luxury models such as the Acura TL or BMW 545i at the high end.

Road Test: Full Test


Full Test: 2005 Chrysler 300C
Past and Present Collide

By Edmunds.com Editors
Date posted: 08-26-2004


Have you ever heard a song on the radio and asked yourself, "Is that song old or new?" It's true that much of pop culture has always loved whatever was cool one or two generations ago — the obvious example is intentional remakes of old songs, movies and clothing styles. But in many cases it's hard to tell the new from the old — are those old Levis or new jeans made to look like old Levis? This is the exact feeling we get from the new Chrysler 300. It looks somewhat familiar, perhaps even retro, and yet it's that intangible characteristic that makes it seem so fresh and new.

Those who know their history will remember that even the name of this all-new car is, you guessed it, old. Back in the day, the number 300 in "Chrysler 300" was a reference to the car's horsepower. But it's not just the name that seems familiar. The look, feel and overall behavior of the car also evoke another era while at the same time delivering modern features and quality. Slide behind the leather-trimmed steering wheel and you'll instantly notice that the gauges have a distinctly vintage look. The large round dials feature metallic trim rings, white faces with black numerals and the very font of the numbers communicate an old and classy image. There's also plenty of luxury, but the 300 is what Chrysler calls a premium car. Simply put, that means the 300C is a car that may lack the opulence of a similar-sized Audi or BMW models but offers more luxury than one might associate with other Chrysler products.

The 300, and especially the top-of-the-line 300C, easily outclasses anything else in the Chrysler lineup (drive a Sebring then jump into a 300 and the difference in quality alone will astonish you). The real question is what cars outside of the Chrysler lineup compete with the 300C. If you consider price alone, the car is in odd company at best — consider the V6-powered versions and it gets even more interesting. The traditional competition for a car like the 300C would be cars like the Buick Park Avenue Ultra, Lincoln LS, Pontiac Bonneville GXP and maybe even the Lincoln Town Car. But look closely and the 300C offers a 300-plus-horsepower V8, rear-wheel drive, tons of interior space, cutting-edge exterior styling and a fairly plush interior for about the same price as a loaded VW Passat or Toyota Camry.

Here's the bottom line: no matter how you stack it, the 300C outclasses every other car out there in terms of performance, value, style and the elusive "it" factor. In order to make a fair comparison to the impressive C, you have to consider cars like the BMW 545i, Cadillac STS and the Lexus LS 430 — cars costing as much as $20,000 more. As cheesy as it sounds to suggest the 300C has no equal, it is true in some ways. The previously mentioned vehicles like the Buick Park Avenue and Lincoln LS are quickly dismissed and the others command a price premium that could easily pay for your teenager's first car — and a pretty nice one at that.

So the 300C looks good on paper and as much as we love a great value, the real test is in the driving experience. And here's where that "is it old or new" thing comes in. While thoroughly modern, the 300C has a distinct old-school feel from behind the wheel — and we mean that in a good way. One such throwback is the long hood. It gives the car a real substantive feel. As in older American cars from the '50s, '60s and even the '70s, the driver feels well aware that this is a massive piece of hardware and parking lots should not be taken lightly. Our test car did not include the optional rear parking sensors, but we think they would be money well spent. If you're used to blasting into the parking lot at the local mall around 30 mph and then swinging into a "compact" space with little room to spare, you'll have to rethink your parking philosophy. In addition, the car's short overhangs can make it hard to judge how close you are to another vehicle or, say, a parking garage support post. But as you back out of that space, and swing the front end around, there is this haunting flashback feeling like you're piloting an old Cadillac, or perhaps a '61 Chrysler 300.

On the open road, the car retains the old-world charm, as it is always obvious that there is a lot of car around you. Acceleration is pleasingly of another era as well. Sure, many cars today offer impressive 0-to-60-mph times, but the manner in which you get there isn't always so pleasant. With the 300C, Chrysler has resurrected the quiet confidence of a smooth American V8 that doesn't need to shout, "Here I am." There's no turbo jolt or high-revving variable valve timing to wring out, just a subtle rumble and an urgent thrust. The modern Hemi engine found in this 300C (as well as the Dodge Magnum) uses a cylinder deactivation system to selectively "turn off" certain cylinders when the car is cruising in an effort to improve fuel economy. The operation was invisible to us and we'd be hard-pressed to tell you when or if the system kicked in.

That Hemi V8 is standard on the C. It displaces 5.7 liters and makes 340 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque. The 300C isn't so quick as to elicit a jaw-dropping "wow," but an aggressive squeeze of the accelerator brought out one of those unintentional smiles from several of our editors. The five-speed automatic transmission shifts smoothly and without drama. Every now and then, we'd swear a downshift should have come sooner but the transmission overall is very good and almost invisible. The shift-it-yourself feature is nice, but the car just doesn't lend itself to manual control the way an Audi or BMW might.

Thankfully, the yesteryear references melt away as soon as you pitch the C into a corner. There is a fair amount of body roll when cornering at speed, but it's controlled well enough that we would feel just fine labeling the C as sporty. Unlike American iron of decades past, you won't have to scrape asphalt off the door handles after aggressive cornering. When cruising down the turnpike, the ride is smooth and, as expected, refined. On harder surfaces or freeways with expansion joints, the ride can get a little busy, but we're sure it's that underlying stiffness that gives the car decent handling. It's no Corvette, but the big car does handle well with an almost European flavor — just don't expect BMW sharpness.

Could this be thanks to the German design of its underpinnings? Perhaps, but no matter the origin, we can't argue with the results. The car delivers decent handling, a supple ride and a quiet interior at speed. Brakes are firm and offer excellent feedback, and when the ABS is engaged, it makes little noise. If we have a complaint about the overall driving dynamics of the car, it's that we'd hope for a little more exhaust sound. At idle, there is a bit of V8 burble out back. But once you get into the car, the doors close with a solid "thunk" and very little engine noise (or any kind of noise) makes its way into the cabin. Sure, this is intentional on Chrysler's part so as to maintain the car's premium status, but a little more of a rumble would really reinforce the 300C's authoritative Hemi engine.

As we noted earlier, the interior is a wonderful blending of old and new with retro-looking instruments and completely modern digital displays for trip, climate and audio information. When simply looked upon as a modern car, the 300C offers all the comfort, style and features you'd expect from a near-luxury car. In fact, the 300 probably offers more features than you would expect for the price. The leather is soft, an area Chrysler has overlooked in the past, and the materials have both a high-quality look and feel. We'd love it if the center stack was trimmed with real aluminum or other metal, but we're the first to admit that the metallic-looking plastic is the most convincing substitute we've seen in any car.

The climate control knobs are simple and straightforward with a large round dial for fan speed and another for directing the air. Both temperature control knobs (for driver and passenger) are situated in the same area and are easy to use. The round knobs are trimmed with chrome rings — an upscale touch that contributes to the vintage flair of the car. The navigation system is integrated into the stereo and while it is easy to use, the screen could be bigger. Another slight complaint is that some of the stereo features are handled through the LCD screen used by the navigation system, and the controls can be unintuitive.

Editors also leveled a small complaint against the rear-seat accommodations. We found the front and rear seats to be very comfortable, with the rear seats especially garnering praise for the ample legroom. However, given the car's overall level of luxury, we found the rear seat to be lacking in any features that might extend the luxurious setting beyond the front seats. The Chrysler Pacifica was specifically designed to include the rear-seat passengers in the car's luxury trappings with a rear console, fan speed adjuster and rear-seat warmers controlled via rear mounted switches. By comparison, the rear seat of the 300C is very plain, offering no more than a fold-down armrest with a cupholder.

Admittedly, there is little to dislike about this car. Some may find the styling odd or tacky, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder. And we feel no hesitation in calling this car beautiful inside and out. The arched wheel wells combined with 18-inch chrome wheels give the car a low slung stance that looks both menacing and stylish. The boxy but rounded exterior with very short front and rear overhangs had some on staff recalling old Bentleys, or other British makes like Humber. The body has an almost custom look to it as it appears the top has been chopped and the bumpers removed. To enhance the car's custom look, we think the narrow window openings should get some dark tint, then we would add larger wheels and tires that would effectively tuck the wheels up closer to the car.

The 300C is a great-looking car with the performance and style to back up its looks. Really, the Chrysler 300C does what many product designers and marketers alike wish they could do with regularity — offer a product that effectively captures the nostalgia, heritage and hipness of the past while seamlessly integrating the convenience, value, coolness and safety the modern world has to offer. Whether it's fashion, TV commercials or music, even pioneers will be found rooting around in the past for inspiration. As the Chrysler 300C confirms, it's the addition of a little history that makes the new version that much better. This new Chrysler succeeds on so many levels that it is hard to pinpoint exactly where it all comes together, but it has something to do with the big sedan's capacity to blend past and present, performance and luxury and value and style into one enticing package. The result is a much needed reminder that America can still build some really great automobiles.

DETROIT -- Forget about the Chrysler group building a Chrysler 300 convertible, says Trevor Creed, the company's senior vice president of design.

But do look for a 300 convertible built by American Specialty Cars of Southgate, Mich., at the Detroit auto show in January, Creed says.

A 300 convertible is not in the Chrysler group's product plan because of the engineering changes required to create a four-door convertible, Creed says.

"Four doors and a convertible top don't lead to good, rigid bodies," Creed says.

But Chrysler group engineers are involved with American Specialty Cars as it creates the 300 convertible planned for the auto show, Creed says.

Tim Yost, American Specialty Cars director of marketing and communications, declined comment on whether the company would show a 300 convertible in Detroit. He also declined comment on whether the company will produce a convertible 300 for Chrysler group showrooms.

"ASC is going to be showing vehicles in its own exhibit at the auto show," Yost says. "We have not announced what those vehicles will be."

The Chrysler group product strategy calls for producing vehicle variants to build volume and buzz. For example, next spring the Chrysler group will offer the 300 SRT-8 equipped with a 6.1-liter Hemi V-8 generating 425 hp.

A 300 convertible is not in the Chrysler group's product plan because of the engineering changes required to create a four-door convertible, Creed says.