Chrysler’s full-size sedan, the 300, started production back in 2005 after appearing as a concept at the 2003 New York Auto Show. Available in five different variants (LX, Touring, Limited, 300C, and SRT8), the Chrysler 300 can be a steady family car or a more powerful people pusher.
At the bottom of the engine lineup is the tamer 2.7L V6 engine with only 178hp and 190 lb-ft of torque, as well as the second V6 option with a larger 3.5L displacement that produces 250hp and 250 lb-ft of torque. Picking up the pace is the 5.7L V8 engine that’s provides 360hp and 389+ lb-ft of torque, but the bad boy of the group – belonging to the SRT8 – is the 6.1L V8 pushing out 425hp and 420 lb-ft of torque. All engines are mated to either a 4- or 5-speed automatic transmission.
The last and arguably most impressive program Chrysler and Mopar built to celebrate the latter’s 75th anniversary is the Mopar 300, a comprehensive tuning program built for the Chrysler 300.
As a special edition model, the Mopar 300 is distinguished by a slew of aerodynamic and aesthetic modifications, including a new black chrome grille, tinted headlights, blue decal body stripes with matching special badging, and a new set of 20" wheels wrapped in Goodyear Eagle F1 tires. Meanwhile, interior modifications done on the Mopar 300 include perforated Katzkin leather seats, a thick-rimmed steering wheel with die-cast paddle shifters, carbon fiber trim, piano black accents, a new gear knob, an Alpine audio system, and a Uconnect Touch infotainment system.
Performance modifications include a sport-tuned suspension system, high-performance brakes, and revised gearing, improving the acceleration capabilities of the 300’s 363-horsepower 5.7-liter V8 engine from six seconds down to around five seconds.
Anybody looking to score a piece of this special edition, Mopar-tuned Chrysler 300 will get a chance to do so this summer when the car becomes available at a price of $49,700.
When it comes to luxury sedans, Chrysler is the last manufacturer that comes to mind. However, that may change now that the company has announced the special edition 300 Luxury Series - the most luxurious and fuel-efficient Chrysler sedan ever. The new model will go on sale in the first-quarter of 2012 at a starting price of $40,145 for the 300 version and $42,895 for the 300C version.
Since luxury is the key ingredient for this special edition, it comes equipped with ultra-premium leather, hand-sanded matte wood, and world-class craftsmanship and refinement. But what makes this car really special is its paddle shifting eight-speed transmission that can only be found in vehicles twice the price of the 300.
The special transmission is coupled with a 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine that delivers a total of 292 HP in the 300 and a 5.7-liter HEMI V8 engine producing 363 HP in the 300C. Both models can be combined with an optional AWD system.
Hit the jump to read more about the Chrysler 300 Luxury Series.
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If you thought gearboxes fitted with seven-speeds had a few too many, hold on to your hats: starting this fall, 2012 300s and Dodge Chargers equipped with the 3.6-liter Pentastar VVT V6 engine will now have no less than 8 gears to choose from. Thank the heavens it’s an automatic.
The new transmission, dubbed the 845RE, is manufactured by German specialists ZF. ZF is known to do hi-tech transmissions for a variety of Audi, BMW, Bentley, Range Rover, and Rolls Royce models. Though the transmission will be initially supplied by ZF, Chrysler says that they will take over development of the eight-speed rower in their Kokomo, Indiana transmission plant sometime in the future.
The slick new transmission is slated to replace most of the five-speeds - which is an older version of a Mercedes-Benz designed transmission - in Chrysler’s lineup including V8s.
There are several reasons to move to an automatic eight-speed transmission, primarily fuel economy. Being able to keep the revs lower for a longer period of time will result in better - around 15% better - combined highway and city driving.
The 845RE is a fully electronic transmission that includes software featuring adaptive shifting characteristics depending on variables such as engine torque gradients, kick down, longitudinal and lateral acceleration, hill detection, friction detection, and downshift detection.
Chrysler hasn’t said much about performance upgrades that are in line with the new transmission, but we suspect that the new eight-speed will also keep you within torque band longer if you so choose to floor it. Of course, if the new transmission makes it to the V8 Chargers, we don’t have to convince you to floor it.
Expect good things from Chrysler in 2012, beginning with the first appearance of the Fiat-sourced Dodge Caliber replacement at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show. To be built on a stretched version of Fiat’s high-volume compact platform, the new Dodge Caliber (or whatever the replacement will be called) will likely be the first in a series of new compacts from Dodge, Chrysler, and Jeep. The Fiat platform is so versatile that it can be used for anything from compacts through mid-size vehicles, making it the ideal choice for a cost-conscious manufacturer like Chrysler.
Since Chrysler hasn’t focused on hybrids, electrics, or compact, fuel-saving engines to date, the automaker will have some catching up to do. Rumors say the new Chrysler compact cars will offer a range of normally-aspirated and turbocharged four-cylinder engines, mated to eight and nine speed automatic transmissions for impressive fuel economy numbers. There’s even word of a six-speed, dual-clutch transmission, which probably means that a replacement for the Dodge Caliber SRT4 is in the works.
We had a chance to speak with SRT head, Ralph Gilles, last spring, and he was tight-lipped about what may or may not be in the development pipeline. He was enthusiastic about their upcoming compacts, however, as well as the bound-for-the-U.S. Fiat 500 Abarth. There’s no denying that the SRT8 versions of the Dodge Challenger, Dodge Charger, and Chrysler 300 are fun to drive, but it looks like small-car Mopar fans will have a very good year ahead of them.
When you buy a 2012 Chrysler 300 SRT8 or 2012 Dodge Charger SRT-8 you definitely will not be lacking power. These suburban bruisers are powered by massive 6.4 liter Hemi V8’s that pump out a spleen crushing 470 horsepower and 470 lbs/ft of torque. Now, what is an SRT-8 owner to do if he/she wants more power? The answer up to this point has been paying big bucks and taking it to a tuner, but now this will change.
Chrysler is reportedly considering adding a top end engine option for certain SRT models. According to MotorAuthority, this new engine will be based on the current one albeit with a Eaton supercharger that will push the horsepower to between 540-570 horsepower. With this power addition, these muscle cars will be put on the road with Ferrari 458-esque power. Where do we sign?! In addition, to control the extra ponies, this new engine will supposedly be mated to a new eight speed automatic gearbox. This new engine can be implemented on those SRT models which are based on the LX platform (Sorry, Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8, no upgrade for you just yet). An exception may be the Dodge Challenger SRT-8 which is based on a tweaked LX platform.
This is an important step in the reemergence of the muscle car in the American market. This reemergence has ignited an automotive world war with Ford, Chevy, and Dodge, each trying to outdo themselves in terms of engineering and appeal. This new Detroit cold war has only one winner and that is the muscle car enthusiasts around the world.
