In bringing back the legendary 300C nameplate, Chrysler will be closing the books on its V8-powered luxury sedans with a final 2,000-unit run of the 2023 Chrysler 300C. The model boasts a 485-horsepower 6.4-liter Hemi V8 with 475 lb-ft of torque. The drivetrain, which includes an 8-speed automatic transmission, delivers 0-60 mph acceleration of 4.3 seconds, a quarter-mile time of 12.4 seconds and top speed of 160 mph.
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Performance is further enhanced with four-piston Brembo brakes sporting red calipers, a 3.09 limited slip differential, active damping suspension and an active exhaust system fitted with black rounded tail pipes.
The 300C rides on 20-inch forged alloy wheels shod with all-season performance tires.

Distinguishing features include a tricolor 300C badge on the grille and rear decklid, black chrome accents on the grille, lower front fascia and front and rear lighting bezels. Inside, the black leather front seats feature silver stitching and embossed 300C logos. Other interior enhancements include carbon fiber trim, 19-speaker Harman Kardon premium sound system, heated steering wheel, along with heated and ventilated front seats. Driver assistsinclude advanced brake assist, lane departure warning plus and full speed collision warning.

“We’re celebrating the Chrysler 300 and it’s iconic legacy in the automotive world,” said Chris Feuell, Chrysler brand chief executive officer. “The Chrysler 300 changed the automotive world in so many ways, and we will carry that spirit of ingenuity forward as we transform Chrysler with a fully electrified future and breakthrough customer experiences.”

The original Chrysler 300 was introduced in 1955 with a 300-horsepower Hemi V8 and was the most powerful full-size car in the world. The 300C was introduced in 1957 and its 392-cubic-inch (6.4 liters) cranked out 375 horses. It was followed by the 300D a year later, which set a Bonneville land speed record for a production car at 156.387 mph. The 300E arrived in 1959.

During the 1960s, the letter car series continued with the F through H models from 1960-62, with the K coming in 1964 and L in 1965. Chrysler continued to sell the 300S, which wasn’t a Hemi-powered letter car and a front-drive 300M in 1999.

The 300C was reintroduced as a rear-drive V8-powered full-size sedan in 2005. This final edition will be available in three colors, red, white and black and will sticker at $55,000.

Almost immediately after Stellantis announced the Chrysler 300C would return for just one year with Hemi V8, fans and potential customers rushed to their email and phones in hopes of snagging an allocation. Except, according to Motor Trend, after just twelve hours, there weren't anymore. In literally just half of one day, Chrysler sold out of its 2,200 limited-run 300C Hemi V8s (2,000 for the U.S. and 200 for Canada), which means there's now a waiting list for anyone that still wants one.

It isn't much of a surprise that Chrysler would sell out of the high-powered 300C so quickly. Its classic boxy design still looks pretty good today and it packs a massive 6.4-liter Hemi V8 that makes 485 horsepower and 475 pound-feet. That might not sound like a lot in today's world of thousand-horsepower SUVs, but it's still capable of 0-60 mph in just 4.3 seconds. It's no Hellcat but it certainly ain't slow.

Some fans will still wonder why Chrysler opted to not make a 300C Hellcat. After all, the 300C shares its chassis and most its exterior with the Charger and that comes with a Hellcat engine. So why not the Chrysler 300C? Why is it stuck with a regular, albeit still very good, Hemi engine instead? The answer is simpler that you might imagine, actually. We reached out to Chrysler for a comment on Friday and, as it turns out, there just aren't any Hellcat engines available for it.

There are currently several different cars that use the massive 6.2-liter supercharged Hellcat V8; the Dodge Charger and Challenger Hellcats and even the Durango Hellcat. That means there aren't any engines left over for the aging, limited-run Chrysler. So instead, Chrysler stuffed an off-the-shelf Hemi V8 engine in and created a car that fans still seem to love, hence the quick sellout.

​​​​​​​The Chrysler 300C is dead after the 2023 model year, with no official plans to replace it with a new model anytime soon. Chrysler would like to bring the 300 name back for a future car but it will almost certainly be all-electric at that point, as the brand wants to fully shift toward electrification by 2028. That makes this Hemi V8-powered version the last 300 you'll be able to buy for at least a few more years. If you want one, though, you're going to have to hope someone drops their allocation, as they're already gone.

After many years of service, the Chrysler 300 is finally being retired. Stellantis is reportedly working on an all-electric replacement that will arrive in the coming years, and it seems the American automaker has already previewed the new sedan to a select audience. According to Mopar Insiders, several Chrysler dealers have been treated to an early look.

The electric successor was reportedly shown off at a dealer conference in Las Vegas. Insiders suggest the newcomer will eschew the sinister, slab-sided lines of the 300 in favor of a sleek, fastback body style. The new Chrysler reportedly resembles the silhouette (pictured below) shown during the Stellantis EV Day 2021 presentation.

Participating dealers claim the electric Chrysler sedan is similar in size to the Charger Daytona, Dodge's battery-powered muscle car concept. Moreover, it appears the Chrysler shares the same hatchback design, suggesting the two will share parts and utilize the same STLA Large architecture.

Dodge's first electric vehicle will arrive in 2024, with the Chrysler following two years later. It will be interesting to see whether the 300 nomenclature survives the electric era, but we expect Chrysler will want a fresh start as it enters the world of electrification.

In base forms, the Dodge/Chrysler electric duo will offer power outputs ranging between 201 and 442 horsepower, which should suit the needs of most customers, but the platform can already accommodate up to 1,000 hp for potential range-toppers.

The fastback sedan previewed here may be the last of its kind. In February, Chrysler's Chris Feuell told CarBuzz that the automaker might exit the segment entirely. "A lot of customers have migrated to other segments because of the practical package efficiency of SUVs and crossovers," he said. "We haven't ruled out the possibility of a large sedan, but Dodge already captures over 50% of the sedan market."