Chrysler 300C HEMI V8 2006 Review

It was a very long time coming, but late last year, the Chrysler 300C finally arrived in Australia. The car had first been seen here at the Sydney motor show more than two years ago but such has been its monumental success in its home market, that small right-hand drive destinations like ours were not high on the priority list.

The name 300C is not new (the original was a 1957 huge-finned coupe that was never officially sold here) and there has been a definite attempt by Chrysler to cash in on some retro-cred. For Australians, however, the 300C comes in where the last Valiant Regal left off in 1981. For when Mitsubishi took over the Tonsley Park plant in Adelaide in 1980, it buried the Chrysler brand in Australia for nearly 20 years.

Now the 'big' Chrysler is back -- a large, prestige sedan that is directly targeting Ford and Holden. And if its first three months on sale are any indication, it is doing so with considerable success. In November 05 and January 06, it outsold both Statesman and Fairlane, and Chrysler has back orders for the HEMI V8 variant through to May.

Part of the 300C's appeal is its very distinctive looks. With its huge grille, high waistline, long, squared bonnet and big 18-inch wheels, it's an imposing beast.

And under the bonnet lies another imposing beast. Although there is a 3.5-litre V6 on offer, it is the 250kW/525Nm 5.7-litre HEMI V8 that is driving the sales success, so for CarPoint's week behind the wheel, that was our choice of powerplant. 

In a nod to the past, the V8 wears a HEMI badge and although strictly speaking it is not exactly the revolutionary hemispherical design that won Chrysler praise and chequered flags in the 1950s and 1960s, it is the first engine offered in Australia with displacement on demand.

Put simply, at cruising speeds it drops four cylinders to save fuel, while a prod of the right foot, quickly reactivates them for the full V8 thrust.

And thrust is definitely what you get when you plant the right boot. Despite weighing in at 1873kg, the massive low to midrange torque of the V8 is enough to push you into the back of seat as the car lunges forward. Up through the ratios, the changes are silky smooth courtesy of the Benz-derived five-speed auto transmission with the magnificent V8 burble never missing a beat as it climbs towards the redline.

Along with the urgent rush comes a degree of refinement in the engine that is a pleasant surprise. Indeed, whether it is cruising on the open road or tootling about the suburbs, the 300C is supremely quiet with a hush inside the cabin that is more reminiscent of top-line Euro products than something that has been designed for the US.

From the driver's seat, the view across the bonnet is again imposing and with the large steering wheel in hand, it delivers an almost regal feeling that would certainly please those that buy for status.

This is helped by the quiet of the cabin, but the fit and finish and high quality of materials in the 300C are also something that we are not used to seeing in cars from the States.

Equipment levels are good and for a starting price of $59,990 it's power everything including: driver and passenger front heated seats, leather all round, dual-zone climate control and an excellent six-stack Boston Acoustics audio system.

On the safety front, ESP stability control, traction control and antilock brakes make up the major active safety components while the airbag count totals four -- two up front and two curtain bags that cover both front and rear passengers.

The space up front is good, although the seats themselves carry on the Chrysler tradition of being overstuffed and lacking lateral support.

Likewise in the rear, and despite having a longer wheelbase than its two local rivals, the 300C certainly can't match them for rear passenger space. It's a bit of a case of form over function with the low sloping roofline compromising headroom and the cavernous boot intruding when passengers might like a bit more legroom.

There is, however, plenty of comfort to be had from the front end with the superb controlled ride matching the quiet ambience of the cabin. The car feels supremely planted on the road and unlike many American offerings of the past, doesn't exhibit the sort of floaty, soft suspension characteristics of which US customers are traditionally fond.

Everything about the 300C feels solid and taut. The steering -- while light at low speed -- offers good feedback and when pushed into a corner, there is tenacious grip from the big wheel/tyre package.

There is little in the way of body roll but the car doesn't hide its weight well. Where it is good for a push on sweeping country roads in a grand touring style, it does feel a little ill at ease on a really tight winding tarmac.

That said, given its target market the 300C does a superb job and, as mentioned, Australians are voting with their wallets.

This is a big, affordable limo for touring in style and that is best done from the driver's seat. A chauffer's chariot it is not, but for the exec who likes to do their own steering, there is definitely a new boy in town that demands attention.