From the July/August 2023 problem of Cars and truck and Driver.
Goodbye excursions are actually gold mines. Nearly every part of the Chrysler 300 C is actually a years old or much more, however before the 300 vanishes completely, parent provider Stellantis is putting everything back out certainly there for one last blast.
The 1998 Chronos program automobile provided our company an extremely early preview, yet a more production-ready idea, badged 300 C, showed up in 2003. When the very first creation went on sale in very early 2004, Ralph Gilles’s designating efforts provided this long, reduced sedan thus a lot visibility that lots of folks likened it to a baby Bentley.
The second generation of the 300 debuted in 2011, with smoothed-over, if less unique, appearances. The 3.6-liter V-6 ended up being the base six-cylinder, with higher trims giving either a 5.7-liter or, in 2012, a 6.4-liter V-8. A moderate facelift came in for the 2015 model year, with new safety tech, better infotainment, and an eight-speed automatic, while the SRT was actually fallen.
And afterwards it sat — until now.
The 6.4-liter returns to the 300 C in a minimal run of merely 2000 units in the United States and 200 in Canada. The model’s V-8 is actually shown various other Mopar functionality nameplates as well as makes 485 horsepower and 475 pound-feet of torque, each of which is delivered rearward by means of an eight-speed automated.
Thrilling Highs: Exhilarating Tail-Happy Shenanigans, Uncompromising Exhaust Symphony – The Grand Finale Befitting the Illustrious 300
The C stands apart from the pack with a certain tricolor logo, 20-inch wheels covered in all-season tires, black exhaust ideas, and a ton of dark-chrome emphases across the body system. Red four-piston Brembo calipers squeeze 14.2-inch front end and 13.8-inch back blades, while a limited-slip back differential with a 3.09 :1 final-drive proportion assists deal with (or confuse) grip out back. Inside are black Laguna natural leather backsides with printed company logos up-front, silver stitching, a weird handful of carbon thread, and also a 19-speaker Harman/Kardon stereo.
The 2 very most character-defining portions of the 300 C are actually the 3.09 :1 buttocks and the all-season tires. Taking care of all that spin is actually undoubtedly excessive to ask of the 245/45 ZR 20 Goodyear Eagle RS-A2 s. Also on dry out sidewalk, mild throttle use delivers a wallop of twist and also wheelspin that the footing command lets fly for a bit prior to shutting it down. The same goes with the security management, which is as overworked as a Dickensian school-age coal miner as well as will merrily permit the tail out for a few seconds at a time.
Unexpected Downsides: Comically Narrow All-Season Tires and Rarity Limited to 2200 Units – A Bittersweet Farewell to an Iconic Era
The 300 C isn’t breaking records, however it still offers plenty of amusement, getting to 60 mph in 4.4 few seconds and crossing the quarter-mile in 12.8 seconds at 114 miles per hour. The all-seasons really did not aid on the skidpad, where our team videotaped a conveniently obtained 0.87 g along with hints of understeer ; some family cars can drive into the 0.90-g selection nowadays.
Chrysler unlocked a number of unique successes along with the 300 C. At wide-open throttle, our experts documented 88 decibels, an absolute rumble that tops the Lamborghini Urus Performante. As well as this long, upset burst is additionally the only car and truck in recent memory that can easily make use of every bit of its 160-mph speedometer.
There is actually no far better means to go out than in a tire-roasting beam of grandeur, and the 2023 Chrysler 300 C does precisely that. This vehicle is a rubber-melting, hard-charging, as well as sharp-barking item of tried-and-true Detroit attitude. As Stellantis embraces its electrical future, the 300 C will definitely stay on our minds for a long, very long time.
What the Hellcat …?
Our experts’ve consistently questioned why Chrysler never went full bat-guano as well as tossed Dodge’s Hellcat turbo charged 6.2-liter V-8 under the 300’s hood. “The Hellcat merely doesn’t fit Chrysler label positioning,” a rep for Chrysler told us. “Chrysler” is not the extreme efficiency company. A refined mixture of energy as well as luxurious is actually the center of the 300’s soul. Luckily, that hasn’t stopped proprietors from making it take place. Considering that the LX platform holds the Challenger, the Charger, as well as the 300, the powertrain components are a simple swap.
