Press Release
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Fastest wagon under $150,000
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Immense power: 6.1-litre HEMI® V8, 317 kW
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Impressive performance: 0-100 km/h in the mid five-second range
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Outstanding value: $74,990
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300C SRT8 accounts for over 10 per cent of total model sales
Chrysler will deliver motoring enthusiasts an early Christmas gift this year launching a high performance Street and Racing Technology (SRT) version of its highly successful 300C Touring, arriving in dealerships in the coming weeks.
The newest variant of the 300C family, like the Sedan SRT8, is powered by the SRT engineered 6.1-litre HEMI V8, boasting immense power (317 kW) and torque (569 Nm) and impressive performance figures; 0-100 km/h time in the mid-five-second range and an electronically limited top speed of 265 km/h.
“Ditch the reindeer - this year for Christmas Chrysler is exciting driving enthusiasts with the fastest wagon under $150,000,” said Gerry Jenkins managing director for the Chrysler Group in Australia.
“The festive season comes only once a year, but with a gift like the 300C Touring SRT8 under the tree, for only $74,990, you’d have to say it’s worth the wait.
“With its combination of jaw dropping performance and style this is surely the coolest wagon on the road. And it’s great for delivering presents in a hurry!
“We have been able to secure limited numbers of this vehicle for Australia thanks to the phenomenal demand for the 300C – it is a huge hit with the public,” he said.
The 300C Touring SRT8 Sedan is engineered for incredible acceleration and stopping power, with 20-inch alloy wheels, performance tuned suspension and Brembo brakes.
Add to that the exceptional cargo volumes (up to 1,602 litres), thoughtful features like the unique access rear liftgate and even more aggressive styling to the already menacing wagon proportions, and the 300C Touring SRT8 is one compelling package.
The latest vehicle from Chrysler also comes with a high level of standard safety equipment including Electronic Stability Program, anti-lock brake system and advanced multi-stage airbag system.
With 1,723 sales to November (2006 year-to-date), the 300C has largely driven Chrysler’s growth this year muscling a 32 percent share in the large car segment (upper large under $100,000). Significantly the 300C SRT8, until now only available in sedan guise, accounts for over ten percent of total model sales. Chrysler brand sales of 3,369 are up 56 percent for the year making Chrysler one of the fastest growing brands in Australia.
The 300C SRT8 Touring is the fourth SRT branded vehicle to be sold in Australia, joining the high performance 300C SRT8 Sedan, the Chrysler Crossfire SRT6 and the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8.
The 300C SRT8 Touring exemplifies the SRT formula of all-around performance at a very attractive price complimented with expressive yet functional design.
The 300C Touring and Sedan now share the same potent engine line-up; a 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine, 5.7-litre HEMI V8 petrol engine, a Mercedes-Benz 3.0-litre CRD turbo diesel engine, and the high performance 6.1-litre HEMI V8.
Powertrain
The heart of the 300C SRT8 Touring, like the Sedan SRT8, is the larger capacity engine, which takes the HEMI® to the next level with 25 percent more power than the 5.7-litre version.
The 317 kW, normally aspirated 6.1-litre HEMI® engine is the highest specific-output engine ever offered by the Chrysler Group. Its 52.05 kW-per-litre rating exceeds even that of the legendary 1966 `Street HEMI.' Torque is rated at 569 Nm at 4600 rpm.
Although the Chrysler HEMI® was born in the 1950s and entered into legend in the 1960s and '70s, today's version took much of its inspiration from the original – particularly the namesake hemispherical combustion chambers that provide power and efficiency.
When Chrysler Group's Street and Racing Team (SRT) set out to develop a more powerful HEMI® for the Chrysler 300C SRT8, they were mindful of the engine's heritage, which led to adopting traditional HEMI® engine cues such as an orange painted cylinder block and black valve covers.
The SRT powertrain engineers who developed the Chrysler 300C SRT8 Touring's engine achieved more power by adding increasing capacity, increasing the compression ratio, redesigning the cylinder head intake and exhaust systems for increased flow, and increasing engine speed.
To get more displacement, SRT engineers bored out the diameter of the cylinders in the Chrysler 300C SRT8's HEMI® by 3.5 mm each, to increase the total displacement to 6.1-litres from 5.7-litres. Compression ratio was also increased to 10.3:1 from 9.6:1, unleashing more energy in the combustion process.
Engine breathing was increased with new high-flow cylinder heads, a specially designed intake manifold, and exhaust `headers' with individual tubes encased in a stainless steel shell, all unique to the new SRT8's 6.1-litre HEMI® engine. Larger diameter valves and reshaped cylinder ports in the heads allow for maximised air flow. The intake manifold was designed with larger diameter runners for higher-speed tuning. Exhaust is routed through a larger-diameter 70 mm exhaust system (up by 10 percent) with 90 mm chrome tail pipes.
Performance-oriented camshaft profiles were developed to balance total vehicle requirements, simultaneously allowing more air in and out of cylinders. This increases performance and manages a higher engine speed, which is another method to increase horsepower. SRT engineers increased the HEMI®'s peak engine speed to 6200 rpm from 5400 rpm. Intake and exhaust valve stems are hollow, and the exhaust valve stems are filled with sodium to help dissipate heat more efficiently.
The high-performance 6.1-litre HEMI® is further strengthened with a host of redesigned components, including a reinforced engine block with increased coolant flow, forged steel crankshaft, high-strength powdered-metal connecting rods, floating-pin pistons (cooled by oil squirters), and a sump modified to ensure reduced oil foaming.
In the 300C SRT8 Touring, the 6.1-litre HEMI®'s power is channelled through an W5A580 five-speed automatic transmission with specially calibrated AutoStick® driver-selectable range control, which offers fully automatic or sequential manual gear shifting. A heavy-duty four-flange prop shaft sends the torque from the transmission to an upgraded rear differential and axle.
Ride and handling
The Chrysler 300C SRT8 Touring's suspension and chassis are tuned for outstanding ride and handling across the broadest dynamic range that customers are likely to experience.
Chassis setup for the Chrysler 300C SRT8 Touring is aimed at all-round performance with a number of enhancements, including tuned Bilstein dampers, specially tailored spring rates and suspension bushings and larger-diameter anti-roll bars. New front and rear suspension knuckles contribute to a ride height lowered 13 mm compared to the regular model. And, the Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) has been specially tuned for the SRT8's performance handling characteristics.
The Chrysler 300C SRT8 Touring connects with the road via a new wheel and tyre assembly consisting of 20-inch aluminium SRT performance wheels.
Braking performance goes hand-in-hand with the new Chrysler 300C SRT8 Touring's outstanding acceleration and speed. The braking system was specially designed to slow and stop the car safely, predictably and with maximum stability. It was designed to provide benchmark braking performance, setting a new standard for wagons in its class.
Within each of the large diameter 20-inch wheels are high performance brake calipers developed by Brembo — well known in racing and high-performance circles — equipped with four pistons for unrivalled stopping performance. Up front, the Chrysler 300C SRT8 Touring has 360 mm x 32 mm ventilated discs, with 350 mm x 28 mm ventilated discs at the rear.
Design and amenities
Befitting its high-performance character, the new Chrysler 300C SRT8 Touring exterior styling is a sophisticated treatment that resonates with the Chrysler brand's premium character.
Modified front and rear fascias help direct air flow, particularly through unique ducts that help cool the brakes. In addition, a specially designed rear deck spoiler, while refined in appearance, is also functional — reducing lift by 39 percent without increasing drag.
Other unique touches to the Chrysler 300C SRT8 Touring's exterior include body-colour front and rear bumper inserts, body-colour grille insert with chrome collar, body colour mirrors and door handles, and unique SRT badging. Four exterior colours are available: Bright Silver, Brilliant Black, Midnight Blue and Steel Blue. The interior is offered in a Light Graystone/Dark Slate combination.
Standard interior features of the Chrysler 300C SRT8 Touring include front seats equipped with heat and memory functions, clad with performance suede inserts that secure occupants during spirited driving. Other features include a`technical' leather trim on the steering wheel, shifter and door pulls; and special finishing on interior trim such as on the centre stack. Full instrumentation includes a 300 km/h speedometer, tachometer and temperature gauges.
Versatility and capacity with extended cargo bay
The Chrysler 300C SRT8 Touring wagon shares all the major attributes of its Sedan sibling, but adds the customer benefit of a 545-litre load area which can be expanded to 1,602 litres with rear seats folded, plus easy access through the unique rear liftgate.
The body of the Chrysler 300C SRT8 Touring shares the strong structure of the Sedan, but has unique rear side panels, roof and rear liftgate. The steel liftgate is shaped like an inverted "L," and the hinges are set back over the load area so that the liftgate rises almost vertically and does not require the operator to step back from the vehicle. This unique liftgate architecture also allows for enhanced access to the rear cargo area. The liftgate, fitted with a two-speed wiper and wash system for additional customer convenience, can be unlocked using the button on the key fob and opened by the centrally mounted external handle.
Both the front and rear seats of the Chrysler 300C SRT8 Touring are as spacious and comfortable as those of the Sedan — with near identical head, leg and shoulder room — but the trunk area is 25 percent larger than in the Sedan when the rear seats are up. The Chrysler 300C SRT8 Touring offers exceptional minimum and maximum cargo volume.
The load area features a removable, rollaway tonneau cover, large storage bins in each side panel, four cargo tie-down loops and a 12-volt power outlet. The load floor has a removable tri-fold panel that weighs just 7.25 kg and can be partially or fully folded, or completely removed. When used, small items can be stored below this floor panel. When removed, the maximum available load height is increased by 102 mm.
Additional cargo can be carried on the optional roof bars that come with two cross bars. Roof bar load capacity is 68 kg.
Safety and security features
Following are safety and security features available on the Chrysler 300C SRT8 Touring:
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Advanced multi-stage air bag system: Inflates with a force appropriate to the severity of the impact
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Anti-lock brake system: Electronic sensors that help prevent wheel lockup. The standard ABS system offers improved steering control under extreme braking and/or slippery conditions
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Electronic Stability Program (ESP): This standard feature aids the driver in maintaining vehicle directional stability, providing oversteer and understeer control to maintain vehicle behaviour on various road surfaces
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Energy-absorbing steering column: Manual-adjust telescoping steering column includes two hydroformed coaxial tubes that move relative to each other, which allows the column to move forward and provide more energy absorption during an impact
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High Intensity Discharge (HID) lighting: This feature provides 70 percent more light to increase driver visibility, using XENON bulb technology
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Rear park assist: This ultrasonic rear obstacle detection system signals through an audible warning and a rear overhead display to avoid potential collisions
Street and racing technology
The Street and Racing Technology team has created some of Chrysler Group's most distinctive, performance-oriented products. Currently the SRT line up in Australia encompasses four models: Chrysler Crossfire SRT6 (Coupe and Roadster), Chrysler 300C SRT8 Sedan, Chrysler 300C SRT8 Touring and Jeep® Grand Cherokee SRT8.
Like the entire Chrysler 300C family of vehicles that are sold in Australia, the 300C SRT8 Touring will be built at the Magna Steyr Manufacturing Facility in Graz, Austria.
