2012 Chrysler 300 SRT8

By Edward R. Noble

There are certain cars that you will never forget. Be it your first car or the one that you never did get.

I believe that the Chrysler 300 SRT8 will be one of them. Assuming, you actually bought one.

While over the years you most likely forgot the "X" car and Cimarron. But, the Chrysler 300 SRT8 will be the one you brag about to grandchildren. Building on the already signature "gangster" styling and one honking bad-boy Hemi V-8 engine, the 300 demands respect at the stoplight. The very nerve of actually putting 'SRT' in the name is an in-your-face challenge. SRT is "Street Racing Technology"! The folks at Chrysler have not turned French yet.  Fiat the boss at Chrysler these days are the same builders that brought us some of the wimpy little rust buckets decades ago.  The 300SRT8 might be at the very end of their hopes and dreams for Chrysler's future. But, I may be wrong.

It was smart for the gang at Chrysler Design not to stray too far from the first 300 sedans. There is just enough new styling to let the world of car nuts know you have the latest 2012 edition. The tested 300 SRT had a blackout grille, but that is nearly the only noticeable difference at a glance. I personally like the after market stainless steel mesh grille that fools some into thinking the 300 is a Bentley.

Actually there are dozens of after market additions to make the 300 even more spectacular. Not much reason to mess with the mighty 6.4- liter V-8  Eight speed automatics are starting to show up in performance cars. Anyway the 300 SRT8 will get you to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds. Take it to the drag strip and 113 mph in just 12.13 seconds in a quarter mile is going to send some hot-rodders into a depression.

But, there is plenty to make all passengers pleased with the rich interior appointments. A deep black leather bathes about everything except the "Radar Red" bucket seats up front and a like treatment for those few that may ever occupy the rear bench seat.

A lttle button on the side of the drivers seat powers the pedals  forward or back. The instrumentation was a show in itself. The backlit gauges with their jukebox glow made you feel good every time they lit up. I like my music and part of the "premium" speaker package at $1,995 gets you 18 speakers with a sub-woofer and 900 watts of chest pounding sound.

The back-up camera is a feature of the excellent navigation system. First time I've seen this; the navigation map not only shows you where you are it also displays the posted speed limit, and the cars speed too.  All it needs is a factory issued radar detector.

That same screen is the path to many other accessories like phone calls, climate controls, and more. Check this out; the two drink holders in the big center console will keep your beverage hot or cold.   When the remote key is activated the menacing headlights light with an "I dare you"  mascara glow.

Planting both hands firmly on the fat heated leather wrapped steering wheel, looking way down the lonely country road, all four 20 inch 245/45 performance tires are dry. I pull the trigger, and the mighty HEMI lets out an operatic bellow. Yes, just like the old days when those four-barrel carbs opened up for a big drink of air and fuel. The rear wheels dug into the ash fault, and a little cloud of hot rubber filled the wheel well. 60 is there before you can check the speedometer. I used the steering wheel shifters through just two and half gears the muffler by-pass open up for that old time Woodward Ave. roar before prudence seemed to let my foot ease up. There was plenty more left, but for someplace more suitable.

If your're not into all that power, check out the 300 Luxury Series . This cant be right.  Can I get 31 mph in a 300? Why drive one of those little kiddy cars? It has all of the SRT persona with a luxury presentation.

Chrysler is out selling its domestic competition "viva America".

You only live once, get one of these 300 SRT8 before they are against the law.

The price of the test car was $55,645.