2006 Chrysler 300C SRT8

When Chrysler brought out their new generation of 300 cars in 2005, they took some flack from purists. Some keepers of the Mopar flame grumbled about the use of "Letter Car" status for the new model. A brief history lesson: The first 300s were built between 1955 and 1971. All 300s produced between 1955 and 61, and some built between 1962 and 65, were "Letter Cars." Each was branded with an alphabetic letter—the 300C, for example—and backed by some serious hardware. During the late 1950s and early 1960s, these were full-sized, fire breathing muscle machines that were pricey, low in production, and elegantly arrogant.

Styling

The 300 cars had luxury appointments, big block Hemi or Wedge-head power, and board stiff suspensions. It was this "iron fist in a velvet glove" approach that earned them the nickname, "The Elegant Brutes," right up until Chrysler changed the formula in 1962. Seeking to capitalize on the Letter Car's rep, a second series of 300 cars was simultaneously sold. They lacked the letter and the hell-for-leather hardware that they were united with, but they were far more affordable. Plus, they sold fast, rolling off sales floors in numbers far greater than the not-for-everyone alphabet-labeled cars had ever managed to.


Fast-forward to 2005, as Chrysler returns its celebrated 300 nameplate to the lineup for the third time (the second was the front-wheel-drive 300M that ran from 1999 to 2003). The redesigned 2005 was offered as the 300 with a 2.7-liter 190-hp DOHC V-6, and an available 3.5-liter 250-hp SOHC V-6, and the 300C was delivered with a 340-hp HEMI V-8. Diehards huffed, but critics smiled, and buyers have registered their approval by rolling well over 100,000 units out of showrooms and into their driveways.


Late in the model year, Chrysler unveiled a hot rod variant of the 300C. Molded by their resident high-performance wing, it was branded with their own set of letters: SRT. A curious turnaround, now in their third incarnation, the 300 series re-emerged onto the mass-market first, only to be followed by the new wave of limited production flame-throwers. Giving modern day drivers a glimpse of the DNA of an original Letter Car, it makes sense that they are so desirable. Like their forefathers, these cars smoke.

Power

Since day one, buyers and customizers have been talking about the 300C's distinctive design: the blunt front, the egg crate grille, its chiseled, square shouldered looks with high belt line and low, chopped greenhouse—an aftermarket manufacturer's dream that has been seen on the street in countless one-off variations. The launch of the SRT8 brings an original spin to the 300's style, showing subtle changes to front and rear fascia, adding discrete badging, and bluish, HID headlamps. The wheel wells are packed with a set of none-too-subtle, 10-spoke 20-inch alloy rims, shod with phat (and fat) Goodyear Eagle tires. Color choices are curiously subdued for 2006 as Silver Steel joins Bright Silver and Brilliant Black on the SRT8 paint charts. Discrete hues are always good choices for stealth motoring, but even the Letter Cars way back in the day had some red in their genes.