Review of the new Chrysler 300C SRT-8

Against a backdrop of soaring oil prices and increasingly stringent emissions regulations, the Chrysler 300C SRT-8 appears about as politically incorrect and irrelevant as it's possible to get. Despite this, it's hard not to love a car that features a 6.1-litre V8 engine and which looks like a bank job waiting to happen.

There's been a big upturn in the number of American muscle cars of late although the Chrysler is one of the few that's found its way to our shores. The Dodge Charger, the Chevrolet Impala SS, and the Ford Mustang have all aimed to capture the dollars of the committed horsepower enthusiast but Chrysler looks to have knocked them all for six with the SRT-8. Most will feel that the standard 215bhp V6 diesel is more than enough but perhaps Chrysler's association with Mercedes-Benz has given them an appetite for extreme power outputs. Although the culture is very different, parallels can certainly be drawn between Chrysler's SRT (Street and Racing Technologies) and the AMG division which doctors faster Mercedes models. Both have worked a very particular sort of magic on their respective wares, the end result being that the common thread is way more power than you were expecting.

The £40,000 300C SRT-8 is a case in point. With a hefty 425bhp and 420lb/ft of torque coming from that bored-out version of the famous 'hemi' V8, it's certainly no shrinking violet. As well as the bigger capacity, this engine features a higher compression ratio, a hotter cam, sixteen lighter valves and a forged crankshaft. The end result is an engine that performs bigger but actually drives smaller, the lighter engine internals allowing for a heady (for such a V8) rev limit of 6,400rpm. Contrary to expectations, this is an engine that thrives on revs. The revised five-speed automatic caters for these characteristics, hanging on to each gear for longer than the standard 300C shifter.

"The 300C SRT-8 offers sledgehammer presence and performance"

Suspension changes lower and stiffen the chassis and the SRT-8 rides on huge 20-inch wheels that make it look as if it has driven straight off a motor show stand. The ride is firmer on broken surfaces as a result of the increased spring rates but the chassis is so rigid that the car will rarely lose its composure. The stability control system has also been re-tuned to offer a little more leeway for enthusiast drivers looking to take advantage of the SRT-8's abundant power and playful rear-wheel drive chassis. As with Mercedes products, a press of the stability control button doesn't completely disable the stability control, but merely switches it to a mode where more slipping and sliding is allowed before the electronic governor decides enough is enough.

In one respect the 300C SRT-8 does trump its distant AMG cousins. Whereas they are limited to a top speed of 155mph, find a clear stretch of autobahn and you'll go sailing by in the SRT-8, its top speed of 168mph somewhat astounding given that with a drag coefficient of 0.36 and a frontal area of 25.8 square feet, the 300C is only marginally more aerodynamic than an advertising billboard. The sprint to 60mph is dispatched - no, demolished - in just 5.0 seconds, although muscle car fans will probably take more notice of the car's performance at the drag strip. A standing quarter mile of 13.2 seconds is a very respectable showing for a car that tips the scales at a whopping 1910kg. With fuel figures that range between 14 and 19mpg depending on how hard you drive, SRT-8 owners can look forward to a home generously stuffed with travel flasks, toasters and cut-glass decanters courtesy of their petrol station loyalty schemes.

The brakes are well up to the task of retarding a vehicle that weighs the best part of two tonnes, taking less than 50 metres to bring the big Chrysler to a dead halt on dry tarmac from 70mph. Peek through the alloy rims and you'll soon realise why, the four-piston Brembo callipers and 360mm vented discs being hardware more readily associated with a high-end sports coupe than an American muscle car.

Although the 300C can never be accused of subtlety, the changes made to the SRT-8's exterior styling aren't overly in your face. Modified front and rear spoilers help downforce and the front air dam features cooling ducts to the brakes. The rear spoiler is said to reduce rear end lift by 39 per cent without adding to drag. Other changes include body coloured front and rear bumper inserts, mirrors and door handles plus SRT badging. The interior benefits from sports seats and a technical finish to the dashboard with added leather. Although the cabin won't change existing preconceptions about American car interiors, it's not unpleasant and, at the prices Chrysler are charging, it seems rather churlish to nitpick about plastics quality.

There's a lot to like about the 300C SRT-8. Even more to like about it if you're not picking up the fuel tab, granted, but it definitely fills a void now that the Vauxhall Monaro has passed on. It certainly does enough to make the Mercedes E63 AMG look rather self conscious about its £67,000 price tag. It's not subtle and it's a long way from being in tune with current environmental trends, but the Chrysler 300C SRT-8 is big hearted, long on value and immensely likeable. Who cares if it only fills the tiniest of niches? The automotive world is a better place for cars with this much character.