Photo: Chrysler
The 300 can trace its roots back to the letter series of upscale cars from the 1950s and 1960s. The original, which is retroactively referred to as 300A, was masterminded by two gentlemen: the lesser-known Robert MacGregor Rodger and Virgil Exner, the father of the Forward Look.
Chrysler introduced the non-letter series in 1962, positioned as the more affordable alternative to the letter series. The third-largest U.S. automaker brought the 300 nameplate back from the dead in 1998 for the 1999 model year in the form of the 300M, a full-size luxury sedan that wasn’t well received due to its longitudinally-mounted V6 and FWD vehicle platform.
Chrysler discontinued the 300M after the 2004 model year in preparation for the current-generation 300. Based on the LX platform of the Dodge Charger, the latest incarnation of the 300 was marketed as the Lancia Thema in Europe. It received a redesign in 2010 for the 2011 model year, but on the other hand, the 300 never succeeded to steal the German competition’s thunder. It’s no Mercedes-Benz S-Class or BMW 7 Series, a reality that’s made very obvious by what you can find hiding underhood.
The 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 opens the list with 292 horsepower and 260 pound-feet (353 Nm) on deck, an engine that’s rightfully considered a workhorse in comparison to six-cylinder lumps from European automakers. Higher up the spectrum, this engine develops 300 horsepower and 264 pound-feet (358 Nm) with the sport-tuned exhaust of the 300S.
Until recently, the range-topping powerplant came in the guise of the 5.7-liter Eagle V8, a HEMI design with 363 horsepower and 394 pound-feet (534 Nm) at its disposal. Those aren’t bad numbers per se, especially not for the sticker price of a V8-equipped 300S. But on the other hand, the $111,100 Mercedes-Benz S 500 4MATIC flaunts 429 ponies and 384 pound-feet (520 Nm) between 1,800 and 5,800 revolutions per minute.
With sales dwindling and the 300 on its way out after the 2023 model year, the peeps at FCA US LLC decided to send off the full-size luxury sedan with the 6.4-liter Apache V8 rather than the 6.2-liter Hellcat V8. What’s especially infuriating about this limited edition is that Australia received a 6.4L-engined 300 in August 2015 for the 2016 model year.
Not special enough by American standards, the 2023 model year 300C is no longer available to order. Only 2,000 units will be delivered stateside, whereas Canada will receive 200 examples of the breed. Available in the pictured red, white, or black, the 300C retails at $55,000 in the U.S.A.
Looking at the bigger picture, a big HEMI is a fitting ending for the current-generation 300 considering that the letter series acme with the FirePower-branded 331 Hemi connected to a two-speed transmission. As a brief refresher, the 331-ci Hemi ran from 1951 to 1955. In this application, the FirePower cranks out 300 hp thanks to dual four-barrel carburetors.
The 392 HEMI is rated at 485 horsepower and 475 pound-feet (644 Nm), enabling the 300C to shoot from zero to 60 miles per hour (97 kilometers per hour) in 4.3 seconds. The quarter mile is dealt with in 12.4 seconds, onto a top speed of 160 miles per hour (nearly 258 kilometers per hour).
Chrysler discontinued the 300M after the 2004 model year in preparation for the current-generation 300. Based on the LX platform of the Dodge Charger, the latest incarnation of the 300 was marketed as the Lancia Thema in Europe. It received a redesign in 2010 for the 2011 model year, but on the other hand, the 300 never succeeded to steal the German competition’s thunder. It’s no Mercedes-Benz S-Class or BMW 7 Series, a reality that’s made very obvious by what you can find hiding underhood.
The 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 opens the list with 292 horsepower and 260 pound-feet (353 Nm) on deck, an engine that’s rightfully considered a workhorse in comparison to six-cylinder lumps from European automakers. Higher up the spectrum, this engine develops 300 horsepower and 264 pound-feet (358 Nm) with the sport-tuned exhaust of the 300S.
Until recently, the range-topping powerplant came in the guise of the 5.7-liter Eagle V8, a HEMI design with 363 horsepower and 394 pound-feet (534 Nm) at its disposal. Those aren’t bad numbers per se, especially not for the sticker price of a V8-equipped 300S. But on the other hand, the $111,100 Mercedes-Benz S 500 4MATIC flaunts 429 ponies and 384 pound-feet (520 Nm) between 1,800 and 5,800 revolutions per minute.
With sales dwindling and the 300 on its way out after the 2023 model year, the peeps at FCA US LLC decided to send off the full-size luxury sedan with the 6.4-liter Apache V8 rather than the 6.2-liter Hellcat V8. What’s especially infuriating about this limited edition is that Australia received a 6.4L-engined 300 in August 2015 for the 2016 model year.
Not special enough by American standards, the 2023 model year 300C is no longer available to order. Only 2,000 units will be delivered stateside, whereas Canada will receive 200 examples of the breed. Available in the pictured red, white, or black, the 300C retails at $55,000 in the U.S.A.
Looking at the bigger picture, a big HEMI is a fitting ending for the current-generation 300 considering that the letter series acme with the FirePower-branded 331 Hemi connected to a two-speed transmission. As a brief refresher, the 331-ci Hemi ran from 1951 to 1955. In this application, the FirePower cranks out 300 hp thanks to dual four-barrel carburetors.
The 392 HEMI is rated at 485 horsepower and 475 pound-feet (644 Nm), enabling the 300C to shoot from zero to 60 miles per hour (97 kilometers per hour) in 4.3 seconds. The quarter mile is dealt with in 12.4 seconds, onto a top speed of 160 miles per hour (nearly 258 kilometers per hour).
Preparing for take off ????
— Chrysler (@Chrysler) December 29, 2022
At this time 2023 Chrysler 300c reservations are no longer being accepted. All reservations are currently full. Contact your dealer for vehicle availability. pic.twitter.com/m0BkUnPc4v
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