Chrysler 300C SRT8: The Fusion of Luxury and Performance

by: Matthew C. Keegan


Full sized, rear wheel drive luxury is back in vogue. Thanks to the introduction of the Chrysler 300C, consumers have a choice that goes beyond the dated Lincoln Town Car or the expensive BMW 7 Series. With the release of the 300C, Chrysler is doing its part in revolutionizing full size car performance as the 300C is edgy, luxurious, and in the case of the SRT8 model, extremely fast. Read on to learn how you can maximize the performance of your Chrysler 300C SRT8 with a pair of trusty, potent aftermarket enhancements.

Three decades after the 300 designation was retired, Chrysler resurrected the 300 name and placed it on a shortened version of its big LH sedan. The 300M – as it was called -- was praised for its smooth style and luxurious appointments, however the V6 powered, front wheel drive model failed to live up to the vaunted ancestry of the original 300 series built by Chrysler. Thus, the car was considered only a 300 in name, not in substance.

Fortunately for Chrysler, the merger of Daimler-Benz with the Chrysler Corporation in 1998 was to bring about the sharing of important technologies as in blending the best of German and American engineering into several domestically produced vehicles. One of the first models to benefit from this new relationship was the 2005 Chrysler 300C, a car that successfully fuses an American chassis and design with Mercedes suspension, steering, and transmission. Indeed, if you owned an earlier generation Mercedes E Class, many of the components that originated on that model found its way over to the all new 300C.

Soon after the 300C’s debut, Chrysler decided to offer a top of the line performance model that could rocket from 0 to 60 in just under 5 seconds. The Chrysler 300C SRT8 -- as it is called -- is powered by a 6.1L Hemi V8 producing 425 horses and 420 lb.-ft of torque, enough power to beat out the athletic Pontiac GTO, while lagging two tenths of a second behind the venerable Cadillac CTS-V. Of course, you have to pay an extra twelve thousand for the Caddy, but if you want to beat the CTS-V you only need to add on a pair of aftermarket enhancements to give your SRT8 a chance of winning.

Yes, the aftermarket crowd is hot in pursuit of whatever enhancements are available to improved performance for their Chryslers. Popular with the SRT8 set are performance exhaust systems and cold air intake systems. By combining the two, 300C owners can gain an extra 30 horsepower and as much as an additional 36 lb.-ft of torque!

Two manufacturers, Dub Air and Airaid, have developed performance air intake systems for the 300C SRT8 while Magnaflow Exhaust has captured the imagination of 300C SRT8 enthusiasts by developing an exhaust system that is designed to outlast your car. Each product helps to deliver more horsepower, improved torque, and the race car tone that can truly help your ride sound great and get you noticed.

Best of all, a fully enhanced Chrysler 300C SRT8 can beat the Cadillac CTS-V and you will still have more than ten thousand dollars left over. Not a bad deal for a car that competes against a Caddy that comes equipped with a Corvette engine!


About The Author

Copyright 2006 – Matthew C. Keegan is a freelance writer for Premier Truck Accessories: http://www.premiertruckaccessories.com/ a leading retailer of aftermarket Grand Cherokee SRT8 products: http://www.premiertruckaccessories.com/gcsrt8.html including Dubair Intake Systems: http://www.premiertruckaccessories.com/dubair.html . Please stop by our online shop today to explore our gigantic array of performance parts and accessories.