By accessing this website, you acknowledge that Edmunds and its third party business partners may use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies to collect information about you and your interactions with the website as described in our
Privacy Statement, and you agree that your use of the website is subject to our
Visitor Agreement.
Comments
Just by eyeballing it, I'd say it's about the same size as my '89 Gran Fury would've been with a compact spare. It was a police pursuit though, and came with a huge, full-sized spare mounted on a 15x7 rim, that took a lot of space. The 300's trunk is shaped better, though, as the floor is flatter. Also, I like the fact that the 300 uses struts to hold up the trunk, that stay out of the way and don't take up any trunk space, although Chrysler's old RWD cars at least had the gooseneck hinges boxed off, so they couldn't damage cargo. Most cars today with gooseneck hinges aren't so considerate!
Overall though, I'd say its trunk is about on par with the typical older RWD cars that were in this rough size class. I like the fact that the seats fold down, though, to give you extra luggage space. And I also like the fact that they put the fuel tank ahead of the rear axle, so it's not hung out the back, like most older RWD cars. Or between the rear axle and trunk well, like on Ford's big cars, where it gets pinched if you rear-end it hard enough!
Another explanation, though, could be that Car and Driver practices more to get the fastest launch and best shift points (more important with manual transmissions). If you've ever watched Motorweek on PBS, those guys can't drive a car to save their lives -- my grandmother could get better acceleration times!
I think C & D may put a lot more effort into finding the ideal launch and making repeat attempts to get the lowest possible elapsed time. Just a thought...
C&D always mentions how hard they are on the vehicles that they test. Although they tend to score high marks on 0-60 and 1/4mi times, they are pushing the vehicles way beyond the limits of what a normal (responsible) driver would ever do to their car. I think I remember one editor commenting that he kinda felt bad about destroying a cars tranny after a test, and that the manufacturer wasn't going to be happy that they totalled *another* demo.
Another infamous test was a '65 Pontiac Catalina 2+2 that did 0-60 in 3.9 seconds! I forget if that was MT or C&D, though.
Exterior
Length 200.7/ 5,099
Width 73.7 / 1,873
Height 60.1 / 1,527
Wheelbase 112.9/ 2,867
Track width, front 64.6 / 1,640
Track width, rear 65.0 / 1,650
Ground clearance 5.1 / 130
300:
Length [in]=196.8
Width [in]=74.1
Height=58.4
Wheelbase [in]=120.0
Front Track [in]=63.0
Rear Track [in]=63.1
Ground Clearance (at curb weight) [in]=5.6
o-curb) - Turning Left [ft]=38.9
o-curb) - Turning Right [ft]=38.9
Is there anyone else on this board that has similar environmental circumstances? What conclusion did you come to and why?
With C&D you have to love how a car that is later tested as part of a comparison with others often isn't quite as quick as the "first drive". My favorite was the new Accord V6 being faster than the cars of a comparison test (separate article - same issue) that included the G35, 330i, CTS, W8..... They got called on it and blamed it on "bad gas". Yikes.
Then again, they supposedly adjust their results for atmospheric conditions where others do not. I'm not sure the times they list were actual or not. They do state that they make adjustments. The 5 to 60 is very nice though and certainly does give you an idea of how responsive the car really is in most conditions - not just a stop light launch.
What is cool is that there will likely be some aftermarket stuff for this car too. For instance, I'm sure the exhaust is pretty bottled up for a fairly quiet ride. Corsa or somebody else will likely have a system for it that will certainly release some more power to the wheels.
I guess excellent is in the 4's. LOL.
You make a good point about the security of AWD in your climate. I live in Buffalo, where I drive a Dodge Avenger ES, with 17" wheels and 50-series tires.
I actually enjoy sliding the car sideways (often with the help of the hand brake, since it's hard to get a natural slide with FWD). The one thing I hate about two wheel drive is that it takes forever to accelerate from a stop when the snow is piling up. Then again, the 300C has traction control, which should probably help.
Before my Avenger, I had a couple of full-sized Ford wagons, which were brilliant in the snow. If you're a cautious driver, you might be happier you waited for AWD. If you're a goofball like me, you can put up with RWD and have fun with it.
stephen
If NASCAR cars don't need AWD in the corners at 160 mph, why would I need it?
stephen
Hi Mnmatches, Grand Forks here,
My main concern has been with not having a conventional spare in the 300's trunk. As for AWD, I have no need of it, simply because if it's that bad out, I'll stay put. The 300C with all the
goodies should be as good or better than my FWD in moderate snowstorms.
PS: Are you aware that Chrysler has a winter testing facility in Bemidji??
Car and Driver DOES NOT rev up a car with an automatic transmission and drop into drive. That's a silly idea. They PROBABLY apply the gas while it's in gear and let off the brake (so called "brake torquing"), but they would not do a neutral slam.
Incidentally, Stephen, that's why the 5-60 time is slower -- it's more like the way we drive in traffic. Most of us don't rev the car against the brake and spin the tires; Usually, I would let the car roll forward and shove it to the floor.
The second reason 5-60 is better is that it shows how much low-end torque a car has. Cars like the Subaru WRX have great 0-60 times because the magazines rev them to 5,000 rpm and slip the clutch out. When you actually get the car going from 5 mph (idle speed) and THEN stomp it, the car takes about two seconds longer to reach sixty (because it's a little engine that needs its turbo to spool up). Same thing with a Honda S2000.
A 300C on the other hand, has monstrous low-end torque, so in the real world, the car will still be nice and fast without having to beat on the car.
To get those quicker 0-60 times, they most likely do what's called "power breaking", among other things. Put one foot on the brake and one on the gas, and rev it to the point that the tires are just about to break loose, and then take your foot off the brake. I've done it myself, mainly with older cars that are acting like they're about to stall out at a traffic light. Also done it in my younger days, just to show off ;-)
I dunno if you can even do a neutral slam on most newer cars. I found out on my '00 Intrepid, that if you shift it into gear too quickly right after starting it, before the rpms settle back down, it won't engage. I think there's some kind of safety feature to keep you from screwing up the tranny.
I agree with you that tossing the back end around a turn is always fun. I've lost that ability now that I own an explorer with awd. Although I do have a jeep wrangler thats possibly the most fun you can have in the snow. In 2wd you can have all the spinning/sliding fun you want, but when you need it you've got an awesome 4wd system where you never get slowed down.
soozpk,
I live in minneapolis, and even when hell freezes over, I'm still required to be at work.
I had no idea the winter testing facility was in bamidji! Where in town is it?
mnmatches...what did u guys in Minnesota do back in the dark ages, when big RWD monstrosities ruled the planet? It snowed back then too, didn't it? ;-) I live in the DC area, and I can tell you that around here it doesn't matter if it's RWD, FWD, or AWD, people are still going to find ways to wreck 'em and get 'em stuck. But then again, I'm sure you guys up there know how to drive in the stuff!
This winter I actually saw someone loading sand bags into the back of their acura.....
I've never been to the facility, but they have donated a few vehicles to our School of Engineering over the years. We aren't allowed to keep or use them. We can only tear them down for educational benefit. They even donated their older emissions testing equipment to us. Chrysler's been very generous to us in that regard.
putter5 wrote: Edmunds shows $ 1000 cash back
Well, maybe it will be worth waiting for the 22's wing-ding, after all. A thousand bucks off would pay for half the extended warranty......not bad. Now, how about 0% financing to top it off??
brian211 wrote: Has hemi, real spare,
A "REAL SPARE" ??? You certain?? If it was a conventional spare, it must have been mounted on a Alumininum Chrome clad rim, and NOT on a plain steel rim. You certain???
sold and they were using one for Test Drives. The Hemi has plenty of power down low but a little to much engine noise for me. The automobile is beautiful in person but the ride is a little jittery over bumps. Overall I would say it's a really nice car. I asked the salesman about pricing
he said they were selling at list and all Chrysler
employee discounts would apply. The dealer is
Cueter in Ypsilanti, Michigan.
Disclaimer: I don't work for Chrysler or Cueter
and my everyday driver is an Jaguar XJ8
1. When will AWD be "for sale?"
2. How much will AWD add to the price?
3. Does DC offer, in the 300C, anthing that is similar to On*star?
sold and they were using one for Test Drives. The Hemi has plenty of power down low but a little to much engine noise for me. The automobile is beautiful in person but the ride is a little jittery over bumps. Overall I would say it's a really nice car. I asked the salesman about pricing
he said they were selling at list and all Chrysler
employee discounts would apply. The dealer is
Cueter in Ypsilanti, Michigan.
Disclaimer: I don't work for Chrysler or Cueter
and my everyday driver is an Jaguar XJ8
"The 300/Magnum LX cars are the first with real Mercedes influence. May end up in long run being better then previous LH cars."
That's not much of an endorsement considering Mercedes quality decline as of late.
fastdriver
On the subject of RWD, I think you'll be just fine, Brian. Honestly, I think people have been so brainwashed by the automakers that they even want AWD for RAINY days. Ugh.
With regard to Chrysler quality, I will say this: Up until this year, I was convinced that I would purchase a foreign car, unless I could wait for a 2005 Mustang. However, the new American cars, such as the Malibu, the 300, the GTO (imported, I know!) and certain other cars have renewed my faith that we CAN compete against the world.
(Note: When my friend Joe was looking for a car a few months ago, the only good ones I could come up with were Japanese and European. He bought an Acura TL sedan, which I believe was a great choice at that time.)
I've wanted a two-door V8 coupe with a manual transmission, and for the last two months have been waiting anxiously for the 6.0 liter engine to be announced in the GTO (for 2005). But I'm really caught up in the excitement of the 300C. The GTO is a great car, but the 300C is more revolutionary - a bold statement that we are unapologetically taking on the Europeans and Japanese by building cars on par with them.
Will a Camry be more reliable? I'm inclined to say 'yes,' but it's purely conjecture to project at this point. Anyway, selecting a new car is so much more personal than that. Could I be happy with a Camry? Nahhhh... just couldn't do it. I need something with heart and soul, and this 300C appears to be the genuine article.
By the way, you did mean "AWD" when you put "awl" right???
In days LONG gone, when the 300M topic in TH was #1 week after week and month after month, the loyal 300M owners here went to the Detroit Dream Cruise as a group and then went up to the plant in Brampton for a guided tour. However, I believe that is not going to happen this year for whatever reasons. Maybe part of DC's cutbacks?
If you put your e-mail in your profile or e-mail me, I could find out if that's going to happen this year. Just can't talk about it here or I'll get reprimanded again!
fastdriver