The New Hotness
Introducing the 2011 Chrysler 300C
Introducing the 2011 Chrysler 300C
By Mark
Cabilangan
ON YOUR MARK
Asian Dragon
Magazine
January-February
2012 Issue
On our maiden piece for this column in 2007, On
Your Mark featured the 2007 Chrysler 300C.
This writer had just bought one back then, and like a giddy schoolboy
with a crush, I gushed about my reasons for getting one.
Four years later, I am still in love with it. It is far from the fastest ride, and it is not the easiest drive, nor is it the thriftiest with the petrol, but as John Keats said, “A thing of beauty is a joy forever.” The 300C is just that – an object worthy of poetry. A retro-styled, future classic, that has aged gracefully. To this day, this big, old-school macho car still has universal appeal, as it elicits gasps and smiles from those that see it.
Four years later, I am still in love with it. It is far from the fastest ride, and it is not the easiest drive, nor is it the thriftiest with the petrol, but as John Keats said, “A thing of beauty is a joy forever.” The 300C is just that – an object worthy of poetry. A retro-styled, future classic, that has aged gracefully. To this day, this big, old-school macho car still has universal appeal, as it elicits gasps and smiles from those that see it.
Ralph Gilles made his career when he penned the 300
series in 2005. Today, he is the
President and CEO of the SRT Brand and Senior Vice President of Design at Chrysler Group LLC. With
this one standout car that inspired a cult following all over the world, the
300C was a huge success. No wonder then
that Gilles stuck with the iconic shape with this latest generation 300C,
hoping that history will repeat itself.
However, since its launch, this updated version has
instead divided the critics. Some say it
looks too similar to the old one, while others complain that it has lost its
mojo.
In my opinion, the new 300C is like that O.G.
(original gangster) who went straight. Oh, in a lot of ways, it is still “street.” It just became more Wall Street. It still takes cues from the European cars, but
the new 300C is now a little more Audi, and a tad less Bentley. This
is the immediate impression I got when CATS Motors, the local distributor of
Chrysler, presented me with the 2011 300C for review.
The basic silhouette has remained the same, and that I like. The famous grille has been tamed, reduced in size and bedecked with horizontal lines that remind me of the Audi A8. The headlamps have shrunk and are now lined with LED’s. Just to show that it is still hip though, Dub-style 20-inch rims have replaced the old 18’s. The “old-school” theme continues too, in the form of 1950’s style protruding tailwings along the trunk. Over all, the changes have been subtle but the car does bring some new game.
Inside the new 300C though, is a world of
difference. The biggest complaint I had
about my 2007 model was that the insides were painfully plain, plastic-ridden
and Spartan. This new one is loaded with
more toys than Santa’s sleigh!
The sunroof is gone, but in its stead comes a start-stop ignition button, an 8.4 inch touchscreen display, the Uconnect voice command system that we loved in the Jeep Grand Cherokee, smart electronic climate control, Bluetooth, iPod connectivity, a USB and auxiliary jack.
The sunroof is gone, but in its stead comes a start-stop ignition button, an 8.4 inch touchscreen display, the Uconnect voice command system that we loved in the Jeep Grand Cherokee, smart electronic climate control, Bluetooth, iPod connectivity, a USB and auxiliary jack.
The dashboard layout with the rounded squares look
a little suburban, but the textured black urethane surfaces, gray ceilings and
floors, combined with the ebony leather seats are all huge improvements. A rear
power sunshade has been also added to the backseat. The
sound system, although no longer provided by Boston Acoustics as before, is now
catered by Alpine with nine amplified speakers and a subwoofer.
Chrysler has also made the interior illumination a
lot classier. Inconspicuous, elegantly positioned lights glow
from the door handles, ceiling and armrests, and this is a stark contrast to
the cheesy Indiglo backlight in my old one.
The new 300C also comes preloaded with so many safety
features and airbags, you would think it was a Volvo. The
Parksense rear camera-equipped parking assist system and sensors came in handy
while parallel parking. New technologies
like forward collision warning, side mirrors that light up when cars come from
behind, and a blind-spot detection system are not usually things you will see
this car segment.
For the gearhead, the most notable enhancement must
be the new 3.6 liter Pentastar V6, which has 292 horsepower per 6,350 rpm, orr
a huge upgrade of 42 horses from the old 3.5 V6 powerplant in my car. It certainly felt perkier, and better fitted
to power this big-bodied behemoth. The
353 Nm of torque makes quick work of moving the car from standstill, and this
is a step up from its predecessor which I always found quite slow at pushing
off. The Pentastar is more discreet with the petrol too, accomplishing about 5
city kilometers to the liter against only 3.5 in mine. It is disappointing though that new
technology had not reached the transmission, as it remains the same 5-speed
gearbox in my 2007 model. A six or
seven speed version with paddle shifters would have been preferred.
While better fuel economy and more power are always
welcome features, another nice treat is the handling. The
steering has become a lot easier and more comfortable, the boat-like feel is
gone, and there is no more delay between wheel-turn and execution. It still feels like you are driving a big car,
but somehow you do not mind as much. The
wood and leather-bound steering wheel itself plays a part in the sense of
control, as it is thicker on top, and slender at the bottom. Surprisingly, this simple tactile, ergonomic solution
made for a more satisfying driving experience.
The 2011 Chrysler 300C has all the things I wish I
had in my old car. In fact, for the bigger
engine, safety technology and flurry of new features, the asking price of
P2.85M for the V6 version seems almost cheap.
It makes the temptation to trade in my old jalopy all the more harder to
fight. While I was very satisfied with
the new V6, purists out there would be interested to know that the 300C is
available in a 363 horsepower flavor, armed with a 5.7 liter 8-cylinder HEMI monster,
at P3.45M.
This writer has always held the position that
American cars should occupy that niche segment between Japanese and European
cars. For that car buyer who has graduated from a
Camry or Accord, but is not yet ready to pull the trigger on a Benz E-Class or
BMW 5-series, the 2011 Chrysler 300C is waiting for you, parked right at the
intersection of “right price” and “premium features.”
