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Chrysler 300M sports sedan with attitude marks new flagship
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
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ROCKY FACE, Ga. -- Running over a narrow strip of pavement warped by Blue Ridge ripples in Georgia, the new flagship sedan from Chrysler wiggles around a dicey downhill curve with the sure-footed manners of an international sports touring car.
Its sleek body maintains a flat stance around each subsequent turn despite lateral forces of motion at work.
A taut independent strut suspension stifles tire chatter from pavement swells as a quick rack and pinion system tells driver's fingers on steering wheel what they need to feel to sense nuances of an irregular road bed.
Yet the pulse of this expressive machine beats through a powerful new engine. Press the pedal and it leaps to action through the next straightaway down the valley.
Clearly, a drive in Chrysler's new 300M reveals the car has an attitude to match its streamlined silhouette.
Remember that name: It's destined to become the new icon of Chrysler, embodiment of advanced automotive design and powerful mechanical aptitude.
And it's absolutely beautiful, a treat to the eye.
The daring exterior design features an abbreviated prow with articulated quad headlamps recessed in fluted bezels and sweeping into the bulging low hood followed by a massive canted windshield. The glass initiates a smooth arched roof which extends over sensuously shaped doors and blends C pillars in graceful descent to a curt high tail.
It looks clean and pure in the absence of superfluous elements, a sophisticated design theme which continues inside to a luxury cabin for five with plush leather seats and elegant graphics for analog instruments.
To see the significance of this new car, you must first understand the name and its place in Chrysler's heritage.
Beginning in 1955 with the C-300, Chrysler produced a series of powerful flagship vehicles which merged the speed of a sports car with the comfort of a full-size sedan. The 300 sedans, which stretched to the 300L of 1965, became hallmarks of high performance and engineering advancements for Chrysler in that era.
Now, Chrysler's progressive ideas drawn from the current decade -- cab-forward architecture, design themes of understated elegance, virtual planning in cyberspace through supercomputer technology -- come together with advanced new concepts added to fashion a future benchmark with 300M.
The size, held to international standard of five meters (under 200 inches) signals Chrysler's intent to market a worldly version to Europe and other foreign markets.
Foundation of 300M traces to the new second generational design of Chrysler Concorde, with shared platform, door panels, roof and front fenders.
Chassis extends in length and width beyond normal measures, and wheels pin to corners of the rectangular plan. The wide track and long wheelbase work to create a stable platform and contribute to the aggressive attitude 300M exhibits in motion. Compared against the Concorde's platform, this new foundation has been fortified at critical flex points to forge a stiffer structure for smoother ride sensations and more crisp handling traits.
To this stiff platform front and rear independent suspension components mount to set up more reactive and adaptive handling characteristics.
Front suspension components include a MacPherson strut tied to single-pivot lower control arm and tension strut. In the rear, a multi-link Chapman strut mates with new aluminum cross member.
For 300M in North America, two versions differ in suspension tuning. The standard edition has a sporty feel with touring settings, while an optional handling package, geared for more aggressive driving, gets stiffer tweaks coupled to high-performance tires and larger disc brakes.
Innovations in production techniques and materials for 300M build strength, shave weight and reduce noise and vibrations: A magnesium steering wheel structure and aluminum hood pare weight, as single-unit components like stamped doors trim labor costs and improve quality and fit, and foam injected into body cavities isolates noise by sealing the passenger compartment.
Chrysler developed three new benchmark aluminum V6 engines to propel the 300M, but the two smaller units drop only in export editions.
All 300M versions in North America draw from a technologically advanced 3.5-liter six with single cam configuration and four valves in each cylinder.
It runs up to 253 horsepower.
Despite the high output, this plant operates on regular gas and earns good fuel economy figures.
The engine teams with a new electronically-controlled automatic 4-speed transmission that marks a significant improvement over previous Chrysler shifters. It's quiet and efficient when running through gears, and not intrusive.
Also, to enhance sporty performance, the transmission adds Chrysler's AutoStick, which offers the shift-it-yourself choices of a manual stick without requiring a clutch pedal to pump.
Couple the muscle of 253 hp to extensive applications of light-weight aluminum in engine and suspension, even structural components like the aluminum hood, and the 300M ends up feeling even more active with its sizable power-to-weight ratio.
The passenger compartment of 300M extends the graceful exterior theme of gentle curves and contrasting sharp creases in a space that's spacious and airy.
Two firm bucket seats upholstered in plush leather flank a center console in front of a back bench for three with 60/40 folding split seatback and trunk access. Despite a slinky exterior profile with low roofline, adults riding in back will find more than adequate headroom and enough space to stretch legs too.
Up front, a new dash design anchored with magnesium structure for the steering column installs concealed airbags and analog instruments with bold black-on-white graphics ringed in chrome bezels.
Tipped toward luxury plus performance, 300M provides a long list of standard equipment, from power controls for seats and windows and doors to automatic climate system and an Infiniti audio with nine speakers plus safety devices like anti-lock brakes and traction control system.
1999 CHRYSLER 300M SEDAN
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| Vehicle Specifications: |
| 1999 CHRYSLER 300M Specs |
| Description: |
Full-size sports sedan |
| Model Options: |
Full-size sports sedan |
| Wheelbase: |
113.0 inches |
| Overall Length: |
197.8 inches
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| Engine Size: |
SOHC 3.5-L V6
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| Transmission: |
Auto/4 AutoStick |
| Drive: |
Front |
| Braking: |
Power 4-disc/ABS |
| Airbags: |
2 |
| Gas Mileage: |
18/27 mpg |
| Price: |
$ 28,895 |
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