Yahoo Autos 2023 Chrysler 300C Final Drive: Saying goodbye to an American great
DETROIT — It’s easy to dismiss the Chrysler 300 as an automotive has-been. A relic of another time. A once-powerful, now-dusty piece of history relegated to another era — and the taxi fleet. A weathered 300 is ubiquitous in this area, and the car has disappeared from non-domestic-leaning parts of the country, long overshadowed by the brasher, more powerful Dodge Charger and Challenger.
That’s also a short-sighted view. When a car is on its way out, its long-standing supporters cling to sepia-toned memories while everyone else has already moved on. In this case, the 300 is going out right. In style. At full power. After a few years of slow sales and solid yet unspectacular power, Chrysler restored the 300C to the lineup, complete with the 6.4-liter V8 and its 485 horses.
I’m testing one of just 2,000 300C models that will be produced for the 2023 model year. After that, the 300 as we know it is done. The entire run (plus 200 for Canada) solid out in 12 hours, so I’m cognizant I’m driving something significant this week.
As a refresher, this isn’t the 5.7-liter V8 with a respectable 363 ponies available on the 300S Touring. This is the 392-cubic-inch hooligan offered in the Dodge Scat Packs. It’s worthy of the “C” — signifying performance — that 300 models have worn since 1955.
The 6.4-liter rumbles and has a deep echo. There’s bass to it and a sense of menace. It’s not that common to drive naturally aspirated V8s these days, even in large sedans, and it makes a difference. Sixty miles per hour comes on in 4.3 seconds. The 300C still has its fastball. The 6.2-liter supercharged V8 in the Hellcat Dodges is loud and then howls. The 6.4-liter simmers angrily and then barks. Reports say Stellantis simply didn’t have enough Hellcat engines to go around to further boost the 300, but I’ve long felt the NA 392 is a more visceral experience. It certainly feels right in the 300C. It also hews closer to history: The original 300C SRT-8 ran a naturally aspirated 6.1-liter. “The performance factor of the car was always there,” Stellantis design chief Ralph Gilles said.
It reminds me of the scene in “Gladiator” when Maximus (Russell Crowe) emerges from a fight at the Colosseum. Bloodied and dirty, the crowd and the Centurians guarding him realize this isn’t a random fighter thrust out for the entertainment of the crowd. Unmasked, he’s revealed to be one of Rome’s great generals. With this engine, the 300C no longer feels dusty. It feels unmasked, and like Maximus, worthy of a salute
It’s a car that wants to be driven. It's a 300 Scat Pack, in simple terms. The big engine brings a sense of occasion. It’s all very old school. I spin the rear tires repeatedly at stoplights. The V8 produces a sonorous rumble through the active exhaust. It sounds good even at idle. Sometimes I goose the throttle to burn gas and listen to the note.
Still, there’s a balance. Rev the engine and onlookers smile. But if you're stuck in traffic, at least you’re still in a large, cushy Chrysler. On a sunny afternoon I blasted onto Interstate 75, let the revs soar and then glided into the early rush hour carousel. I made my way through Detroit’s northern suburbs, crossed Eight Mile and found myself cruising the city’s tony Palmer Woods neighborhood. The V8 resonated off the century-old brick Tudor revivals as I rolled through the stately boulevards. I stopped at a house formerly used as the residence for the Detroit archbishop just because it looked cool. I snapped a few photos and moved on, crossing Seven Mile to swing by the Detroit Golf Club. Later on I realized "Bishop House" is listed for $9 million.
The 300C is a great cruiser. A dude in a yellow Viper with what appeared to be an ACR wing cast a flicker of recognition as we passed. I give him a mini salute (way to bring your Viper to Kroger on a Tuesday night) and move on.
