To a large degree, the 1998 “merger of equals” between Daimler-Benz and Chrysler Corp. was generally considered an unmitigated disaster. Just like any other failed marriage, great kids can result from the collaboration. In this case, what is now Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is still earning dividends from its LX platform which includes the 300S sedan I recently drove.
At the time of the merger announcement, there was a lot of excitement about the prospect of Chrysler being able to inherit some more advanced platforms and hardware from its German partners. By the time the decade-long relationship had been dissolved, the technology transfer was actually fairly limited. The slow-selling Crossfire coupe and convertible were built off an obsolete Mercedes-Benz SLK platform and the Jeep Grand Cherokee shared some parts with the Mercedes ML-class SUV. By far the most successful DNA transfer was the LX platform.
The LX was a rear-wheel-drive car platform that shared some significant components with the Mercedes E-class. It replaced the aging front-wheel-drive LH platform that had originally been developed by AMC and Renault in the late-1980s and inherited from the AMC acquisition. The LX was a modern mid-to-full size car platform with fully-independent suspension. It initially spawned the brutish-looking 300 sedan and the Dodge Magnum sportwagon. Sadly Americans never took the Magnum as enthusiastically as they should have. These were later joined by the Dodge Charger and Challenger.
While the pre-bankruptcy LX models drove well, they suffered inside from Daimler-driven cost cutting efforts that left them with cheap-looking and bad feeling hard-plastic surfaces. Following the bankruptcy, a crash update program gave most of the Chrysler lineup improved interiors and the 300 and Charger both got all-new sheet metal for 2011.
One of the defining characteristics of the 2005 design was the high beltline and narrow side glass that gave the car the feel of a 1930s gangster ride. The second-generation 300 softened everything up, lowering the beltline slightly and opening up the glass a bit more. The basic profile of the original is still there, but the effect is of a much more contemporary and sophisticated machine.
The large rounded rectangle grille is vaguely reminiscent of a contemporary Jaguars but in combination with the rest of the body, this is a uniquely American look that you won’t mistake for anything but a 300. The 300S is the middle of five currently available trims and my tester was finished in a gloss black with dark bronze painted alloy wheels and grille accents in the same color. The overall effect is somewhat sinister but sophisticated and I really liked it.
When it’s cold, the seat and steering wheel heaters come on automatically when the Chrysler 300 is started.
Similarly, the cabin has continued to receive upgrades over the years. The comfortable and roomy seats are covered in a very pleasant grade of black leather with contrasting caramel stitching. During my week with the 300s, I had to drive from my home outside Ann Arbor, Mich. to Louisville, Kent. for business and despite the poor weather all the way and extended construction zones in Ohio that stretched the drive to more than six hours each way, I felt just fine when I got out of the car. Like other recent Chrysler cars, the 300 now has a rotary transmission shift knob on the center console rather than the more traditional T-handle used on the Charger. The 300S also gets steering wheel mounted paddle shifters.
Like many cars now, the 300S offers heated seats and a heated steering wheel. However, one very pleasant feature that I’ve noticed on several recent FCA products that I haven’t experienced anywhere else is automatic activation of the heaters. If the outside temperature is below about 40 degrees, the heater for the steering wheel and any occupied seats is automatically turned on when the car is started. It’s a subtle but appreciated touch.
Like the Charger, the 300 has a long 120.1-inch wheelbase which provides ample leg-room for back seat passengers. Unlike the sportier, sloping roofline of the Dodge, the Chrysler roof extends further back before hitting the rear glass, providing some extra headroom. A pair of USB ports at the back of the center console allows for device charging for those in back during road trips.
Like the Charger SXT I drove just before this 300, the Chrysler is equipped with the excellent Pentastar 3.6-liter V6 and an eight-speed automatic transmission. The Chrysler also had an optional all-wheel-drive system for extra traction in poor conditions. One downside of the AWD is a hump that intrudes somewhat into the front passenger footwell to accommodate the driveshaft to the front axle. With 292-horsepower and 260 lb.-ft. of torque, the V6 offers plenty of performance despite the fact that at 4,259-pounds, this big sedan is no lightweight.
As mentioned, large swaths of I-75 through Ohio have been under construction for some time now and that meant quite stop and go traffic along that route. Despite that, the heavy rain and no particular effort at hypermiling on my part, the 300S averaged a very reasonable 26.5 mpg for the trip. The EPA ratings for the AWD 300 are 18 mpg city, 27 mpg highway and 21 mpg combined.
For 2016, the base 300 Limited starts at about $32,000 and a maxed out V8-powered Platinum will run over $45,000. As equipped, my AWD 300S tipped the scales at $39,960 with delivery. For those looking for distinctly American looking full-size sedan that isn’t necessarily as performance oriented as Charger or the low-volume Chevrolet SS, look no further than the Chrysler 300. It’s not the freshest machine on the road, but it has aged surprisingly well over the past decade and the current iteration is the best yet. It’s a handsome machine with a unique style that also carries some German heritage where it counts in the underpinnings.
Click here for full specifications of the 2016 Chrysler 300
