Local Launch
Chrysler 300C CRD


What we like
Quiet and refined turbodiesel
Comfortable ride
Smooth five-speed auto

Not so much
Seats feel overstuffed
Steering is remote and wheel is huge
Slightly spongy handling



While most Australian new car buyers are moving away from big V6 and V8
sedans, there is one product that is making them buck the trend.
Indeed, after years in the automotive wilderness, Chrysler has hit the
spot with its 300C and Aussies seemingly can't get enough of the
full-sized four-door sedan.

Much of the success has been off the back of the car's distinctive
styling and for the first time in a long time, comparable quality to
its competitors. However, there's no doubt that in these times of
ever increasing fuel prices there are still more potential 300C buyers
who are scared of the car's thirst.

Enter Chrysler's turbodiesel alternative - a 300C for those who
still want the style, the space and grunt without the weighty fuel
consumption.

Sitting between the V6 and V8 petrol models, the new 300C CRD is priced
at $57,990 -- $4000 more than the V6 petrol and $2000 less than the
Hemi V8. Under the bonnet is a latest generation DaimlerChrysler
160kW/510Nm 3.0-litre compression ignition V6.

Sound familiar - it should be... The 24-valve OHC common rail
turbodiesel can also be found powering a range of Mercedes-Benz models
including the new R320 CDI as well as the 300C offroad cousins,
Jeep's Commander (click here for more) and Grand Cherokee.

Being a diesel, the engine obviously doesn't match the petrol engines
for power with the 3.5-litre V6 producing 183kW and the V8 generating
250kW. On the torque front (which in day-to-day driving is what matters
most) things are different, however -- it more than outguns the 3.5's
340Nm and is just shy of the V8's 525Nm.

According to the figures, the diesel's maximum torque is on tap between
1600-2800rpm and on the road there is no denying that the car has a
strong bottom end.

Turn the key and from the inside, there are no audible cues as to the
engine's fuel type with the diesel being very quiet and refined. Prod
the accelerator and the surge off the line is strong and although it is
quicker to 100kmh than the petrol V6 (Chrysler figures claim 8.6sec for
the CRD vs 9.9 for the 3.5) you do feel the car's weight.

At 1901kg, it is a match for the V8 and about 100kg heavier than the V6
petrol, which results in an ever so slight reluctance to really step
off the line. Not exactly sluggish, just weighty but by the time you
have hit about 2500rpm, it really gets going.

The drive to the rear through the standard five-speed auto is smooth
but on the winding hilly roads of the press launch through the
sub-alpine areas in north-eastern Victoria the transmission showed a
slight reluctance to kick down to make the most of the engine's
relatively narrow peak torque band.

In contrast, the Mercedes R320 (click here for more) that uses the same
engine is a lot more responsive courtesy of its seven-speed auto's
extra cogs. That said, judicious use of the 300C's efficient tiptronic
function (Chrysler calls it AutoStick ) means that when you want to
push on, you can manually hold gears.

And the 300C is a car that you can push -- within limits. The
suspension is definitely set up for comfort and apart from the
overstuffed seats that are of the sit-on rather than sit-in variety,
the car makes for a very comfortable cruising machine.

Point it hard at a corner and it will still maintain a reasonable
degree of composure and tends to sit fairly flat and stable on the
road, however, the handling has a slight sponginess when you start to
reach the limits.

Probably the only drawback is the steering which lacks feel and is
carried out via a huge wheel that feels like it could have come off a
bus.

In truth the 300C is built for long distance rapid cruising and with
the diesel option this can be done affordably. Chrysler claims an
official combined fuel consumption figure of 8.2lt/100km and on
CarPoint's launch drive we achieved a commendable 9.8lt/100km without
being particularly light on the throttle. This compares to the ADR81/01
test figures of 11.1lt/100km for the V6 petrol and 12.1lt/100km for the
V8 - stats that in the real world we know would be very hard to
achieve.

Diesel is always that much more forgiving for those with a heavy right
boot and in the 300C, it matches well with the car's size and purpose.
Perhaps too, the 300 CRD is a taste of things to come. With cars like
this on the market, Commodore and Falcon can't afford to ignore
diesel for too much longer...

 

> Enter Chrysler's turbodiesel alternative - a 300C for those who
> still want the style, the space and grunt without the weighty fuel
> consumption.
>
> Sitting between the V6 and V8 petrol models, the new 300C CRD is priced
> at $57,990 -- $4000 more than the V6 petrol and $2000 less than the
> Hemi V8. Under the bonnet is a latest generation DaimlerChrysler
> 160kW/510Nm 3.0-litre compression ignition V6.
>
> Sound familiar - it should be... The 24-valve OHC common rail
> turbodiesel can also be found powering a range of Mercedes-Benz models
> including the new R320 CDI as well as the 300C offroad cousins,
> Jeep's Commander (click here for more) and Grand Cherokee.
>
> Being a diesel, the engine obviously doesn't match the petrol engines
> for power with the 3.5-litre V6 producing 183kW and the V8 generating
> 250kW. On the torque front (which in day-to-day driving is what matters
> most) things are different, however -- it more than outguns the 3.5's
> 340Nm and is just shy of the V8's 525Nm.
>
> According to the figures, the diesel's maximum torque is on tap between
> 1600-2800rpm and on the road there is no denying that the car has a
> strong bottom end.
>
> Turn the key and from the inside, there are no audible cues as to the
> engine's fuel type with the diesel being very quiet and refined. Prod
> the accelerator and the surge off the line is strong and although it is
> quicker to 100kmh than the petrol V6 (Chrysler figures claim 8.6sec for
> the CRD vs 9.9 for the 3.5) you do feel the car's weight.
>
> At 1901kg, it is a match for the V8 and about 100kg heavier than the V6
> petrol, which results in an ever so slight reluctance to really step
> off the line. Not exactly sluggish, just weighty but by the time you
> have hit about 2500rpm, it really gets going.
>
> The drive to the rear through the standard five-speed auto is smooth
> but on the winding hilly roads of the press launch through the
> sub-alpine areas in north-eastern Victoria the transmission showed a
> slight reluctance to kick down to make the most of the engine's
> relatively narrow peak torque band.
>
> In contrast, the Mercedes R320 (click here for more) that uses the same
> engine is a lot more responsive courtesy of its seven-speed auto's
> extra cogs. That said, judicious use of the 300C's efficient tiptronic
> function (Chrysler calls it AutoStick ) means that when you want to
> push on, you can manually hold gears.
>

Maybe they will offer it as an engine and trans crate motor package.
If they are smart they will.

 

> Enter Chrysler's turbodiesel alternative - a 300C for those who
> still want the style, the space and grunt without the weighty fuel
> consumption.
>
> Sitting between the V6 and V8 petrol models, the new 300C CRD is priced
> at $57,990 -- $4000 more than the V6 petrol and $2000 less than the
> Hemi V8. Under the bonnet is a latest generation DaimlerChrysler
> 160kW/510Nm 3.0-litre compression ignition V6.
>
> Sound familiar - it should be... The 24-valve OHC common rail
> turbodiesel can also be found powering a range of Mercedes-Benz models
> including the new R320 CDI as well as the 300C offroad cousins,
> Jeep's Commander (click here for more) and Grand Cherokee.
>
> Being a diesel, the engine obviously doesn't match the petrol engines
> for power with the 3.5-litre V6 producing 183kW and the V8 generating
> 250kW. On the torque front (which in day-to-day driving is what matters
> most) things are different, however -- it more than outguns the 3.5's
> 340Nm and is just shy of the V8's 525Nm.
>
> According to the figures, the diesel's maximum torque is on tap between
> 1600-2800rpm and on the road there is no denying that the car has a
> strong bottom end.
>
> Turn the key and from the inside, there are no audible cues as to the
> engine's fuel type with the diesel being very quiet and refined. Prod
> the accelerator and the surge off the line is strong and although it is
> quicker to 100kmh than the petrol V6 (Chrysler figures claim 8.6sec for
> the CRD vs 9.9 for the 3.5) you do feel the car's weight.
>
> At 1901kg, it is a match for the V8 and about 100kg heavier than the V6
> petrol, which results in an ever so slight reluctance to really step
> off the line. Not exactly sluggish, just weighty but by the time you
> have hit about 2500rpm, it really gets going.
>
> The drive to the rear through the standard five-speed auto is smooth
> but on the winding hilly roads of the press launch through the
> sub-alpine areas in north-eastern Victoria the transmission showed a
> slight reluctance to kick down to make the most of the engine's
> relatively narrow peak torque band.
>
> In contrast, the Mercedes R320 (click here for more) that uses the same
> engine is a lot more responsive courtesy of its seven-speed auto's
> extra cogs. That said, judicious use of the 300C's efficient tiptronic
> function (Chrysler calls it AutoStick ) means that when you want to
> push on, you can manually hold gears.
>

Maybe they will offer it as an engine and trans crate motor package.
If they are smart they will.

 

> Enter Chrysler's turbodiesel alternative - a 300C for those who
> still want the style, the space and grunt without the weighty fuel
> consumption.
>
> Sitting between the V6 and V8 petrol models, the new 300C CRD is priced
> at $57,990 -- $4000 more than the V6 petrol and $2000 less than the
> Hemi V8. Under the bonnet is a latest generation DaimlerChrysler
> 160kW/510Nm 3.0-litre compression ignition V6.
>
> Sound familiar - it should be... The 24-valve OHC common rail
> turbodiesel can also be found powering a range of Mercedes-Benz models
> including the new R320 CDI as well as the 300C offroad cousins,
> Jeep's Commander (click here for more) and Grand Cherokee.
>
> Being a diesel, the engine obviously doesn't match the petrol engines
> for power with the 3.5-litre V6 producing 183kW and the V8 generating
> 250kW. On the torque front (which in day-to-day driving is what matters
> most) things are different, however -- it more than outguns the 3.5's
> 340Nm and is just shy of the V8's 525Nm.
>
> According to the figures, the diesel's maximum torque is on tap between
> 1600-2800rpm and on the road there is no denying that the car has a
> strong bottom end.
>
> Turn the key and from the inside, there are no audible cues as to the
> engine's fuel type with the diesel being very quiet and refined. Prod
> the accelerator and the surge off the line is strong and although it is
> quicker to 100kmh than the petrol V6 (Chrysler figures claim 8.6sec for
> the CRD vs 9.9 for the 3.5) you do feel the car's weight.
>
> At 1901kg, it is a match for the V8 and about 100kg heavier than the V6
> petrol, which results in an ever so slight reluctance to really step
> off the line. Not exactly sluggish, just weighty but by the time you
> have hit about 2500rpm, it really gets going.
>
> The drive to the rear through the standard five-speed auto is smooth
> but on the winding hilly roads of the press launch through the
> sub-alpine areas in north-eastern Victoria the transmission showed a
> slight reluctance to kick down to make the most of the engine's
> relatively narrow peak torque band.
>
> In contrast, the Mercedes R320 (click here for more) that uses the same
> engine is a lot more responsive courtesy of its seven-speed auto's
> extra cogs. That said, judicious use of the 300C's efficient tiptronic
> function (Chrysler calls it AutoStick ) means that when you want to
> push on, you can manually hold gears.
>

Maybe they will offer it as an engine and trans crate motor package.
If they are smart they will.