The award-winning car that continues to make everything else on the road seem ordinary has received minor changes to the rear fascia and tail lamps, with the sedan now sporting a rear deck lid featuring an SRT-inspired integrated spoiler and high-mounted stop light. The dramatic nose and the classic long-bonnet, short-deck styling remain unchanged.
Inside, however, is another story. The interior design of the Chrysler 300C has been enhanced with luxury appointments that include a change to dark slate premium leather upholstery, LED lighting in the front cup holders and front- and rear-door map pockets, along with soft-touch surfaces on arm rests and door panels. Also new are the instrument panel and centre-console design, highlighted with satin silver bezels.
New entertainment and communications options on the Chrysler 300C sedan and Touring wagon include a Boston Acoustics eight-speaker 5.1 Matrix Surround Sound system and MyGIG Multimedia Infotainment System. An iPod® interface is also added to the UConnect® Hands-free Communication System module for seamless connection and playback of MP3 files.
"Most of the changes are subtle, because you don't want to radically alter what is already such a successful formula, so what we have aimed to do is enhance the ownership experience and value," says David Smith General Manager of Chrysler New Zealand.
"The 300C has become a benchmark for Chrysler in terms of its styling, performance and quality of craftsmanship and the new model lifts the bar even higher."
Under that elegant bonnet the 300C continues to offer four power options, but with some minor changes.
The 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine has improved performance and economy thanks to an all-new active, three-plenum intake manifold and ETC, which provides higher power and torque over the entire operating band, offering 183kW @ 6500 and 340Nm @ 3800rpm.
The 5.7-litre V8 HEMI®-powered Chrysler 300C now has a "Fuel Saver Mode" display, included as part of the Electronic Vehicle Information Centre (EVIC), that tells drivers when they are in four-cylinder mode, allowing them to modify their driving habits for improved fuel efficiency.
Chrysler 300C Sedan and Touring are the only vehicles in this segment to offer a Multi-Displacement System (MDS) as standard on a V8 engine. Chrysler's MDS seamlessly turns off the fuel consumption in four cylinders of the 5.7-litre HEMI engine when V8 power is not needed. This provides a world-class combination of outstanding performance, power and competitive fuel economy. MDS improves fuel economy by up to 11%, depending on driving style and vehicle usage.
Also available is the 3.0-litre V6 CRD engine, fitted with Bosch high-pressure fuel injection (1600+ bar), a variable geometry turbocharger, four valves per cylinder with dual overhead camshafts, and Piezo injectors with a 0.1 millisecond response time. Maximum power of 160kW and peak torque of 510Nm from just 1600rpm is unchanged.
Chrysler 300C SRT8
The visual changes have been reserved for the Chrysler 300C SRT8, now featuring an all-new deck lid with an integrated spoiler, new tail lamps and black mesh definitive front grille. Other unique touches to the 300C SRT8's exterior include new body side mouldings, body-colour front and rear bumper inserts, body-colour mirrors and door handles, along with unique SRT badging.
The refreshed Chrysler 300C SRT8 envelopes the driver and passengers in an even richer interior with a dark slate grey palette, revised instrument panel with carbon fibre effect dash inserts and centre console with LED lighting in the cup holders and door-map pockets.
End-user technology figures prominently in the Chrysler 300C SRT8 with new features such as the SRT-exclusive Reconfigurable Display in the cluster providing performance data, Adaptive Cruise Control and a Kicker premium surround-sound system.
Befitting its high-performance character, the Chrysler 300C SRT8 continues to provide power-adjustable front sport seats accented with suede inserts (matched in the rear seats), full instrumentation, automatic temperature-control system with dual-zone controls and infrared temperature sensing, and an EVIC with 128 customer-programmable features.
Powered by a 6.1-litre HEMI V8 engine producing 317kW and 569Nm of torque, the Chrysler 300C SRT8's powertrain represents a higher level of HEMI performance, with over 65 additional kilowatts 27% more than the 5.7-litre HEMI.
Chassis setup for the Chrysler 300C SRT8 is aimed at all-round performance, including SRT-tuned dampers, specially tailored spring rates and suspension bushings, and large-diameter anti-sway bars. Revised front and rear suspension knuckles contribute to a ride height that is lowered 13mm from the 300C. In addition, the Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) has been tuned for the 300C SRT8's Adaptive Cruise Control.
The stopping performance results from a four-wheel, disc-brake system featuring performance callipers developed by Brembo, each equipped with four pistons for even clamping. Up front, the Chrysler 300C SRT8 has 360 x 32mm vented rotors, and 350 x 28mm vented rotors in the rear.
MyGIG
MyGIG is a completely integrated Harman/Kardon touch-screen audio, entertainment and hands-free communication system.
This next-generation radio features a 16.5cm (6.5-inch) Thin Film Transistor Display with a touch-screen panel that can support 65,000 colours, providing a three-dimensional appearance to graphics and animation, as well as multiple font sizes and styles. The MyGIG system allows voice-activated commands and includes many new features for music, sound, movies and personalised picture displays, including:
• A 20-gigabyte hard disc drive that includes Music Juke Box for organising music and pictures
• Universal Serial Bus (USB) port for downloading WMA, MP3 and JPG files onto the hard drive
• Gracenote® database installed on the hard drive to provide song identification, including composer, artist and title
• Playlist creation capability for easy access to files
• Voice memo recording that allows a 3-minute message to be recorded using the microphone integrated into the rear-view mirror
• Radio display screen that can show movies (when vehicle is not in motion)
• UConnect Hands-free Communication System that uses Bluetooth® technology to provide voice-activated wireless communication between the occupants' compatible mobile phones and the vehicle's onboard receiver. The hands-free option promotes safety, freedom, value and flexibility
• Six language function (Dutch, English, French, German, Italian and Spanish).
From a safety viewpoint, all models offer electronic stability programme, featuring ABS anti-lock brakes and traction control, along with six airbags to protect occupants. Chrysler 300C pricing starts from $60,990 and currently all Chrysler dealers are offering a 1/3+ 1/3+1/3 finance deal at a 3.9% interest rate.
