American Car World
September 06
September 06
Born to be Wild. (original title, Born to be Good)
Alex Shapiro discovers the best American sedan just got better.
In 2003, the demise of the big, rear wheel-drive, V8, American sedan seemed inevitable. The RWR V8
configuration was being exclusively reserved for SUVs and pickups. The last, tedious bastion of four-
door muscle was the 4.6L Ford Crown Victoria, problem-ridden and designed specifically for police and
old people. Car enthusiasts assumed that the end was near.
Meanwhile, following a landmark acquisition by Daimler-Benz and veiled in secrecy, Chrysler were
working on the car that would save cars.
Since its unveiling in 2004, the Chrysler 300C Hemi has been a runaway success. Over a hundred-
thousand were sold in the U.S. in the first year of production, surpassing the previous model by over
600 per cent. Its design appealed to families and young professionals alike. The Chrysler’s simple lines
and classic shapes signalled an end to rounded car bodies. The 300 looked like something cartoon
bad guys might drive and designers knew that it was time to kill the ‘used soap’ look.
The 300 is now available in infinite combinations of engines and options. An all wheel-drive model is
now available and a new, long wheelbase version was just announced. However, with its five-speed
automatic mated to the 5.7L Hemi, the 300 still lacked the drama that Mopar fans had come to expect
from the legendary engine.
That’s at least part of the reason that, two years after the 300C’s debut, Chrysler is counting on
another badge to add excitement and exclusivity to the model line-up. The SRT8 is the ultimate
reincarnation of the V8 sedan.
With its 6.1L Hemi, the upgraded 300 has been given 425bhp with 420 pound-feet of torque. Even the
conservative, E-class Merc transmission can’t dull the SRT8’s insane performance. The new engine
means your head is pushed into the headrest as 0-60 comes in around five seconds. While gorging on
asphalt is in its blood, the retuned suspension is in its new, German, family and it helps make the SRT8
more than just a boulevard dragster. Fatter anti-sway bars and a lower ride-height, not to mention 20-
inch wheels with low-profile tyres all help the Chrysler take corners and weave through canyon roads
with impressive agility.
Gone are the days of suicide machines like the Roadrunner, with its 425bhp and drum brakes all
around. This Hemi also features four-piston Brembos on all fours and can come to a full stop from sixty
in a confidence-inspiring 110 feet.
Other upgrades to the upmarket SRT8 include sportier seats upfront, with massive side bolsters to
keep you from falling out on corners. A subtle front air dam with larger driving lights and a tiny wing on
the boot are there to inform aficionados what they’re up against. However, the real fun of the new 300
is that no one suspects this chunky executive limo of being a tyre-smoking demon off the light.
By creating the 300c, Daimler Chrysler didn’t just reinvent the American sedan, but they’d raised the
bar for all who follow. No other car on the market can come close to the 300’s design and performance,
let alone doing it for under 24,000. The SRT8 is about three grand more.
With the SRT8, Chrysler reached for the biggest engine that’d fit to one-up themselves in creating the
ultimate, American sedan. Inevitably, it also got some German handling characteristics. The result
might be enough to startle truck-obsessed carmakers back into the car business.
Alex Shapiro discovers the best American sedan just got better.
In 2003, the demise of the big, rear wheel-drive, V8, American sedan seemed inevitable. The RWR V8
configuration was being exclusively reserved for SUVs and pickups. The last, tedious bastion of four-
door muscle was the 4.6L Ford Crown Victoria, problem-ridden and designed specifically for police and
old people. Car enthusiasts assumed that the end was near.
Meanwhile, following a landmark acquisition by Daimler-Benz and veiled in secrecy, Chrysler were
working on the car that would save cars.
Since its unveiling in 2004, the Chrysler 300C Hemi has been a runaway success. Over a hundred-
thousand were sold in the U.S. in the first year of production, surpassing the previous model by over
600 per cent. Its design appealed to families and young professionals alike. The Chrysler’s simple lines
and classic shapes signalled an end to rounded car bodies. The 300 looked like something cartoon
bad guys might drive and designers knew that it was time to kill the ‘used soap’ look.
The 300 is now available in infinite combinations of engines and options. An all wheel-drive model is
now available and a new, long wheelbase version was just announced. However, with its five-speed
automatic mated to the 5.7L Hemi, the 300 still lacked the drama that Mopar fans had come to expect
from the legendary engine.
That’s at least part of the reason that, two years after the 300C’s debut, Chrysler is counting on
another badge to add excitement and exclusivity to the model line-up. The SRT8 is the ultimate
reincarnation of the V8 sedan.
With its 6.1L Hemi, the upgraded 300 has been given 425bhp with 420 pound-feet of torque. Even the
conservative, E-class Merc transmission can’t dull the SRT8’s insane performance. The new engine
means your head is pushed into the headrest as 0-60 comes in around five seconds. While gorging on
asphalt is in its blood, the retuned suspension is in its new, German, family and it helps make the SRT8
more than just a boulevard dragster. Fatter anti-sway bars and a lower ride-height, not to mention 20-
inch wheels with low-profile tyres all help the Chrysler take corners and weave through canyon roads
with impressive agility.
Gone are the days of suicide machines like the Roadrunner, with its 425bhp and drum brakes all
around. This Hemi also features four-piston Brembos on all fours and can come to a full stop from sixty
in a confidence-inspiring 110 feet.
Other upgrades to the upmarket SRT8 include sportier seats upfront, with massive side bolsters to
keep you from falling out on corners. A subtle front air dam with larger driving lights and a tiny wing on
the boot are there to inform aficionados what they’re up against. However, the real fun of the new 300
is that no one suspects this chunky executive limo of being a tyre-smoking demon off the light.
By creating the 300c, Daimler Chrysler didn’t just reinvent the American sedan, but they’d raised the
bar for all who follow. No other car on the market can come close to the 300’s design and performance,
let alone doing it for under 24,000. The SRT8 is about three grand more.
With the SRT8, Chrysler reached for the biggest engine that’d fit to one-up themselves in creating the
ultimate, American sedan. Inevitably, it also got some German handling characteristics. The result
might be enough to startle truck-obsessed carmakers back into the car business.