Jeep, 2011 Jeep Wrangler Mojave

Jeep, 2011 Jeep Wrangler Mojave


Nearly every automaker churns out special editions, but few have been doing it for as long as Jeep, a brand that’s been dressing up its iconic off-roaders since the Tuxedo Park CJ-5s of the early 1960s. (Among the more famous special Jeeps is the Golden Eagle of the late ’70s—if you don’t remember that one, we’ll bet the words “Daisy” and “Duke” will jog your memory.) Available for both two- and four-door Wranglers, the Mojave is the latest such Jeep. Strangely, it was introduced in New York, a city both more than 2500 miles away from the namesake desert and trail and utterly lacking in suitable off-road obstacles, unless you count hobos and stockbrokers, which we do.

Starting with a Wrangler Sport, the exterior Mojavification involves slapping on Jeep’s handsome body-colored hardtop and fender flares in tan, white, or black—the only paints available. Jeep then adds the side steps from the Sahara model, as well as lizard decals on the hood and rearmost pillar. The Mojave dips into the pockets of another Wrangler trim, the Rubicon, for its 32-inch off-road rubber and gray 17-inch wheels. Power comes from the familiar and wheezy 202-hp, 3.8-liter V-6, and both the four-speed automatic and six-speed manual transmissions are available. (Sorry, no Pentastar or six-speed slushbox until next year, Wrangler fans.)

Inside, the Mojave gets dark saddle leather, embroidered lizards on the front seats, and tread-patterned rubber floor mats. The press release also says there is driftwood trimming the vents, dash-mounted grab handle, steering wheel spokes, and inner door handles, but it's not old dead trees—it's just a different silver color.

The Mojave will arrive in showrooms this June with a $29,945 starting price, hobos not included.

Terrain vs. CR-V, RAV4, Tiguan, Mariner, Outlander, Forester, Grand Vitara - Comparison Tests

Terrain vs. CR-V, RAV4, Tiguan, Mariner, Outlander, Forester, Grand Vitara - Comparison Tests


Last time we wrung out the automotive galaxy of miniature SUVs [“Mud Puppies,” February 2008], we, uh, really had to wring them out. That’s because we sank a couple of them and doused the rest in liquid clay, prompting outrage from off-road clubs, a few manufacturers, and the state of Michigan.

We resolved this time to avoid the primordial goo in favor of the genteel plantations and quarter-horse farms of Bluegrass Country, which offered the bonus of genuine BBQ joints. At one such eatery, in fact, the waitress eventually approached our table and made this startling announcement: “We are now officially out of ribs.” Upon returning to the hotel that night, assistant tech editor K.C. Colwell complained, “Oh, man, I think I’ve got the meat sweats.

In truth, one doesn’t associate raging carnivorism with these docile vehicles, which Americans still view as SUVs but we regard as tall wagons. Why not a Camry wagon instead of a RAV4 or an Accord wagon instead of a CR-V? Whenever we’ve proffered that argument, however, we’ve been met with blank stares. So here we go again with the “mild horses,” strong on practicality but mostly less fun than that pony your parents rented for your sixth birthday.

This time around, we’ve deleted the Jeep Liberty and the Nissan Rogue, which didn’t win previously and are unchanged. We included no Hyundai because an all-new Tucson is looming but not yet available. And GM’s envoy on this outing was the new GMC Terrain. To that mix we added a couple of turbocharged newcomers: VW’s Tiguan and Subaru’s recently updated Forester.

We opted for automatic transmissions, the highest-output engine, and all-wheel drive. Alas, we could locate only front-drive versions of the Terrain and the Tiguan. Sorry.

Given the insurance claims following our most recent mini-SUV test, we went to great pains this time to assure a damage-free outing. Did you know that horses enjoy eating side-view mirrors, windshield wipers, $12,000 Nikon cameras, and paint right down to bare metal? Neither did we.Continued...

Jeep Grand Cherokee vs. Kia Borrego, Nissan Pathfinder, Toyota 4Runner - Comparison Tests

Jeep Grand Cherokee vs. Kia Borrego, Nissan Pathfinder, Toyota 4Runner - Comparison Tests

Newspaper wit Art Buchwald said that when you drive home in Los Angeles, your house may meet you halfway. L.A. is a city on the move—literally, about an inch every year, toward the northwest. Two immense slabs of the Earth’s crust, the Pacific plate and the North American plate—each one thousands of miles wide and 60 miles thick—are sideswiping each other in a geologic fender bender that has been under way for 30 million years. Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, and most of California’s teeming cities and towns are sitting right on the rub strip, year by  year lurching closer and closer to Alaska.

As in any car crash, surfaces are getting wrinkled. Californians owe their up-thrusting coastal mountains—and the solitary deserts behind them—to the incessant grinding of rock in the fissures beneath their feet. Documenting faults is what we do here at C/D, so we selected four trucks with four-wheel drive and off-road pretensions and crawled deep into the seismic rift zones to the north and east of L.A., looking for faults while in the, um, faults.

The 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee is the newest, and we opted for the full, double-chili-with-onions Overland V-8 this time (we tested a low-option V-6 model in the September issue). Of the $45,240 as-tested price, the Off-Road Adventure II package (skid plates, a full-size spare, off-road tires, and 18-inch wheels) is responsible for just $275. Clearly, Jeep wants you out there getting dirty.

Dozens of earthquakes strike daily in Southern California, most too slight to be felt. The looming “Big One,” a major rupture that violently rearranges the landscape every couple hundred years or so, is overdue [see subpage]. With local geologists glued to their seismometers, we were obliged to rely on the “Desert Wookie” and his sidekick, “Wild Bill,” for guidance into the sun-scorched heart of earthquake country. A mysterious pair, their conversation frequently turned to high-caliber weapons and bygone Navy SEAL operations. In exchange for their encyclopedic desert knowledge, they demanded anonymity, and—directed early on to the legally registered shirt lumps at their waists—we obliged and gratefully submitted to their command. Continued...

Jeep, 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8

Jeep, 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8


What it is: Outrageous. This marks the second time a Jeep has received the SRT treatment.

Why it matters: It doesn’t really matter, actually. But if it’s half as bodacious as the first Grand Cherokee SRT8, it’ll be the most charmingly absurd (and least fuel efficient) of the all SRT8s.

Platform: Like the standard Grand Cherokee and the Dodge Durango, the Grand Cherokee SRT8 will use a version of the platform underpinning the Mercedes M-class SUV. This same pile of parts will be used to fashion a Maserati SUV (using a Ferrari-based engine). Like the Jeep and the Dodge, the Maserati will be built in the still-beating heart of  Detroit at the Jefferson North Plant. Yes, it is a strange world we live in.

Powertrain: This one’s a no-brainer. The new muscle-Jeep will use the 470-hp, 6.4-liter Hemi V-8 that made its debut in the 2011 Dodge Challenger. It will slot into the SRT versions of the Charger and 300 as well. We expect it eventually will be backed by an eight-speed automatic. At launch though, the JGC SRT8 will likely carry the existing five-speed auto.

Competition: BMW X5 M, Maserati’s Ferrari-engined SUV, Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG.

What might go wrong: Depending on future gas prices, the Grand Cherokee SRT8 might be economically  viable for only those who own an oil field, a refinery, and a pump. And Jeep has already gone wrong in ditching the first-gen SRT8’s center-exit exhaust for a more conventional dual arrangement.

Estimated arrival and price: The Grand Cherokee SRT8 will go on sale this summer, and pricing should start at about $46,000.

New Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 Confirmed?

New Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 Confirmed?


We just had the opportunity to ask the Jeep crew about the possibility of a second-gen Grand Cherokee SRT8, and while they won’t officially confirm—or, more important, deny—anything, they did allow that when Chrysler creates an SRT version of a new product, you can generally expect it to appear within the first couple of model years after introduction. We’d call that pretty solid confirmation that America will once again be pumping out bad-ass SUVs within the next couple of years.

Under the hood, expect a 6.4-liter naturally aspirated Hemi; output has been reported as being between 505 and 525 hp, but we have a sneaking suspicion it could be even higher. Rumblings suggest that the 555-hp BMW X5 M is squarely in Jeep’s sights, as the brand would be keen to reclaim the title as the world’s quickest production SUV. We tested the X5 M to 60 mph in 4.0 seconds, so the 2012 Cherokee SRT8 will need to slice 0.4 second from the outgoing 2010 model’s time to once again be king. Of course, it’s possible that 525 hp would be enough to pull off the feat, but why stop there? If Jeep’s going to do this thing, we say let it all hang out, and trumping BMW’s power figure—from a naturally aspirated engine, no less—would be one fine feather in Chrysler’s cap. With air suspension on the list of available technologies for the regular-grade 2011 Grand Cherokee, we’d expect adjustable air springs to make an appearance in the weapons-grade SRT model, too, imparting even sportier handling than before.

The new 2011 Grand Cherokee’s taut, handsome styling should transfer well to the new SRT model; we hope the new model can keep the twin, center-mounted exhaust cannons, which were one of our favorite touches on the previous Cherokee SRT8. We loved that SRT8, but we have a feeling we’ll love the upcoming one even more.

Jeep, 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo V6 4x4

Jeep, 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo V6 4x4


A tarantula hawk is not a hawk, but a giant wasp that lives in California’s deserts. An expectant female can be up to four inches long, and when the time comes, she pounces on the nearest tarantula, which is also native to deserts lit orange at night by the glow of Los Angeles. She paralyzes the spider with her half-inch stinger, then drags the prostrate arachnid to an underground lair where she lays a single white egg on it. The egg hatches after five days, and the infant wasp dines on its hapless victim for about a month, craftily saving the organs for last so that the spider remains alive—and fresh.

As luck would have it, we did not encounter any four-inch-long wasps while testing the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee, which is fine because a tarantula hawk’s sting rates on the Schmidt Sting Pain Index as feeling “blinding, fierce, shockingly electric, [like a] running hair dryer has been dropped in your bubble bath.


However, while driving our $38,785 Grand Cherokee Laredo 4X4 from San Francisco to Los Angeles, we did explore a few out-of-the-way places where green mountains thrust skyward and condors soar, where the ocean laps sand soft enough to trap wimpier SUVs, and where the pinyon pines and the purple nightshades hide rav­enous ticks who like to crawl up a car photographer’s leg while he’s composing a shot.

In other words, places where nobody who spends the same sum of money on a car will ever go.

And that’s the point of buying a Grand Cherokee. To see places and meet bugs you can’t in other vehicles. From the moment former Chrysler exec Bob Lutz drove the very first Grand Cherokee through a plate-glass window at the 1992 Detroit auto show—folks still talk about it—the GC (as compared with the iconic Wrangler) has amounted to five seats in an up-trimmed wagon that is equally ready for the mall or an off-road maelstrom.

However, Jeep’s product planners admitted to us at the San Francisco introduction that no more than five percent of owners ever leave pavement. That fact has been discussed and debated over the years by the company’s various overlords. The 2011 Grand Cherokee started development five years ago at DaimlerChrysler, continued during Cerberus ownership, and was finished under Fiat management. We’re told that various suits along the line mentioned that if all Grand Cherokees weren’t overbuilt to survive the Rubicon Trail, they would tally fewer pounds than the hefty 4772 our lightly optioned V-6 Laredo weighed and, thus, return something better than the 19 mpg average we observed.

But then, what would make it special?” asks vehicle line executive Matt Liddane, rhetorically and undoubtedly for something like the 423rd time, as we run our mitts over the GC’s curvaceous new dashboard. Liddane has worked on Jeeps since well before Lutz did the big crash-through, and he believes firmly in preserving the brand’s off-road exceptionalism.

While Liddane is talking about test runs to Jeeper hangouts like Moab, Utah—the location of our first experience with the new Jeep Grand Cherokee—we can’t help but notice that the new GC’s dash has a nearly seamless skin, attractive hooded saucers for gauges, and comely, chrome-accented air vents. The interior is made largely of soft-touch materials, and the various pieces interlock with precision. The switches and column stalks move with heft and make soft landings.

Trip and fuel-economy data flow from high-resolution screens between the gauges and on the console, where a multicolor radio display serves as a place keeper for the optional Garmin navigation system, which our working-class Laredo lacked. In back, the rear seat reclines luxuriantly and offers four more inches of legroom than last year’s model, although there’s still no third row.

Besides having an interior that utterly embarrasses past Chrysler products, the ’11 GC shares a very carlike platform with the new Mercedes-Benz ML, due this fall. When we say “carlike,” we’re referring to the cast aluminum lower-control arms up front, the multi­link rear suspension, the large disc brakes at all four corners, and the generally refined calibration of the rack-and-pinion steering and the plush ride.

Extensive sound insulation, including triple-layer door seals, laminated glass, and an extra wall in the engine compartment that seals it off from the cabin, convinced us on the freeway dash out of San Francisco that this GC comes closest to being the ruggedly chic and competently multipurpose American pseudo Range Rover that it has always aspired to be. A couple of issues ago, Thomas Steinbeck, son of the late Nobel Prize–winning author John Steinbeck, referred to the Bixby Creek Bridge on Highway 1, so we went there first. The 700-foot span overlooking the Pacific is named after Charles Bixby, an early settler who was also a cousin of President James K. Polk, though more people know the bridge from its cameo in The Graduate. A 10-mile trail winds its way up into the mountains from the bridge. We looked for but did not find any wild javelinas or any terrain to sweat the Grand Cherokee’s capabilities.

The GC’s options list includes a leather-wrapped dashboard and steering wheel, genuine wood, height-adjusting air springs (available as a package on the Laredo, the Limited, and the super-deluxe Overland), and three versions of four-wheel drive. Prices can reach the mid-40s on the flagship Overland with the Hemi V-8.

Our mid-level, four-wheel-drive Laredo X—there’s also a thriftier Laredo E, starting at $30,995 with rear drive—had the simplest of the four-wheel drivetrains: Quadra-Trac I, permanently engaged four-wheel drive with a fixed 50/50 torque split and brake-based traction control governing its open differentials. The fancier systems add electronic limited-slip couplings to the center and rear differentials, plus a control that tailors the torque bias and the throttle response to various terrain.

The 3.6-liter “Pentastar” V-6 is all-new and checks most of the current technology boxes: aluminum construction, 24 valves, roller rockers, and phasing on all four cams. Space on the heads has been saved for direct injection, should it be deemed worthwhile in the future. With a five-speed automatic transmission behind it, the engine is a smooth motivator to 60 mph, yours in 8.4 seconds with a spirited exhaust snarl to accompany it.

If a second or two worth of haste is needed, there’s always the 5.7-liter Hemi V-8, with another 2200 to 2400 pounds of tow capacity beyond the V-6’s 5000 but city fuel economy in the low teens. Only about 40 percent of buyers are expected to take the V-8. We wouldn’t, not when the V-6 is now so good.

Without a rear-drive-only mode, our Laredo’s all-wheel drivetrain undoubtedly bit into fuel economy, but it ran quietly at expressway speeds and with no obvious drag on the V-6’s 290 horsepower. And it supplied solid traction on the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area near Pismo Beach, where anyone can pay five dollars to drive on the well-tracked sand.

Pismo takes its name from the Chumash Indian word pismu, or tar. In various places along California’s coast, pismu seeps up from the underworld naturally. The ranger looked us up and down with a seen-your-type-before glare and warned us repeatedly not to drive on the actual dunes or into the ocean. Apparently, this is a big problem, especially on weekends. It was Tuesday, and in addition to a thoroughly stuck Ford Edge, we also spotted a Knight Rider–era Trans Am, sunk to its doorsills roughly 37 feet beyond the paved entrance.

Eventually we wheeled into L.A.—it’s easily a one-tank trip with 24.6 gallons aboard—feeling fresh in the GC’s comfortable buckets, though the floor mats were doused with sand and the lovely dash was blemished with the crushed bodies of numerous ticks. If no tarantula hawks were to be observed, at least we witnessed America’s most perennially troubled automaker make a convincing case that it’s turning things around. Perhaps, this time, for good.

Jeep, 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8

Jeep, 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8


It was at the New York auto show six years ago that Jeep introduced the first Grand Cherokee SRT8. When it debuted, any context for the truck was nearly nonexistent—although a bizarrely appropriate challenger appeared at that same show in the form of the Chevrolet TrailBlazer SS. Now, though, with 500-hp SUVs becoming more commonplace, things have changed. As soon as the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee was announced, the question on everybody’s lips was, “Will there be another SRT8?”

Regardless of competitive set, the vehicle still makes almost no sense, but we’re pleased to say that, yes, there will be another SRT8. All the necessary bits—lowered suspension, huge wheels, monochrome exterior, honking Hemi V-8—are in place. Sadly, though, the wonderfully single-minded center-mount exhaust of the first-gen Jeep SRT8 is no more, the tailpipes on the 2012 model being splayed to the edges of the rear end. (The previous exhaust setup was hugely impractical—Jeep had to engineer a custom hitch for people who wanted to tow with their SRT8s, and the truck’s capacity was still only 3500 pounds.)

First Things First

Don’t let the conventional exhaust get you down, though. The new SRT8’s Hemi has a little more displacement—365 more cubic centimeters, for a total of 6424—and a bit more blat than its predecessor: 465 hp and 465 lb-ft of torque, improvements of 45 in each category. Tied to that engine is the same five-speed automatic that served in the last SRT8, except this time around it gets paddle shifters mounted to the back of the steering wheel. Hopefully, it again is programmed for neck-snapping, nigh-self-destructive shifts. We ran a last-gen truck to 60 mph in just 4.4 seconds and through the quarter in 13.2; the extra power in this one should offset the weight gain—the new truck carries an extra 350 pounds or so—and keep acceleration times about the same.

What won’t remain the same is the truck’s nondescript appearance. While the previous GC SRT8’s body-colored trim and lowered stance lent it some menace, there was nothing outright aggressive about its design. That changes now, as the 2012 Grand Cherokee SRT8 gets a hood with two massive waterfall scoops to increase airflow. Additionally, it gets a body-colored grille and a stretched front fascia that tucks the truck’s nose closer to the pavement. Unique—some might say “busy”—20-inch wheels add additional flair and sit in front of Brembo brake calipers.

With a standard exhaust out back, there’s not much to report on the tail of this Jeep, although a regular hitch is available this time, giving the truck a slightly more acceptable towing capability of 5000 pounds. The SRT8 does get its own spoiler atop the rear glass, as well as a unique rear fascia pocked with that wide-set pair of four-inch exhaust finishers.

Beneath the Tough Exterior

Inside, driver and passenger sit in SRT-exclusive seats, with hefty bolsters and suede inserts punctuated by “SRT” embroidery and accent stitching. Standard equipment includes heating for all seats, with ventilation for the fronts. The driver grips a flat-bottomed, leather-wrapped SRT wheel, while the central display nestled in the IP can show 0-to-60 times, quarter-mile times, 60-to-0 braking distances, and cornering g forces. A power tilting and telescoping steering column is standard. The driver’s feet rest on aluminum pedals, while carbon fiber trims the dash and doors.

It’s a smart and tasteful update inside, complemented by a brawny and brash exterior. Jeep isn’t discussing price yet, but figure on the harebrained hooligan sticking close to last year’s $44,105 entry point when sales kick off sometime this summer.

Chrysler, 2012 Chrysler 300C SRT8 / Dodge Charger SRT8

Chrysler, 2012 Chrysler 300C SRT8 / Dodge Charger SRT8


What they are: The high-performance versions of Chrysler’s redesigned full-size sedans. The SRT8 models offer stiffened suspensions, sporty cosmetic licks, and a 6.4-liter Hemi punch.

Why they matter: The redesigned Charger and 300 are nice; adding a 470-hp engine makes them mean.

Platform: An evolutionary  update to the LX (Chrysler) and LD (Dodge) front-engine, rear-drive architecture.

Powertrain: The 6.4-liter Hemi V-8 (470 horsepower, 470 pound-feet of torque). The existing five-speed automatic will be standard; a six-speed manual will be available in the Charger. Later, both models will be available with a new eight-speed automatic.

Competition: Cadillac CTS-V, Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG.

What might go wrong: Agility of previous SRT8 sedans was limited by excess mass, and new ones likely  will be even heavier.

Estimated arrival and price: Fall 2011. From about $46,000 for the Charger, $47,500 for the 300

Chrysler Unveils Pentastar V-6 Engine

Chrysler Unveils Pentastar V-6 Engine


Chrysler’s new corporate V-6 engine is being shown to the world at the 2009 New York auto show wrapped in an all-new 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The company has supplied us with a few more specifics on the new engine family, called Pentastar, which will eventually replace seven V-6 mills in the current lineup and bring an average eight-percent fuel efficiency improvement compared to those powerplants.

The 24-valve, 3.6-liter V-6 features dual overhead cams and an aluminum block and heads. Both the intake and exhaust timing are variable, yet the engine employs traditional port fuel injection. When it debuts in the Grand Cherokee, the engine will be tuned to produce 280 hp at 6400 rpm and 260 lb-ft of torque at 4800 rpm on regular gasoline (it is also E85-capable). The torque curve is broad, with 90 percent of max twist available from 1600 to 6400 rpm. Maximum engine speed is 7200 rpm.

“This new family of engines uses an architecture conceived with future technology growth and integration in mind,” according to Bob Lee, Chrysler powertrain product team vice president. We suspect this refers to the addition of things like direct fuel injection and turbochargers down the road, and a smaller-displacement version would also not surprise us.

Chrysler says the new engine will add two mpg to the company’s corporate average fuel economy by 2015. By that time, it should have found its way into most Dodge, Jeep, and Chrysler vehicles, including the next Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300C.

Chrysler, 2011 Chrysler 300 / 300C

Chrysler, 2011 Chrysler 300 / 300C

Although we may rhapsodize over the beauty of our favorite cars, precious few of them could be considered art. Whistler didn’t refresh his painting of his mom four years after completing it. Nor did he completely redo it every seven years for the rest of his life. And as much as the 300 might have looked like Chrysler’s chef-d’oeuvre in 2004, the company couldn’t just sit back and let it be. For 2011, the 300 receives a refresh rather than the redesign for which it is due, but the update addresses the most important things.

Much of the money allotted to the 300 rework went to the interior. Like the rejuvenated interiors in other recent Chrysler redesigns, virtually everything you can see or touch inside is improved by an order of magnitude: the dash, the center stack, the steering wheel, the door panels and seats—the list goes on. And the materials are light-years better, too. The dash is soft, the buttons on the new steering wheel actuate with a satisfying click, and the HVAC knobs slip from detent to detent as if lubricated by a film of oil.

Nestled in that updated dash, the new tach and speedometer are stunning, highly readable, and not overly ornamental. A new touchscreen navigation/infotainment display rides atop the center stack, beneath the classy trapezoidal clock that is emerging as a signature of Chrysler interiors. The optional Garmin-based nav system’s bold colors and large graphics make it easy to use, but they lend it an almost juvenile appearance. Still, we prefer basic and useful to elegant and stupefying.

The Importance of Being Consistent

Our only complaint about the 300’s new interior is that it is a strong testimony to the importance of matching material qualities. In a space that is among the best executed in its class, the 300’s few remaining dull spots—the window switch panels and the plain black plastic surrounds for the HVAC controls and nav screen are a few examples—call an inordinate amount of attention to themselves. The seatbacks offer enough support to keep occupants in place during extreme maneuvers, but the bottom cushion offers so little support it might as well be crowned.

Chrysler also refined the exterior styling. Although more elegant and mature than the brash shape of the designed-with-a-T-square original, the 2011 car nonetheless looks a bit less cohesive. Still, it doesn’t take a sharp eye to recognize the silhouette, and the softer detailing hides the 300’s musculature about as well as a tuxedo disguises a buffalo. Naturally, Chrysler has added LEDs to the headlight clusters as is required by current styling convention.

114 Additional HP? Well, Certainly!

Underhood, the headlining 5.7-liter Hemi is only slightly changed (it carries over with modest upgrades of 3 hp and 5 lb-ft of torque), but the new base 3.6-liter six-cylinder effectively replaces two V-6s (an anemic 2.7-liter and a more capable 3.5) and betters the old 3.5’s 250 hp by 42. (It tops the 2.7 by 114 hp.) Along with its 292 horses, the Pentastar V-6 offers 260 lb-ft of torque. Both hp and torque peak late (6350 and 4800 rpm, respectively), so downshifts are necessary for meaningful acceleration while rolling. It sounds a bit coarse at idle, but the Pentastar finds its voice as the revs—and output—climb. Although not the thrill ride of the V-8, the six is more than competent, something we could almost say about the old 3.5 but never about the 2.7.

The same five-speed automatic pulls duty behind both engines, but an eight-speed will begin to spread across the lineup later this year. Chrysler is aiming for a 30-mpg highway rating with the new transmission, which is a ZF design (the best the Pentastar manages with the old five-speed is 27 mpg). Although the five-speed automatic does allow for manual shifting, it has no dedicated manual shift gate. As in the previous-generation 300, the driver taps the lever left and right from its resting place in D to shift, but the new 300’s taller center console gets in the way—not that using the function is particularly satisfying anyhow.

Similar Suspension

With most of the redesign budget invested in the interior, chassis changes are limited—mostly tweaks to spring and damper rates and alignment adjustments. Once again, there are two available suspension tunes: base (or “Comfort”) and Touring. Both provide exceptionally smooth rides and switchback competence, although the base suspenders allow a bit more body roll than the Touring setup does. Opt for the 20-inch wheels or all-wheel drive, and the upgrade to Touring is included. Caution is recommended, though, as pairing the stiffer legs with 20-inch wheels results in untoward crashing over large pavement pocks.

The new electrohydraulic steering possesses only slightly more feeling than an ant-burning adolescent sociopath, but it has a satisfying heft and precision and an unwavering sense of straight-ahead. At triple-digit speeds, the 300 is superbly steady and surprisingly serene, thanks to increased sound insulation throughout the car.

Pricing Progression

The base car, with its greatly improved interior and V-6, starts at $27,995, $15 less than last year’s base model. A high level of equipment is standard, including Chrysler’s Uconnect Touch entertainment system—with Sirius satellite radio as well as iPod and SD-card inputs—a 12-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, dual-zone automatic climate control, and keyless entry and ignition. The 300 Limited tacks four grand onto the sticker, starting at $31,995, and adds leather upholstery with heated front seats, Bluetooth, a backup camera, a 276-watt amp for the audio system, 18-inch wheels, and chrome trim for the mirror caps and door handles.

For another $7000, the 300C adds the 363-hp Hemi V-8, the Touring suspension, navigation, and bigger brakes, as well as the Luxury package, which includes nappa leather, real wood trim, auto-dimming mirrors, heated rear seats, and heated and cooled cup holders. On the 300 Limited, this bundle costs $3250. All-wheel drive, once available on some V-6 and V-8 300 models, is now reserved for the top-of-the-line 300C AWD, which starts at $41,145. Chrysler says an all-wheel-drive option could return to the V-6 model down the road. In either case, the tippy-toes stance of the all-wheel-drive car is lessened a bit by a 0.2-inch ride-height reduction and a tire-to-fender gap that is tighter by 0.5 inch compared with last year’s car, but the all-wheel-driver still sits higher than the rear-drive cars.

Some fans might have been hoping for something more thorough than this update, but Chrysler spent its money in the right places. The new interior improves on the old one to a degree that is nearly impossible to overstate, and the new V-6 does something similar for the engine lineup. The refreshed 300 may not be a work of art, but it is considerably less dour than Whistler’s mom.

Chrysler, 2012 Chrysler 300C SRT8

Chrysler, 2012 Chrysler 300C SRT8


Update 4/6: The Chrysler 300C SRT8 has now been caught completely free of camo, which makes a New York auto show debut in a couple of weeks likely. The theme here is menace, backed up by a blacked-out grille, blacked-out headlight surrounds, a black-chrome grille frame, black-chrome wheels (hiding Brembo-emblazoned brake calipers), and a black rear "diffuser." The exhaust tips are now fully round cannons instead of the regular 300C's oval exits, and there is less chrome slathered around the exterior; the front bumper adornments and taillights are among the de-zooted pieces. The interior has been shot, too, and the photo reveals the flat-bottomed steering wheel from the Charger SRT8, confirmation of wheel-mounted shift paddles, and trim that may or may not be actual carbon fiber. Read on for more of what we already know about the car; we'll bring you official photos and full info just as soon as they become available.

Original story: Chrysler’s second-generation 300 sedan is mostly a reskin of the original, rather than a completely new car. While an entirely new car is often the better solution, the latest 300 was changed where change was needed—the interior, specifically—while the competent chassis was largely left alone. But there’s another way to effect notable change: adding power. Enter the SRT8 version, caught here out for a drive wearing its winter coat.

We got a good preview of the mechanical bits destined for this car with the unveiling of the 2012 Dodge Charger SRT8. The two cars have historically been nearly identical underneath, and that won’t change. That means the 2012 300C SRT8 will pack Chrysler’s new 6.4-liter Hemi V-8, making around 465 hp and 465 lb-ft of torque, the figures from the Charger. The last 300C SRT8 we tested, which had 425 horses from its 6.1-liter Hemi, hit 60 mph in 4.7 seconds, so figure a tenth or two off of that time for the 2012 model.

The five-speed automatic returns, and, like the Charger SRT8, should come with steering-wheel-mounted shift paddles; later, an eight-speed auto will replace it throughout the 300 lineup. Where the SRT8 Charger and 300C have differed in the past is in their suspension tuning; the Charger was a bit stiffer and should continue to be. And since the new Charger SRT8 will offer a two-mode adaptive suspension, we predict a similar setup for the 300C.

As is the case with the current car, this SRT8 will not look markedly different from the regular-strength 300C. Although hidden behind the white mesh here, a different grille treatment is a given, as is a more aggressive lower front fascia. We’d be okay if the designers toned down some of the 300C’s chrome—the fact that this car wears body-colored door handles as opposed to the C’s shiny pieces has us hopeful. Updated 20-inch wheels are expected, and a diffuser-like insert in the rear provides plenty of space for some big chrome exhaust tips. Other than those small details, though, it should be 300C business as usual.

Did we know this car was coming? Sure we did. Does that make it any less cool? Not a bit. The 300C SRT8 should bow at a major American auto show later this year, i.e. in New York this spring or Los Angeles in the fall. It will hit dealers toward the end of the year, along with the Charger SRT8, as a 2012 model.

Chrysler, 2012 Chrysler 300C SRT8

Chrysler, 2012 Chrysler 300C SRT8


Although this cat already escaped the bag a few weeks ago when our spy photographers nabbed some clear pictures of an unmasked 2012 Chrysler 300C SRT8, we still felt giddy as we sorted through the official details. Indeed, the particulars have us looking forward to overwriting fond memories of the last-gen car—an office favorite for its antics-inspiring 425-hp, 6.1-liter Hemi V-8—with ones created behind the wheel of the even burlier new model.

The Muscle

We’ll cut right to the meat and potatoes. As expected, the new SRT8 is packing a 6.4-liter Hemi V-8 engine, producing an “estimated 465 hp and 465 lb-ft of torque.” If those numbers hold up, they represent increases of 40 hp and 45 lb-ft over the outgoing model. The same five-speed automatic transmission is the only gearbox, but as in the 2012 Charger STR8, paddle shifters will live behind the flat-bottomed steering wheel. The wheel, Chrysler says, manipulates a livelier rack than before. The company expects 60 mph to arrive in the high four-second range and the quarter-mile to take just under 13 seconds. Although the new version will be heavier, we don’t see those times being difficult to achieve, as the last car hit 60 mph in 4.7 seconds and the quarter in 13.2 in our testing. A screen in the IP includes a function to keep tabs on your personal 0-to-60-mph times, maximum lateral acceleration, and quarter-mile times, among other numerical bragging points.

Along with, highway fuel economy is also projected to increase—this by an estimated 25 percent. To that end, the 6.4-liter gets cylinder deactivation, and an active exhaust system allows it to work over a wider rpm range. The engine and exhaust also are said to have a throatier voice, which is most excellent: SRT had a virtuoso as a base point of comparison (listen to the old SRT8 here).

A bit stiff riding at times, the old model should be trumped by the 2012 and its Adaptive Damping Suspension (ADS). Using variables that include vehicle speed, steering angle, steering speed, throttle position, and lateral force, the suspension automatically adjusts to road conditions and driving style. It offers a choice between Auto and Sport modes, with the latter giving the driver full control of shifting duties. The braking system carries over but cooling is likely to improve from a new belly pan with integrated brake ducting. New motor mounts will attempt to do away with the fun but admittedly un-luxurious muscle-car shake at idle.

The Luxury

Those seeking the luxury angle of the 300C SRT8 will find the updated interior from the regular 2011 300C a welcome change. Adding to the base car’s vastly improved materials, the SRT8 gets real carbon-fiber trim along with the aforementioned unique steering wheel. Like the normal 300, the center stack also features the 8.4-inch touch-screen display, but here it comes with standard navigation and can control an optional and monstrous 900-watt, 19-speaker Harman/Kardon stereo. Additional luxury can be had from the Premium Leather Interior package, which stretches so-called “Foligno” leather over the door uppers, the instrument panel, the cluster hood, and the sides of the center console. Nappa leather then takes over to finish the doors, armrest, and center armrests. It’s a far cry from the hard plastics of the recent past.

The Looks

Backing up the underhood muscle are the new front and rear fascias, side skirts, dual four-inch (!) softball-shooter exhaust tips, and unique 20-inch wheels. The kit adds definite visual spice to the already-zesty look of the 300, but you can go one step further: A new Black Chrome package swaps in upper and lower grille surrounds, a rear valance strip, and wheels rendered in the dark shiny stuff.

The SRT8 hits dealers in the third quarter of this year. We’ll take ours in all black with all the black chrome you’ve got.