It's likely, then, that the designers and engineers asked to update the Chrysler 300 for 2011 were nervous. After all, when the 300 was introduced for 2005, it gave the company something it haven't had in years: A genuinely competitive near-luxury car with stunning looks. Stunning to the point where the car's young designer, Ralph Gilles, became so prominent that he now runs the entire Dodge brand.
The interior quality of the 300 has always been good, but the company upped the game for 2011, even with the base models. Our test 300C -- the "C" meaning mostly that it has the Hemi V-8 instead of the V-6 engine -- had a luxury-quality interior with Nappa leather trim and instruments and controls that not only look good, but could serve as a template for other manufacturers, especially some European brands, on user-friendliness. From the time you slide into the seat and grip the fat steering wheel, you know this will be a comfortable ride.
And, indeed, it is. The 300C's suspension is firm but supple enough to make long-distance driving effortless. The optional 20-inch tire and wheel package look great, and bolsters the surprisingly nimble handling, given the car's 4,270-pound weight.
Rear seat room is generous for two adults, but the center console is set so far back that a fifth passenger will have to ride with one foot on the left, one on the right. This is really a four-passenger car, with an emergency jump seat for a fifth. Two rear-seat passengers will be very happy, and will be able to access a flip-down console of their own.
Though it doesn't look like it, the new model is nearly two inches longer than the car it replaces. Still, the design of the 2011 model essentially precludes a big trunk -- there's an adequate 16.3 cubic feet of space back there, but it's accessed through a rather narrow trunk opening.
Under the hood, Chrysler has banished the 3.5-liter, 250-horsepower V-6, and the rental-car-friendly 2.7-liter, 178-horse V-6, replacing both with the company's new 3.6-liter, 292-horsepower V-6. Although the 3.5-liter was a long-running, reliable workhorse for Chrysler, this new engine is an improvement.
Not much has changed with the optional 5.7-liter Hemi V-8, which had 360 horsepower last year, 363 this year. It's a wonderful engine, smooth and responsive and muscular. Both engines are mated to a five-speed automatic transmission, which has one or two fewer gears than most of the competitors' automatics have, but with the Hemi, five speeds are plenty.
Fuel mileage for the Hemi is a mediocre 16 miles per gallon city driving, 25 mpg on the highway, and perhaps a new transmission that is reportedly on the way will help mileage a little. Chrysler recommends mid-grade 89 octane gas, but says 87 octane regular is OK. The V-6, rated at 18 mpg city, 27 mpg highway, is happy on regular gas. It will also run on E85 ethanol, but that drops the mileage estimate to 16/25.
The base-model 300 starts at under $28,000, and it's well-equipped even at that level. The 300C starts at $38,170, and with options and shipping, the test car listed for $44,730, but it was loaded with features. Among them: a dual-pane sunroof, adaptive cruise control (it compares your speed to the cars ahead you may be closing in on, and slows your car if needed), and a 506-watt sound system with nine speakers.
The sequel to the 2005 Chrysler 300 may not make headlines the way the original did, but as sequels go, this is much closer to The Godfather Part II, than Baby Geniuses 2.
And if you aren't a movie buff, that means the new 300 is a very good car.
SCSmith3@Tribune.com
2011 Chrysler 300C
Base price: $38,170
Price as tested: $44,730
EPA rating: 16 miles per gallon city driving, 25 mpg highway
Engine: 5.7-liter, 363-horsepower V-8
Transmission: Five-speed automatic
Length: 198.6 inches
Wheelbase: 120.2 inches
In a nutshell: Chrysler turns a good car into a great car.
