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.
For a start, thanks to advanced automotive technology, both 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.
Now owned by Italian automobile giant Fiat, Chrysler is aiming to make a bigger dent down under and the new 300 series large sedan was the first product range to burst out of new Melbourne headquarters onto the Australian market a couple of months ago.
The cars come 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.
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 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.
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 . . .
Luxury by name, luxury by nature, expansive seats are aimed at carrying wide-backed corporates comfortably. Like the wide expanse of the American Mid-West, the 300 series brings a breadth of appeal rare in the mid-range luxury car market.
