tikichris

The 2012 Chrysler 300C goes on sale June 14th here in the UK. Injecting a heaping dose of testerone into my usually kinda wimpy inbox, Chrysler dropped an email invite to the Jeremy Clarkson wannabe convention that was the launch and test drive for this mamma jamma of a luxury cruise. Assembled in Cambridge we Clarksonites et al hit the mean streets … erm … the bucolic lanes of the Cambridgeshire countryside for a day of driving fun.

And speaking of Clarkson, he and the rest of the macho folk at TopGear reckon the new 300C to be “superbly refined, and massively quiet … a lovely place to waft around in”. Getting in on the wannabe action, and having sat behind the wheel of the 300C myself, I suppose I couldn’t agree more with such an assessment.

Better built, safer and even more lavishly equipped and efficient than its predecessor, this “Quiet American” is a dreamboat of a ride. Offering the type of engineering, design, materials and driving dynamics that European buyers expect, combined with American swagger and value for money, the 2012 appears primed for an attempt to sail ahead of its competition too.

So just what is it that sets the 300C apart from previous models and the rest of the executive sector lot?

For starters, both the Limited  (£35,995) and Executive (£39,995) versions of the 300C come with Fiat Group Automobile’s new 3.0-litre V6 turbo diesel engine with MultiJet 2 technology, yielding a class-leading compromise between effortless power and fuel-saving efficiency. Rain Brake Support helps keep both Limited and Executive brake pads dry for better stopping power in poor conditions.

Standard on Limited models are ventilated front seats and heated rears, Uconnect infotainment system with Bluetooth, dual-zone climate control, an 8.4-inch touch screen display, mirrors that darken automatically to limit headlight glare, cruise control and 18-inch wheels. Executive 300Cs come with Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) system, radar Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and a two-panel panoramic sunroof as well as the forward collision monitoring system and 20-inch alloy wheels.

From redesigned Nappa leather seats to real wood panels on the dashboard, interiors feature high grade materials throughout both Limited and Executive 300Cs. The 300C’s body is made from a variety of new materials including advanced high resistance steel. Improved rigidity combined with all-new suspension to make the rear-wheel drive Chrysler 300C a quieter and more refined float through the streets. The more rigid construction also combines with a suite of nearly 70 electronic safety aids that ensure the Chrysler 300C offers top-class safety in a supremely stylish package.

Not so testoster-iffic, I honestly can’t claim to hold much knowledge when it comes to the goings on underneath the bonnet of any car. So no need to knock your knees there, Jeremy. However, I can tell you this about my test drive: the 300C drove like a breeze along those winding country roads. A generally fidgity driver, the lux interface and roomy seats eased me into total (yet still attentive and alert!) comfort as I zipped through the pretty swaths of English greenery in my Limited 300C. I loved the ventilated seats – no sweaty backs!

From the very moment I opened my 300C’s door and settled into the driver’s seat, I found my test drive to be an especially intuitive experience and a cut above any road time I’ve spent in a car for ages: plush style without compromising any umph! As one iconic American so eloquently put it, “walk softly and carry a big stick”. Chrysler seems to have incorporated Teddy Roosevelt’s sentiments into the 300C’s design: drive quietly and pack a wallop.

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