Chrysler's illustrious 300 sheds the 'C' badge for an 'S' and adopts most things that come with the word 'sporty'

History for the Chrysler brand - one of America's most iconic automotive names - began way back in 1926, and it's equalling those of Ford and Cadillac in many ways. The 300 - what we are reviewing today - came a whole three decades later in 1955, and it was as much about being big and bold then, as it was when it was relaunched in 2005. This car, with its luxury-value balance, shook up the mid-tier luxury segment along with its sibling, the Dodge Charger. These days, you can find high-profile professionals, ball players, artists, and even city mafia driving the 300.
For 2015, however, things have gotten interesting for the range. They have added a new 'S' model, which obviously stands for 'sporty'. And we were quite impressed by the car, going by just by the pictures.

DESIGN & AESTHETICS

Chrysler, along with Dodge, have given the long and lavish classic American cars a second life. It will quite easily spill out of the parking spot, if not perfectly fit, and our test car, in Redline Red Tri-Coat Pearl, looked like a large solid chunk of steel cruising down the highway, capable of drawing attention away from the Land Cruisers and Range Rovers.

Marketing tactics for some cars boast of characteristics like "bold and beautiful", but in the case of the 300, it just needs to show up. For 2015, the grille is even bigger than that on the very imposing 2005 model. The black-painted grille contains the Chrysler wing badge floating within the wing-pattern grid-like grille, representing the new "face of Chrysler". Other 300s get bright chrome grilles and surrounds.
Nestled below is a chrome Mobius strip, known to mathematicians as an engineering loop - a twisted one-sided band that allows for a wide variety of geometric variations. It outlines the lower grille opening and surrounds the optional LED fog lamps. Housed in the headlamp clusters are C-shaped LED-illuminated daytime running lamps that look like one half of a tuning fork, and bi-xenon beams. The frontal view is truly unmistakeable, even menacing.
The "sea of steel" profile is emphasised by the sheer length of the car and the high beltline. As for the wheels, they're an all-American affair - massive 20" rims with a gunmetal finish that complements the red paintjob well.

The broad plate-like rear is flanked by two small upright rectangular LED tail lamps with an illuminated halo. Polished round exhaust tips placed in the lower bumper completes the rear look.
One of the best reasons to buy the 300S is sheer visual presence and exclusivity. It is as handsome a set of wheels as anything from Germany, perhaps even more! As expected, being a large American sedan, the cabin is cavernous and the general styling is very simplistic, but chic, with hints of luxury in terms of design and materials. It is a good place to spend your travel hours. even in traffic. The large cabin and the high seating position makes it feel like you're driving a mini-SUV. Keeping it classy is an analogue clock atop the centre-console, with a white fascia and chrome hands. The instrument panel is dominated by a distinctive blue backlighting, set on a black dial. Between the tachometer and speedometer is a 7" screen that displays a range of settings, including audio, speed, compass, temperature, fuel economy, trip, cruise control, vehicle status and engine performance.
The shift lever is not your typical kind - it's a rotary controller called the E-shift, similar to a Jaguar. It takes some getting used to, but works rather well. Yes, the BMW-like T-handle of the predecessor is gone. And, more importantly, the steering wheel is a 3-spoke round variety that's not overly chunky like on the SRT model. It comes leather-wrapped with contrast stitching and steering controls, which is a mandated luxury nowadays. The paddle shifters are thumb-size fixtures that find themselves attached to the convenient 2-button audio controls behind the steering wheel. Thankfully, the steering column has the largest degree of adjustability we have seen on any car, making it suitable for drivers of all sizes.
Climbing into the rear cabin is like getting into a tub, especially with the high door sills. But you can sink into the comfortable seats. The upholstery on our test car was limited to black leather with white contrast stitching, but the Platinum model gets two-tone Nappa leather wrapping the steering and seats. It has a quilt effect, mimicking those in a Bentley or Maybach. Trims on the S model are shared between piano black accents and Matte Carbon hydrographics, along with a unique 'S' overlay graphic treatment to the instrument cluster, giving it a racy demeanour on the inside. The 300S also comes with what is claimed to be the largest dual-pane sunroof in its category. It sure is plenty of skylight for everyone.

POWERTRAIN & PERFORMANCE

Base S models get the Pentastar 3.6L V6 with an up-rated power output of 300bhp - that's 10 over the base 300 model. What we have here, in the 300 S, is the infamous 5.7L HEMI V8 that makes 363bhp at 5,200rpm and 534Nm at 4,200rpm. That is some monster torque for an affordable family sedan.
It may be best-in-class V8 power and torque ratings, but, considering that the 3.7L V6 on the Infiniti/Nissan models makes as much as 330bhp, purely from a scientific point of view, the American manufacturer needs to step it up a little. From a financial angle, this is the best bang-per-buck. There's also a mechanically advanced TorqueFlite 8-speed transmission. That isn't a lot of gears, considering the sister company's brutes have 9-speed transmissions.

Without a doubt, this V8 drives like it takes the initiative on motion. Stomp the throttle and it will go from a standstill to 100km/h in about 5.8 seconds and if you keep it going, it will cross the quarter mile in 14.2 seconds.
The power delivery, or the experience rather, is not the kind of muscle car ?savagery you expect, mostly due to the muted exhaust and the refinement that has gone into the car. Nevertheless, it gathers pace better than most of the road-going population. The 'S' gear sel-ector enables sport engine and transmi-ssion calibration, a more responsive pedal feel and permanent paddle-shift modes. It also raises the shift point on the tachometer. The latter is our favourite bit. The electric power steering does help cut fuel consumption, but the feedback of the wheel in terms of road surfaces and traction is limited. It's an isolated feel, best suited for a comfortable drive around town or down the highway. It's more of a tourer that way. One niggle, however - considering the size, weight and performance of this car - is that the standard brakes are rather average performers. You really need to give them a good old-fashioned thump to bring to halt.
It's a large car with far reaching length and average outwards visibility, making it a pain to park - especially in tight spots in malls. I reckon you can save a couple of minutes of your life by getting a smaller car or a bigger spot.
The 300bhp V6 variant sips on 12.4L/100km on the highway and 7.59L in the cities, while, for obvious reasons, they have failed to advertise the figures for the V8. But if you keep a light foot, and with the operation of the multi-displacement system, this isn't as thirsty as you'd think it would be.

FEATURES & FUNCTIONALITY

The company's Uconnect is an award-winning infotainment system, and for good reason. The screen is large at 8.4", the menus are easy to navigate, the lettering is legible and the touch screen is of the right sensitivity - better than most other cars.
In terms of safety - both passive and active - the 300S offers a plethora of features, starting with seven standard airbags. Then, there is the brilliant lane departure assist, which isn't intrusive and is very effective. It actually works. unlike other cars that say it does. Also part of the package is full-speed Forward Collision Warning-Plus, with autonomous braking, adaptive cruise control and blind sport monitoring. The works!
Other features include remote start and a cooled/heated cup holder - great for someone on the go.
The base music system on the 300 is a 6-speaker premium Alpine sound system with a 276W output. Also available is the 10-speaker 552W Beats audio that's generally a good listen, and the top-spec Harman/Kardon 18-speaker system - for those with a keen sense of hearing, I suppose. And in terms of cargo space, you get a 462L boot that's good for two suitcases and more.

VERDICT

When on the lookout for a luxury full-size sedan with the aspirational value a place like Dubai demands, the 2015 Chrysler 300S is definitely worth a look. It makes you feel equally distinctive and special, while remaining as practical as a Volkswagen and providing the performance of a muscle car. The problem is, the Dodge Charger is considerably cheaper for about the same stuff, and the residual value offsets the relative affordability.

• On The Road