Chrysler 300 SRT8 version

Chrysler 300 SRT8 version - Then when it had the expected success, it started tinkering with the formula to make the car more powerful and handle better. It's that line of thought that has brought us to the most recent addition, the 300C SRT8.

The SRT8 version is powered by a 6.1-litre HEMI V8 that is 400cc larger and 85-horsepower better than the regular 300C's HEMI V8, for a premium cash outlay of only $7,000 (ouch!).

The results speak for themselves: zero to 100 km/h in about 5.5 seconds, and zero to 100 mph and back to zero in less than 17 seconds. The power comes on quickly and vocally, turning the 300C SRT8 from a Dr. Jekyll like meekness into a brute of Hyde proportions.

The ride is well maintained when it needs to be, belying the full performance potential of the beast until it is unleashed. Once the speed climbs and the road kinks up, though, the true potential of the SRT8 quickly comes to light. Nine-inch wide tires set on 20-inch rims help keep a tenacious grip on the road (Chrysler claims it can withstand 0.89g or lateral force on the skid pad).

And inside grip is handled through the innovative use of suede inserts in the unique seats. The wide-back front seats are well bolstered for support, while the rear seat is rather flat but grippy all the same. The positions are not as well defined back there, but the comfort level is pretty good. As in most sedans, the center position is best left for children, though in this case the floor drive-hump makes for uncomfortable legs.

And if the price tag doesn't give it away, the 300C is very much a Mercedes model (it is based on the E-class, albeit loosely) and the SRT8 adaptation gives it more sport while retaining the comfort and civil ambience of a family sedan, and at the same time creating a car whose competitors are considerably more costly.