp) at 5000 rpm and 530 Nm of torque at 4000 rpm. The power is directed to the rear wheels through a five-speed automatic gearbox with sequential manual mode. The Chrysler 300C is one hefty car, tipping the scale at 1835 kgs, but it still manages to sprint from zero to 100 km/h in just 6.8 seconds.
The talking point of the Chrysler 300C is the stunning exterior with its short tail, long bonnet, small glasshouse and high waist. The latest revisions brought only minor changes, including new taillights and a bootlid with an integrated spoiler and a high-mounted stoplight. The dramatic look continues at the front with huge chrome-trimmed grille, dual headlights and low fog lamps. Chrysler 300C rides on 8-inch alloy wheels shod in Pirelli tyres. The interior of the Chrysler 300C got some notable upgrades too, such as LED lighting, extra soft touch surfaces, heated and eight-way power adjustable front seats, four-spoke tortoise shell/leather steering wheel and a 60/40 split-fold rear seat. The audio was also revised to a Boston Acoustics/MyGIG 5.1 Matrix Surround Sound System with eight speakers and a 368-watt digital amplifier. The centre console is now finished in satin silver and houses the infotainment system and the controls for the climate control air-conditioning.
Going up a notch to the Chrysler 300C SRT-8, you’ll get 6.1 litres of pure Mopar Hemi power under the hood. Mated to a sleek Mercedes W5A580 5-speed auto transmission, the engine cranks out 317kW and 569Nm of torque, enabling it to accelerate from zero to 100 kp/h in 5.2 seconds. The exterior is stylish with the addition of a front lip spoiler, dual exhaust pipes and massive 20-inch Alcoa forged alloy wheels boasting of red-painted Brembo brake calipers and wrapped with 245/45 ZR20 high performance rubber . The interior is equally suave and cozy, with large indiglo-style gauges, SRT-specific sport bucket seats, and faux suede swathed centre. The front and rear seats, the backrest portions and the main seat-bottom are finished in Alcantara. The controls are ergonomically placed and all five occupants have plenty of stretch-out room.
With the Chrysler 300C SRT-8 for sale at $69,990 (drive away), you’re definitely getting your money’s worth, especially when you consider the fact that you are also getting media centre with HDD and SIRIUS satellite radio with steering wheel-mounted controls, dual zone automatic climate control, rear parking sensors, keyless entry/starting, rain sensing wipers, and power tilt/telescoping steering wheel with memory.