- Is That It?
- Would I Drive One?
- Would I Choose This Over a Charger or Challenger SRT?
- What Does the 300C Mean for the Future of Chrysler?
While sibling Dodge is sending off its LX-platform Challenger and Charger to the farm with a series of seven special editions, Chrysler is giving its own 300 sedan one last hurrah with the special-edition 300C, which brings back the 6.4-liter V-8 — now with 485 horsepower and 475 pounds-feet of torque — for one last ride.
The rest of the updates for the 2023 300 consist of safety tech becoming available on the base model, so we’re focusing on the 300C. And, yes, this is a higher-performance 300 than shoppers could buy in nearly a decade (the last 300 SRT8 was a 2014 model). The performance figures — 0-60 mph in 4.3 seconds, a 12.4-second quarter mile — are impressive for a 300, but also not unfamiliar to anyone interested in a Scat Pack Charger or Challenger.
2023 Chrysler 300C | Cars.com photo by Christian Lantry
Is That It?
Yes. The interior of the 300C is just as roomy and dated as it’s been for a few years now. The smaller 8.4-inch touchscreen is running Uconnect 4, which isn’t the latest and greatest version of Uconnect. The exterior looks are impressive, but the 300 has always had an imposing presence — and the 300C isn’t as intimidating-looking as its SRT8 predecessors. Also, placing the new tri-color badge in the upper right corner of the grille gives it an unbalanced appearance; I expect a lot of badge deletion from owners.
Would I Drive One?
Also yes. Emphatically yes. The 6.4 isn’t an interesting or innovative engine, but it’s a hell of an engine, nonetheless. It should be fun, raucous and a killer road-trip chariot.
Would I Choose This Over a Charger or Challenger SRT?
Probably not. My biggest issue is that, with a starting price of $55,000, the 300C is intruding into Charger and Challenger Scat Pack Widebody territory, and I think those are better choices for buyers looking for a comfortable car capable of impressive track-day feats. The Chrysler is meant to eat up highway miles at speed. The 300C does have a moderately more luxurious interior, however, including the obligatory analog clock atop the dashboard, but there’s still a lot of plastic for a car with a price in the $50,000 range (not unlike the Challenger and Charger, either).
What Does the 300C Mean for the Future of Chrysler?
Despite its impending demise, the 300C might have more of an impact than it seems at first glance. Interested buyers can go to Chrysler’s reservation website, choose a color, find a dealer and put down a deposit. It’s not quite a direct online ordering process like Tesla’s, but it may indicate a change in attitude towards the dealership experience as it currently exists.
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Keyword: Up Close With the 2023 Chrysler 300C: If It’s Too Loud, It Might Also Be Too Old