Description

Chrysler's first 300 series premiered in 1955 as a high-performance hardtop coupe that held a 300-horsepower Hemi V-8. In its 1999 to 2004 iteration, the Chrysler 300M was a front-wheel-drive sedan with V-6 power. A completely different line of 300 sedans joined Chrysler's lineup for 2005. Instead of front-drive, the new 300 had rear-wheel drive. Six-cylinder power is standard, but the sedan can be fitted with Chrysler's Hemi V-8, then called the 300C. An innovative Multi-Displacement System automatically shuts down half of the Hemi's cylinders when the car is cruising. The system shuts off valves and fuel injectors for unused cylinders, which Chrysler says can yield a 10 to 20 percent improvement in gas mileage. To counteract concerns that the rear-drive 300C wouldn't handle properly on snow and ice, Chrysler installed an electronic stability system. An all-wheel-drive version is also available. The Dodge Charger sedan and Magnum wagon are closely related to the Chrysler 300; both offer optional Hemi V-8s.