Chrysler 300C howls

STEVE ROBERTSON * steve@robertsonsphotography.com

Have a need for speed? Chrysler has the answer -- a hemi-powered, retro-style, rear-wheel-drive touring car that has the flash, and dash of a 1950s era luxury cruiser. The new 300C runs as a four-cylinder engine when cruising, but as a 345-horsepower V-8 when pressed hard. It should get 17 mpg/city and 25 mpg/highway.

Chrysler is on a roll. In the 1980s they invented the minivan craze. In 2001 they invented the PT Cruiser craze. Next came the head-turning Crossfire and the Pacifica. Now we have the Chrysler 300C, a new rear-wheel-drive sedan that reminds us of a time when V-8-powered, gas gulping Buicks, Mercurys and Lincolns ruled the road.

And the hype from Mercedes-Benz, the new parent of Chrysler, has been deafening. If you haven't heard about the latest road-eater from the Chrysler folks you must be living in China! Is the 300C really something new, or just a rehash of a bygone era? Can it succeed in a world of pricey gasoline and front-wheel-drive-brainwashed baby boomers? I picked up a handsome, midnight-blue, hemi-powered example with touring suspension last week in order to find out.

What is a hemi? Basically, it's a big V-8 engine with hemispherical combustion chambers that produce 345 horsepower and 390 pound/foot of torque. Hemis aren't new -- Chrysler offered one a half-century ago and reintroduced it recently in their truck line -- but the design is updated for the 300C with multi-displacement technology.

"This really is a high-efficiency engine when you consider its output relative to the displacement," says Burke Brown, chief engineer of the 300. Still, when you consider it has a cast-iron block and aluminum heads with two valves per cylinder activated by pushrods, it doesn't seem very high-tech compared to engines with overhead cams and four valves per cylinder. But "pushrods are a tried-and-true design," Burke says, who had a trick up his sleeve -- MDS.

Multi-displacement systemMDS seamlessly alternates between high-output V-8 power and a smooth, high-fuel-economy 4-cylinder mode. Chrysler says the layout of the pushrod design lends itself to the MDS concept.

"You get a nice big intake valve and the pushrod allows for easy deactivation of the cylinders," according to the engineers. Electronic engine controls deactivate the valve lifters of four of the cylinders according to throttle position and engine load, and it's all seamless. I couldn't tell, while cruising sedately or tromping the accelerator, how many cylinders were hitting.

It felt, and sounded, the same all the time. There are no clues, not even an indicator light, to tell you what's going on under the hood. At a standstill the engine idles so smoothly you can't feel it. But at full throttle the engine howls like a love-starved coyote and your face grins like a power-hungry teenager.

During highway cruising the benefit can be as high as a 20-percent gain in fuel economy. The engine has been tested over the equivalent of 6.5 million miles and is covered by Chrysler's excellent 7-year/70,000 mile limited powertrain warranty. I was surprised to discover the engine also has twin sparkplugs per cylinder -- just like a piston-powered airplane!

And, like an airplane, this vehicle "flies" down the road. It is as quick as it looks. Zero-to-sixty mph comes in just 5.6 seconds, and in the standing-start quarter mile, a 300C will outrun several respectable sports cars such as the Nissan 350 Z and some luxury heavy hitters like the Lexus LS430 and Infiniti Q45. Chrysler says the quarter-mile mark arrives in just 14.1 seconds at 101.1 mph.

I won't tell you how fast you'll be going when the Kokomo, Indiana-built five-speed transmission shifts into fifth gear, because this is a family newspaper, but I assure you it's not a prudent speed. It's the same transmission used in the Mercedes-Benz E-class. In fact, about 20 percent of the 300C's components are sourced from Mercedes parts bins, including the basic multilink rear suspension design. Chrysler thoughtfully provided a state-of-the-art anti-skid system.

This new range of cars starts with an entry-level version featuring a 190-horsepower, 2.7-liter V-6 and 4-speed automatic transmission priced at $23,595. A 3.5-liter V-6 is also offered in a Touring model at $27,395 and a more luxurious Limited model at $29,890.

The flagship 300C that I drove listed at $36,270, but was loaded up with luxury and GPS navigation gear suitable for the starship Enterprise. Chrysler's literature says, "the premium is the product, not the price," and goes on to add "the Chrysler 300 is stunningly affordable ... and will attract domestic and import, midsize and full-size vehicle shoppers who might not have considered any Chrysler premium full-size sedan before."

I checked the sales stats, and Chrysler is right -- the 300C is a sales success. With its distinct and slightly retro styling (my wife says it's "sexy", but she says tractors are, too), the 300C looks the part of a luxury sedan, and rides like one. The superb ride and handling are obtained with a five-link independent rear suspension and a short/long arm setup in front.

Even the V-6 300s come nicely equipped with 17-inch wheels, a power driver seat and a telescoping steering wheel. Higher-line models add stability control, leather upholstery, 18-inch wheels and dual-zone automatic climate control.

Major options include adjustable pedals (which I recommend), self-sealing tires, side curtain airbags, and a power tilt and telescope steering wheel (now that was sexy). There's also a six-speaker Boston Acoustics sound system (with up to a 380-watt amplifier), the first factory-installed system from the noted stereo maker. And, if you want to keep up with all those SUVs on ice-covered roads this winter, the 300 will also be available with all-wheel drive this fall.

Steve Robertson of Robertson's Creative Photography is a car enthusiast and former staff writer/photographer for the Southeast Missourian. Contact him at steve@robertsonsphotography.com.