Used 2007 Chrysler 300

Who says you have to be filthy rich to enjoy the finer things in life? From our standpoint, you need only about $45,000 and a driver’s license. Those two commodities will put you behind the wheel of a Chrysler 300C SRT8, arguably the most potent performance sedan ever to leave a domestic factory’s doors. Developed by Chrysler’s in-house Street and Racing Technology team, the 300C SRT8 takes all that is good about the stock 300C and ratchets it up to the top of the scale. Big, bold and in-your-face, the 300C SRT8 has the HEMI power, performance and panache to break up the European sport sedan monopoly, and does it for tens of thousands less.

Even though the 300C SRT8 borrows a lot of componentry from Mercedes-Benz, its heart and soul, the 6.1-liter HEMI V8, is still purely American. With 425 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque, the 300C SRT8 can rocket from zero to 60 miles per hour in less than five seconds. So much power in a rear-wheel-drive American car used to be cause for concern, especially when cornering was involved.

But this is not your father’s 1978 Chrysler New Yorker. It’s a vehicle that remains nearly flat in the curves, holds to the road with security and envelopes the driver with a sense of confidence and control. Only a handful of sedans can measure up to the 300C SRT8’s performance, and not one of them can be purchased for under $45,000.

In creating the 300C SRT8, Chrysler has made a number of noticeable changes to the stock 300C interior. The most obvious are the heated sport bucket seats, which feature large side bolsters and suede inserts designed to keep occupants from sliding about when the driving experience becomes spirited. The modified instrument cluster reveals a 180-miles per hour speedometer. Despite the ample use of leather on the seats, door pulls and steering wheel – not to mention the numerous interior parts borrowed from Mercedes-Benz – the plastics composing the rest of the interior have a somewhat entry-level quality that detracts from an otherwise beautiful cabin.

The 300C SRT8 is one of the most original automotive designs of the twenty-first century. From its formidable grille to its narrow side glass and edgy, slab-sided contours, the car boldly stands out in any automotive crowd. The revised front fascia, for example, not only looks more aggressive, its design directs air to help cool the big Brembo brakes. Likewise, the rear spoiler serves to increase downforce without increasing drag. Other changes include 20-inch wheels and tires, body-colored mirrors and door handles and SRT badging. It should be noted that the 300C SRT8’s high beltline and wide rear C-pillars create numerous blind spots that are especially distracting when changing lanes or parallel parking.

Sport Seats
Though still snug, Chrysler’s sport seats allow more room for American-sized bodies than do comparable seats from Audi or BMW. Both driver and passenger enjoy power lumbar support as well as electric seat heaters.

Boston Acoustic Kicker Audio
With a six-disc MP3-capable CD changer that allows you to play hundreds of songs, the standard sound system is impressive enough. Add the 322-watt amplifier with a 100-watt powered subwoofer and 13 speakers, and you have a sound system as powerful as the SRT8 itself.

Befitting its top-of-the-line status, the 300C SRT8 is very well equipped. Standard features include the 425-horsepower, 6.1-liter V8, five-speed AutoStick automatic transmission, sport springs and suspension, rear spoiler, 20-inch forged aluminum wheels, electronic stability program, traction control, four-wheel anti-lock Brembo disc brakes (ABS), HID headlamps, power-adjustable sport seats with heating and driver’s-side memory feature, power-adjustable pedals, AM/FM stereo with MP3-compatible six-disc CD changer and Boston Acoustic speakers, steering wheel-mounted audio controls, power-adjustable tilt/telescoping leather-wrapped steering wheel and dual-zone automatic temperature control.

The SRT8 Option Group 1 includes front and rear head-curtain airbags, front seat side-impact airbags and an air filtration system. The SRT8 Option Group 2 adds the UConnect hands-free communication system, a power glass sunroof, DVD-based navigation and SIRIUS Satellite Radio. The few stand-alone options include a rear-seat DVD entertainment system, a power glass sunroof, 13-speaker Kicker high-performance speaker upgrade kit and SIRIUS Satellite Radio.

The 300C SRT8’s HEMI (so named for its hemispherical combustion chambers) is related to the 5.7-liter engine found in the 300C sedan. The SRT division begins with a stronger engine block, then enlarges the cylinder bore, thus increasing displacement to 6.1 liters. Engineers then add numerous performance parts, including revised intake and exhaust manifolds, high-flow cylinder heads, a high-performance camshaft, forged-steel crankshaft and reinforced connecting rods. The result is the most powerful HEMI engine for its size ever produced by Chrysler.

6.1-liter V8 HEMI
425 horsepower @ 6000 rpm
420 lb.-ft. of torque @ 4800 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 14/20