Chrysler’s 300: The Sedan That Mixed Luxury and Muscle for Two Decades

Chrysler’s current lineup is pretty sparse, just the Pacifica minivan, recently refreshed. But there was a time when the brand offered one of North America’s best value four-door sedans, a car that even gained some popularity in Europe. That car, the Chrysler 300, has been gone for a few years now, but it’s worth remembering how it blurred the line between luxury and muscle.

The modern 300 story starts with the troubled DaimlerChrysler partnership. While the "merger of equals" was widely seen as a failure, Daimler held the real control, it did provide useful hardware. Chrysler used the rear suspension, five-speed transmission, rear diff, and axle from a Mercedes E-Class to build a solid foundation for a revived nameplate.

That platform supported the 300 for nearly 20 years.

The first modern 300, designed by Ralph Gilles, was big and boldly styled, almost like a budget Bentley. 7-liter HEMI V8. 1-liter HEMI with 425 horsepower. 4-liter 392-cubic-inch HEMI in the 300 SRT-8, producing 470 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque. 3 seconds and run the quarter-mile in the low-to-mid 12-second range, respectable against pricier rivals like the BMW M5 or Mercedes-AMG E63.

It also had a 19-speaker audio system, better leather, and adaptive suspension with Brembo brakes.

The SRT-8 was discontinued after 2014, partly to save the 392 engine for other models like the Dodge Charger and Jeep Grand Cherokee. The standard 300 continued for nearly another decade. In 2023, a final special edition called the 300C 392 brought back the performance spirit with 485 hp.

S. and 200 in Canada, the last one rolled off the line on December 9, 2023. Now that Chrysler’s lineup is so thin, fans might hope Stellantis brings the 300 nameplate back one more time.