The traditional gauges were a welcome sight, but blue on black isn’t the easier to read.
If the gauges were blue on black, did the climate control have a cold on ice setting?
Chrysler’s current lineup consists of two (2) vehicles: the new Pacifica minivan (available with gas or hybrid power) and the 300 sedan, which is pretty much a carryover from the brand’s DaimlerChrysler days.
I just checked the brand’s sales report for this past May: Down 18 percent compared to the same month a year go.
More less-than-stellar news: Yesterday’s rumors that the Chrysler nameplate is going away, with an announcement expected today–and that’s “today” as in Friday, June 1, 2018.
If it’s the end of Chrysler, our final drive with the brand pretty much sums up their traditional heyday: a Hemi-powered 300S sedan. Ours was covered in Ceramic Grey and fairly loaded.
The 300 line starts at $28,995, with the upmarket 300S beginning at $35,795. The Hemi added $3000 to the bottom line. And the performance suspension, Beats sound system, Premium Group and high-performance tires boosted the final number to $48,065.
When I got the word that the 300 was headed our way, I was a bit surprised: They still make the 300?
Yep, looks like they do.
It’s just as I remembered it. Big. Room for the entire fam. Classic styling. V8 power. If looking for a traditional, rear-drive sedan bearing an American nameplate, this is one of the few left.
And, also, a slightly dated interior punctuated with some hard plastic. Ah, yes, it’s the 2000s all over again. The traditional gauges were a welcome sight, but blue on black isn’t the easier to read. With gas prices back up around $3/gallon, fuel economy in the teens wasn’t a welcomed throwback.
I did love the color, though. All cars should be offered in that Ceramic Grey. And the wheels looked perfect. Did these come from Tire Rack?
One small thing that’s hard to overlook: the price. Nearly $50,000 for a Chrysler sedan seems a bit, well, a bit pricy. For a few bucks more I can get a new BMW 5 Series.
But I’ll end this on a happy note: I just saw that the Chrysler name has been saved from the chopping block. Hopefully this ship can be righted.
The traditional gauges were a welcome sight, but blue on black isn’t the easier to read.
If the gauges were blue on black, did the climate control have a cold on ice setting?
The idea of a 300, or 300 sized car, has grown on me as of late. I must be getting old.
At $50k that's a tough spot to be in because the 300 has been neglected for quite some time while its rivals moved on. Even in the high spec trim it would be hard to say it's a better place to be than an entry level 5 series, TLX, Q70, XTS, or Continental.
It probably makes more sense in the $35k area as it's primary competition is the Avalon, Lacrosse, Impala, Maxima, and Cadenza.
Not sure I'd buy one over an Avalon, especially since the Avalon has a hybrid version at the $36k mark, but the 300 is a nice car in that price range.
I am no fan of mopar. But DAMN! That 300 looks good. It really accentuates how bad the Charger looks too, given that it is basically the same thing.
It does look good. Totally looks mean. And with that color and those wheels.
But is it worth $48k?
David S. Wallens said:It does look good. Totally looks mean. And with that color and those wheels.
But is it worth $48k?
Agreed it looks amazing. No it’s not worth $48k. But they depreciate like rocks on fire.
I remember back in I think 2005 or so, driving a 300 based SRT8 around Barber, and it wasn't that bad. It had great brakes, good grip and plenty of power. I also had the AC on the entire time and was lapping in luxury. It's a shame they haven't spent much money to keep it fresh and updated, but I did enjoy the experience.
The gray does look good, but that is a lot of money for a 300.
They have always been a little ridiculous, but I dig them. Anyone who pays nearly $50k for a new one is a fool, though.
I hadn't heard the Chrysler brand might go away. If Dodge is being minimized down to enthusiast vehicles (aging and losing sales), Fiat isn't terribly viable in North America, they are left with jeep and Ram (if that can be considered a brand).
Initially the 300 wasn't very reliable, I wonder if it's improved any after 13-14 years on the market...
It's a shame they haven't spent much money to keep it fresh and updated, but I did enjoy the experience.
Well, these days being what they are, they updated infotainment and upped horsepower. Top spec SRT LX cars went from ~420 to ~810 hp. Welcome to peak 'Murika. What lies on the downslope? Probably not steering wheels, so maybe it's best to go out on this note.
Had one as a rental and loved it. It was just the 6 cylinder, so I’d like to try the v8.
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