LexFather

The 300C, maybe the greatest American sedan in 20-30 years. Never has an American sedan caught the WORLD off guard as this car. Even overseas, they love it as it speaks AMERICAN very well. The small, "Gangster" windows (seems everyone thinks they are cool or are wanted by the Feds so cars must have small windows) the huge wheelbase and wheel arches. Then in COMPLETELY un-American fashion, very short over-hangs. To top it off, it is huge. Has anyone driven beside, behind one? Its tall and wide, like a damn SUV. It has PRESENCE and STYLE love or hate. The big egg crate grill that Caddy can't get right and Audi for some reason wants (and VW). POW! In your face!!
Then Chrysler got another part right. A REAL POWERTRAIN!! HEMI!!! 340hp, 0-60 from low 5s to 6 flat according to various magazines. For 35-40k? R U serious. Wait, its probably FWD, Right, Right.
NOPE, RWD. AWD is coming. CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT? Who is this car company?
What do Americans like? Big cars. Do we have any? Nope. What do we buy? SUVs.
What do Americans like? Big engines. Do any cars have them? Nope (not unless you got 50-60k for car). What do they buy? SUVs with V-8s(Expo, Tahoe etc).
The 300C took these IMPORTANT characteristics and blended them together.

HALO. They got that right. People always argue with some companies "who needs bigger engines, who needs more, they don't sell as much as the smaller engine versions". Your right. The point is SOMEONE HAS IT. YOU CAN GET IT.
People love to front. People take badges off. People swap badges. Just the fact a MORE POWERFUL version is available, gets people palms sweaty. Want to see engine/car whoring. Look at Porsche. 70k for a Carerra. 180k for a GT2.
Now the entry-level 300C starts at 24k Amazing with:.
FEATURES

* Advanced Multi Staged Air Bags
* 190 HP 2.7 Liter V6
* 4 wheel Power Disc Brakes
* Remote Keyless Entry with Sentry Key Engine Immobilizer
* Power 8-way driver seat with 60/40 Split Folding Rear Seat
Yes, my lawnmower has more power but considering the Ford 500 only has 200hp, not bad. Of course I see more of these 300Cs than HEMIs but its very, very affordable.
The Halo is the HEMI. The name has class and character. Heritage. Even if it shares nothing with an actual HEMI engine. lol. On top of that we have seen pics of the SRT-8. 420hp, 20inch wheels etc etc. Amazing.

300 Base MSRP : $23,995 *
Touring Base MSRP : $27,895 *
Touring Signature Series Base MSRP : $30,230 *
Limited Base MSRP : $30,715 *
300C Base MSRP : $33,720

Amazing. The interior. Yeah, its not a Lexus. No it’s not Audi. But for the money, for an American car, it is wonderful. Nice gauges, SPACIOUS. Nice seats. Hard plastic. Yes. It is a Chrysler.
Handling, perfectly competent. No one is going to track this car. Maybe some freeway or street races from the stoplight. It is more than adequate.

Did you know HIDs and the adjustable pedals and REAL wood trim is optional?

Funny but IMO, the 300C reminds me of how the Lexus GS series took the world by storm 8 years ago. They share many of the same ideas.

The Lincoln LS was a good car for them when it came out. It was the first RWD American sedan that was a competitor. But it looked Japanese. And the interior was small and Spartan. Now its 50k loaded and not even on the radar screen.
The CTS took another looks approach. Art and Science. More like Crack and Jim Beam. Same small windows and that is all it shares with the 300. Yes it introduced the new Caddy look (and you have to admit Caddys have their own look) but did we WANT them to look like a piece of paper someone crumbled up than re-opened to draw on? Spartan interior. EXCELLENT handling (do we want excellent handling Caddys, i want to move to FL and sip Margaritas in one in 40 years). The CTS-V, 400hp, manual tranny, THIS should be the car everyone is craving. Right? Right?
The STS, 68k loaded. Nuff said. Is it 5/E/GS competition? (too big). Is is LS/7/S competition (too small ,not luxurious enough). IMO, the best-looking Caddy. It offers AWD WITH the V-8 (cough cough Lexus, Infiniti). But nothing on the radar...

Caddy says they want younger buyers in their cars. Well younger buyers LOVE the Escalade. In your face. Quite ugly. Un-needed. Too much. Floaty ride. Huge seats. Exposed screws. Exactly. The perfect Cadillac. The youth are not buying sedans. They buy the sedan version of the Escalade. The 300C. Chrysler has done what SO MANY car makers want to do. Attract the youth. Turn on MTV or read any car magazine......


The 300C has demolished the competition and has taken Chrysler where it hasn't been in 40 years (sorry Viper) In our driveways where we WANT it. Not b/c we got a 5k rebate and it was cheaper.

LexusLuver

It's not really all that large, the new even the old avalon are longer and wider.

ArmyofOne

but the avalon is FWD...and you cant get a fully loaded one for under 30K brand new

i like the Rolls-Royce/Bently look of the 300C. i have driven one. the handling is impressive, it drives like a sports car. and it drifts like a 240SX on steroids! i havent personally drifted one, but i have seen them at the local competitions.

now if only it came in a 5 or 6 speed version...

SecPole14

Yeah, it's hard to criticize this car. I didn't know you could get HIDs and real wood...That's dope. The SRT version is really great too.

EDIT: Oh yeah, very nice write-up Mike.

mooretorque

Daimler-Chrysler is making the "merger of equals" look better every day.............BUT............they are still SERIOUSLY dogged by reliability issues and the memory of too damn many Iaccoca K-cars.

And graceful?????? It's not.

Otoh, Ford and Chevy sure haven't managed to make a large car that anyone even CARES about...........guess I'll just buy another Lex when the urge hits.

retrodrive

I just bought me a regular base model 300. Just need to find some descent 22's. Amazing car for the price. Pics coming soon.

mmarshall

I take it you wanted a Hemi but saw the waiting list was too long and the markups too high?

Just a suggestion: Check out the 'Big rims....big risk" thread in this CAR CHAT column before you plunk down more money on larger aftermarket wheels.

Anyhow...congragulations on your new car. If you want the standard new-car break-in rules.....or don't have them.....PM me and I'll give them to you.

LexusLuver

sorry the old avalon is much smaller than the 300.
but the new model is the same size.

RON430

I drove my friends 300C (which means hemi) and I found the handling to be very decent. Someone else posted that a rented Touring was pretty bad. I thought maybe it was the difference in settings between the 300C and Touring but my feeling is that the Mercedes suspension bits, OK maybe last gen, were pretty good pieces. Engine and drive train were pretty nice as well. Still not sold on the styling but the room inside is right for me. For 35K with 340hp, what a deal. I spent some quality time with a CTS-V at Laguna Seca and it is very impressive but I have to agree, I am a lot more likely to get a 300C than the caddy.

A friend working in the aftermarket business claims that the 300C can be gotten into the 12s with bolt on parts. Not sure I believed it but after reading an article on a new Mustang GT that ran high 13s and spending a week with some bolt ons getting into the mid low 12s, I am impressed, that is seriously quick. Sure wish Lexus motors were as easy (cheap) to mod. Sigh.

And the freshened 7 goes to 4.8l and in the neighborhood of 400hp. I hate to think of going back to bimmer but that might do it. Choice is good.

RJML

I dont like the car (the worst ever fake wood made me laugh when I saw it at an auto show in february) at all but I will say it seems like quite the car and chrysler has a nice hit on their hands there.

I'd never buy one not because it is american or anything...just because I flat out think the car is ugly both inside and out and no amount of engine power will change my opinion.

All the power to those who like the car.

Neo

iTrader: (3)

In 98, when we were looking at cars, it was actually between 2 cars: the 300M and the GS300. Although more expensive, the GS was the better choice at the time. If I had to buy another car today, the 300C would again be one of my choices and this time around, the choice is not as clear. The 300C is a very viable choice and that is saying a lot since I am not a big American car fan.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

In don't like the interior. I don't like the humongous egg crate grill. But hey, I do like the body design - it's pretty bold and stylish and looks awesome with big rims and that 'mesh' style grill.

But if it's so hot, I wonder why Chrysler is STILL offering incentives to sell it right now. ...

RON430

Don't know about incentives but I can forgive a bit for 35K getting 340hp and AWD. At least if that AWD is important to you. Not bad value when you consider the euro and Japanese alternatives are probably the better part of 20K more.

retrodrive

To tell you the truth I just wanted a cheap daily driver and base model was going for $26k out of the door. I definetely agree with suspension comment. As soon as I drove the car I noticed that it feels like last gen e-class in handling.

As for large wheels, I am not too worried, that car is just for cruising. I am trying to get perfect DMV record right now

BrickHead

"Big power + Crude design" comes to mind when I see this car. Not impressed with the details inside and out. In addition, I don't have much faith in how well its reliability will fare over the years.