It’s those last three letters that make this vehicle great. SRT stands for Street and Racing Technology and the 8 means it’s a V8. Put it together with Chrysler’s 300 sedan design with its stunning classic exterior and you have a car that is unique for an American model.
The 300 is a popular vehicle, with sales figures jumping nearly 40 percent last year. The styling is timeless, stout and distinctive. And with the SRT8, the interior takes the 300 to whole new level. If you’ve seen the interior of a standard 300, you’ll be pleasantly suprised to find the interior of the 300 SRT8 looks like a high-end German vehicle, with some American race-car styling.
Radar Red race-car bucket seats ensconce the driver and passengers in leather comfort (the rear seats also have the same material). A stitched leather dash is accented with real carbon fiber, giving the 300 a sleek, aggressive look.
Chrysler’s Uconnect entertainment system is easy to navigate on an 8.4-inch touchscreen display. The center stack, in addition to having quality-feeling touchpoints, is so cleanly organized that it separates itself from some of its German competition, which tend to be over-engineered. This is not the case with this Chrysler 300, as figuring out the audio, navigation or climate is intuitive and easy. A 19-speaker Harman/Kardon sound system enhances the driving experience and heated and cooled cupholders are a nice perk.
But what really enhances the driving experience lies under the hood.
With a muscley growl, the V8 lets its presence be heard on start up. It’s unexpected from a car like the 300 that presents itself with an elegant, family-sedan-sort-of refinement. But, with a 6.4-liter Hemi and 470 horsepower, you’re in for a thrill ride instead of a family stroll.
The power of the 300 is undeniable. And, it takes some adjusting to avoid burn outs and getting loose on turns thanks to the combination of the Hemi power and the rear-wheel drivetrain (available traction control helped, but still didn’t prevent it). But that is just part of what makes driving the 300 SRT8 so much fun.
The all-wheel drive version would make the experience ideal.
While the 300 only has a 5-speed transmission (many 2012 models are going with 6-speed transmissions), it still shifts smoothly and helps keep the aggressive engine under control with subdued shifting.
The base price is $47,170, and with optional packages such as a dual-pane panoramic sunroof, blind spot detectors and adaptive cruise control, my tester came in at a price of $54,430, which included a $1,000 gas guzzler tax.
Because of its 14/23 fuel economy, it is subject to the government’s gas guzzler tax. In a week of very heavy-footed driving, I averaged about 17 MPG.
You won’t care about what you’re spending at the pump, though, because the Chrysler 300 SRT8 is so much fun.
Jimmy Dinsmore is the Wheels editor at the Dayton Daily News and may be reached at (937) 225-2115. Follow him on Twitter @wheelseditor
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