The all-new 2005 Chrysler 300C’s unique styling and engineering combines classic American design with proven DaimlerChrysler technology. Marking the Chrysler brand’s return to a rear-wheel-drive, V-8 powered automobile for the first time in more than a decade, the Chrysler 300C pays homage to the first letter-series Chrysler 300s, which where popular in the 60s for their performance and prestige.
With an entirely new shape based on the company’s all-new rear-driven architecture, the new 2005 Chrysler 300C features a classic shape. The Chrysler 300C’s interior continues this noble, proud theme of the exterior, with a more upright windshield and seating position for a spacious feel. The seating position has been raised two-and-a-half inches compared to the Chrysler 300M to enhance the command-of-the-road feel and aid in easy ingress and egress. Distinctive materials and textures add a handcrafted touch and upscale feeling to the interior. The interior of the Chrysler 300 is marked by spacious silence. Chrysler engineers have been reducing interior and wind noise with all their new vehicles, so it's not surprising that the flagship sedan should get the treatment. The cockpit design is very clean. The 300C had a satin silver center stack, which was elegantly functional. The 300C steering wheel is a nice four-spoke design with tortoise shell wood trim making a gradual arc along the top. There is a gated shifter for the AutoStick, forward of which is a marginal fast food bin, but the console goes deep, with coin holders and deep cup holders. The leather interior was a subtle two-tone, beige and gray, and the seats were firm but comfortable, although they could use more side bolstering so as not to slide around during hard cornering. The trunk is positively huge, as is interior seating room.
The Chrysler 300C marks the return of the HEMI engine to the Chrysler brand after 50 years. The legendary engine design that powered Chrysler’s letter series cars in the 1950s has been re-engineered and reborn as a modern, high-performance, fuel-efficient and durable powerplant known as the 5.7-liter HEMI V-8. With 340 horsepower and 525 Nm of torque, the Chrysler 300C can go from zero to 60 mph in under 6 seconds. The 2005 Chrysler 300C is the first modern volume production vehicle in North America to feature cylinder deactivation. MDS seamlessly turns off the fuel consumption in four cylinders of the 5.7-liter HEMI engine when V-8 power is not needed, improving fuel economy up to 20 percent.
The ride in the 300C is very smooth and solid without any weakness. And the cornering is good enough that higher-performance tires should be standard. The 300C comes with 225/60R18 tires, but they squeal early and don't do justice to the chassis. The power steering has just the right amount of weight, and provides a secure feeling. The power assist is constant-rate and not speed-sensitive. It feels heavy but not big, and is responsive and confident.
The brakes are excellent, with short stopping distances for such a heavy car. Technologies such as Electronic Stability Program (ESP), All-speed Traction Control and anti-lock brake systems (ABS) have reached new levels of advancement to control rear-wheel-drive cars in ways that are transparent to the driver.
ABS keeps the vehicle straight, while retaining steering capability when braking on slippery surfaces by preventing wheel lock-up. All-speed Traction Control enhances mobility and prevents wheel slip when accelerating on slippery surfaces. It also provides a measure of directional stability control—an advancement beyond prior traction control systems.
ESP enhances driver control and helps maintain directional stability in turns, including uneven surface conditions and patchy snow, ice or gravel. If there’s a discernible difference between what the driver indicates through the steering and the vehicle’s path, ESP applies selective braking and throttle control to put the car back onto the driver’s intended path. The system is calibrated for better control of the vehicle under a variety of conditions and operates in a manner that is not intrusive under normal driving.
The Chrysler 300C is the first high-volume vehicle completely designed and engineered under the Chrysler Development System. The comprehensive, coordinated, product creation process improves quality and speed-to-market, while reducing costs and encouraging innovation in new products. These improvements in quality are demonstrated in the long powertrain warranty.
The V8-powered 300C is aimed squarely at high-earning executives in the Middle East. There is also a weak V6 version offered in the United States, but not in this region. It is obvious the DaimlerChrysler wants to give this vehicle an upmarket image in Arab countries, and has chosen offer the car with only the V8 option, albeit at a fairly high price. However, this price is still lower than the smaller and slower Mercedes-Benz E240 from the same parent company.
