2011 CHRYSLER 300 SRT8 6.4 SRT V8 5AT (477 HP)

Vehicle Overview

In 2006, DaimlerChrysler introduced the 300C SRT8 under the Chrysler badge, and the result was awesome. Five years later, the American carmaker came with a sequel.

There is an ounce of muscle-car nostalgia in any American car enthusiast. It has to be, or otherwise, DaimlerChrysler wouldn’t have introduced the 300C SRT8 in the first place back in 2006. Then, it was a marketing strategy to improve the brand’s image. In 2011 it was pure business. Chrysler was alone again and was hungry for a successful car, and the 300C SRT8 was an excellent idea.

From the outside, it looked almost just like a regular 300C, but the black mesh-grille at the front and the deeper bumper told a different story. From its sides, the car looked lower and rolled on 20″ light-alloy-wheels. Its specific badges on the front fenders revealed the secret: 6.4-liter of angry Hemi engine that was ready to tear the tarmac. In the back, Chrysler installed a small wing-spoiler on the trunk.

Inside, the designers used started from the regular 300C and enhanced it. The car featured a standard leather interior with high-bolstered seats at the front. At the bottom of the SRT8 branded tachometer, the carmaker installed a coolant-temperature gauge. On the center stack, the 300C SRT8 featured an 8″ infotainment unit that was connected to the car’s ECU and displayed specific data needed for hard driving such as oil temperature, transmission temperature, or oil pressure.

Under the hood, Chrysler dropped a naturally aspirated 6.4-liter V8 engine. It was paired to a 5-speed automatic gearbox, and that was the only drawback for the SRT8. Thanks to its stiffer suspension, thicker stabilizer bars, and tuned dampers, it was a big luxury barge that could handle like a sports car.