Facelifted Chrysler 300 launched

Chrysler has facelifted its long-lived 300C sedan with a new nose and tail treatments, new technology and a more expensive, abbreviated model line-up.

Following its international debut at Los Angles last November, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Australia this week launched its large sedan with only V6 petrol power in two model grades.

The diesel is not offered in the MY2015 300, FCA citing the lack of sales volume for the 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel powered variant. FCA Australia’s Product Specialist Callum Maynes said that Chrysler has had the 300 in the market since 2006, and “We haven’t seen a huge demand for the 3.0-litre diesel engine.”

Also gone are the entry-level 300 Limited and mid-grade 300S, with the remaining 300C and 300C Luxury both featuring the exterior refresh and increased specifications and an increase in price.

Price is up $2500 for the 300C (now $49,000 plus on-road costs) and $3000 for 300C Luxury ($54,000 plus ORCs).

A revised 300 SRT is now a model unique to Australia — and will follow by September in two variants, the Core and Premium.

The SRT will incorporate the updated features of lower-spec models plus a rumoured increase in the 6.4-litre V8’s power and torque figures from the outgoing model’s 347kW and 631Nm.

Changes outside comprise a larger, more prominent grille housing the Chrysler wing badge and a new front bumper incorporating LED fog lights. At the rear, there’s a new rear bumper with chrome accent and black valance and new LED tail-lights. The new 300 also has new wheel designs in 18-inch and 20-inch sizes.

The 300’s interior revisions centre on a new three-spoke steering wheel, and a rotary gearshift dial, a 7.0-inch instrument cluster display and two new USB charging ports at the back of the centre console. New trims, materials and colours are also used in the 2015 300. DAB Audio is also new in the U-Connect system for the 2015 update.

A new Sport mode in 300C, as part of the new rotary shifter, changes engine and transmission calibration and provides a more responsive accelerator pedal calibration and permanent paddle-shift mode for the eight-speed auto. This improves shift speeds by 37 per cent, according to Chrysler.

The 300C Luxury takes the new rotary shift — with the Sport mode — but also gains a Sport button. The 300C Luxury’s Sport mode enables sport-tuned steering calibration, in addition to the engine and transmission calibration and increased accelerator pedal responsiveness in the 300C’s Sport mode.

Underneath there’s a new electric power steering system and new cast-aluminium axles and axle housing, which Chrysler says improves steering feel and dynamics.

The rest of the underpinnings are still based on the 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class — which is now two generations old.

Technical improvements — available only on upper-spec 300C Luxury — include full-speed forward collision warning-plus and adaptive cruise control-plus with full stop.

The key change here is the full-stop function, previously unavailable on these systems used on the outgoing 300C Luxury. Not available before and also only on 300C Luxury are lane departure warning with lane keep assist. Other safety equipment on the 300C Luxury only is advanced brake assist.

The powertrain is the carry-over 3.6-litre Pentastar petrol V6 that drives through an eight-speed auto to the rear wheels. The 3.6-litre V6 develops 210kW of power and 340Nm of torque and combined fuel consumption is set at 9.4L/100km for the 300C and 9.7L/100km for the 300C Luxury.

Standard equipment for the first time in the now entry-level 300C includes ventilated front and heated rear seats.

Other (carry-over) equipment in the 300C includes adaptive bi-xenon headlights, dual-zone climate control, 8.4-inch touch-screen display, a nine-speaker (plus subwoofer) 506-Watt audio system (and as mentioned above, now incorporating DAB+ digital radio), leather interior, heated, power front seats and reversing camera with front and rear parking sensors.

The 300C Luxury’s new features (aside those shared with 300C) include satin-look platinum chrome highlights for the upper grille, which has a unique black chrome texture. Platinum chrome accents have also been added to the lower front strip, rear bumper accent, door-handles and exterior mirror caps.

Other new features on 300C Luxury includes die-cast paddle shifters and a chrome accent ring on the steering wheel.

Carry-over features that the 300C Luxury gains over the 300C include blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-path detection, rain-sensing windscreen wipers and automatic high-beam headlight control, driver seat, outside rear vision mirror and radio memory and ‘Luxury’ front and rear floor mats.