300C proving a winner for Chrysler in Australia.

Review by Bob Jennings
Sydney Morning Herald

When sales of big cars such as the Commodore and Falcon are shrinking, a new big car is being hailed as a success.

The big, burly American sedan, the Chrysler 300C, which is a cult car in its American home, is proving a winner for Chrysler in Australia.

It has boosted the company's sales to the highest level since it took over direct distribution of its vehicles in 1997 from Astre Automotive.

While the figures don't have Holden and Ford quaking in their boots, in its first month of sales the 300C, with a starting price of $53,990 for the V6 and $59,990 for the V8, has become the biggest seller in the Chrysler and Jeep range.

There were 216 300Cs sold in November, which puts it ahead of the company's next most successful model, the four-wheel-drive Wrangler. The car lifted the company's sales for the month by 44 per cent compared to November last year.

With a total of 754 sales, it was Chrysler-Jeep's best November in eight years and so far this year Chrysler Jeep sales are up 11 per cent with a total of 6824. Sales of the Wrangler are up 76 per cent.

Part of the secret of the rear-wheel-drive 300C is its love it or hate it presence on the road, with a long bonnet, imposing grille, comparatively short boot and big, 18-inch wheels.

After nearly 50 years the 300C model marks the return to Chrysler of a Hemi engine, so named because of the hemispherically shaped combustion chambers.

The concept was adapted by Chrysler Australia back in 1970 when it developed its own impressive in-line six-cylinder engine with hemispherical combustion chambers for the Hemi Pacer, forming the basis of an aggressive motor sports campaign that later included the Charger. Sir Stirling Moss came to Australia to promote the car.

The new Hemi V8 has 250 kilowatts of power and 525Nm of torque, which hustles the 300C sedan from rest to 100kmh in 6.4 seconds. However, the engine's not solely about performance and it has what Chrysler calls a "Multi-Displacement System" (MDS) to improve economy. The MDS turns off the fuel injection in four of the cylinders in the 5.7-litre engine when their power isn't needed, which gives the car 12.1 litres/100 kilometres average fuel consumption.

The 300C is available with a choice of two engines in Australia; in addition to the 5.7-litre Hemi there is a 3.5-litre V6 with 183 kilowatts of power and 340Nm of torque.

The model range will be expanded mid-next year with a wagon version to be called the 300C Touring.

Standard equipment in both the V6 and V8 models includes leather seats with both front seats being electrically adjusted and heated, flush-mounted audio, trip computer controls and vehicle information controls in the steering wheel, dual-zone automatic temperature control air-conditioning with infrared and sun sensors. The driver's seat has a memory system that also controls the mirrors and radio presets.

The sound system is by Boston Acoustics with six speakers. Additionally, the 5.7-litre Hemi V8 gets a six-disc CD player.

Both models have electronic stability control and a traction control system as well as anti-lock braking, multi-stage dual front air bags, front and rear side curtain air bags, rain-sensing windscreen wipers, electronic rear parking assistance and a security alarm.

The 300C has a five-star rating for driver and front passenger protection in a frontal crash, the highest rating in the US Government's safety crash test program, conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).