Chrysler's Red Hot SRT8: Upsetting the Status Quo

By Feann Torr - 19/Apr/2006

Looking across the wide, brown Australian motoring landscape, Ford and Holden have long ruled the large performance sedan roost, tempting drivers with big engines dumped in big cars, which inevitably lead to big impressions on the street.

Indeed, these V8-powered cars are very large and very loud and, having driven a few of them in my time, are highly rewarding to drive, despite their inherent bulk.

The V8-powered large sedan is almost more than a tradition in Australia, it's a religion to some, so the arrival of a newcomer - an incredibly enticing and supremely powerful newcomer at that - should be great for the marketplace with the increased competition.

Chrysler's new 300C has given Chrysler a huge boost in morale in the past couple of years, doing wonders in its domestic market of America, and here in Australia the large sedan has exceeded sales expectations.

And now Chrysler is on the front foot, releasing its venomous 300+ kilowatt 300C SRT8 in Australia, and something tells me Ford and Holden - and increasingly FPV and HSV - are going to have their hands full with this new 6.1-litre Hemi V8 beast.

"We’ve taken the local Holden and Ford competitors by storm with our standard 300C sedan, now we’re taking the challenge to their performance brands," announced a jubilant Gerry Jenkins, the managing director of Chrysler Group Australia.

The standard Chrysler 300C can be had with a 183kW 3.5-litre V6 or a 250kW 5.7-litre Hemi V8. But this new SRT8 (SRT = Street and Racing Technology) model is streets ahead of even the big 5.7-litre model, churning out an imposing 317kW @ 6200rpm, which Chrysler reckons will propel the hefty 1,888kg monster from 0-100km/h in "the mid-five-second range" according to Chrysler.

And all this, including a Brembo brake package, massive 20-inch wheels and a 13-speaker stereo for less than $72,000? Chrysler is definitely on to something here.

"The Chrysler 300C SRT8 is the ultimate performance sedan," continued Jenkins. "It is a complete package for the customer who wants awesome performance in an award-winning sedan loaded with comfort and style. In terms of affordability, no one else even comes close to delivering the 300C SRT8's combination of performance and value."

Bold words, but the new SRT8 is a real coup for the company, and at such a price it makes for solid value. It's 6.1-litre V8 engine won't impress the Greens, but those looking for tyre-shredding performance with a modern look will be stoked.

Generating 317kW @ 6000rpm, Chrysler's hulking Hemi V8 grinds out 27kW more than Ford's most powerful 5.4-litre V8 engine and 20kW more than HSV's 6.0-litre LS2. And then there's torque: how does 569Nm @ 4600rpm sound? That compares very favourably with Ford Performance Vehicle's 520Nm and HSV's 530Nm.

Granted, the Chrysler Hemi V8 has a whopping 6.1-litre capacity (6059cc) compared to the Ford Boss 290s 5.4-litre capacity, which puts things in perspective, though Holden's imported 6.0-litre V8 does begin to look a little limp in comparison, considering that it almost matches the Chrysler Hemi V8's capacity. For more info on the engine comparisons, scroll to the bottom of the page for the breakout panel.

The new 6.1-litre Hemi V8 has "the highest output for its size of any naturally aspirated V8 engine ever offered by the Chrysler Group" according to the company, and in a nod to the Hemi V8s of bygone times, the cylinder block is painted orange with black valve covers.

Chrysler wanted a more muscular version of its 90º Hemi V8 engine to crown the range, and so the SRT engineers took the already potent 5.7-litre block and first increased bore by 3.5 millimetres for each cylinder, which took overal displacement to 6.1-litres. Further modifications were made to ensure the increased reciprocating mass didn't grind chunks out of the cylinder walls, which included a higher compression ratio (9.6:1 boosted to 10.3:1), a redesigned, higher flow cylinder head, plus a specially designed intake manifold and tweaked intake and exhausts systems. The engine still uses old-school pushrods to actuate a total of 16 upgraded and larger overhead valves - that's one intake and one exhaust valve per cylinder, giving the engine a very distinct bark.

Camshaft profiles are more aggressive, which won't help fuel consumption but will help generate more power, while a forged steel crankshaft, upgraded con rods and performance oriented oil pan complete the engine upgrades, which contriubute to the engine's stunning 569Nm torque peak.

Australian SRT8's will be partnered with 5-speed automatic transmissions with tip tronic functions, which send the engines torque to the rear axle via a heavy-duty four-flange prop shaft.

While the 317kW, or 425hp V8 engine will give the 300C a 0-100km/h sprint time of under 6.0 seconds, Chrysler has also seen fit to include a rather powerful Brembo brake system to improve deceleration and prop up the chassis. Residing within the 20-inch alloy rims are 360mm vented rotors up front, clamped by fix 4-pot Bremebo callipers, while a pair of 350mm vented discs live at either end of the rear axle, also pinched by 4-piston Brembo callipers.

The almost 1900kg American muscle car gets a number of other chassis upgrades too, such as larger diameter anti-roll bars to reduce bodyroll during cornering and a lower ride height to lower the car's CoG (centre of gravity). Changes to the suspension spring and damping rates are also part of the SRT package to improve steering response, while the ESP has been recalibrated to suit the car's malevolent power delivery.

Rolling stock comprises of massive 20-inch alloy rims shod with equally massive 245/45s up front and slightly wider 255/45s in the rear. It's interesting to note that Chrysler didn't opt for a narrowing tyre wall, say a 35 aspect ratio at the rear, which would have given it better traction. On the flipside of this argument, ride quality won't suffer too much as a result of the fatter sidewalls.

On top of the oversized wheels, other exterior changes to the 300C SRT8 include reworked front and rear aprons, which feature larger air dams to improve air flow to the engine bay and braking system. There's also unique badging and an ever-so-subtle deck lid spoiler on the rear, which Chrysler reckons increases downforce by 39 percent over the rear end, and the SRT8 will be available in three colours - silver, black and grey.

The high performance 300C large sedan wouldn't be complete unless the interior had some new bells and whistles, ensuring those occupying the vehicle realise they're sitting in an American muscle car with a death wish, rather than your average large sedan. And thankfully it does. Most importantly, the 300C's front seats have been ripped out, possibly torched and beaten, and replaced with power adjustable, heated sports seats, while a leather steering wheel and gear shifter also made the cut.

It also features a rather dandy 300km/h speedometer, some new centre stack trim, a 6-disc CD stereo hooked up to a 13-speaker 'Kicker' audio system, which includes a 100-watt subwoofer and a 322-watt amplifier for shits and giggles. Dual zone climate control with "infrared temperature sensing" is also bundled in as part of the standard $71,990 package. Standard equipment, including a plethora of airbags, is quite impressive on the SRT8, and the only option available is a power sunroof, which will set you back another $2,430.

"With its world-class handling, benchmark braking, functional exterior enhancements, race-inspired interior appointments and a jaw-dropping 317 kW, we're sure this new model will excite driving enthusiasts in Australia," concluded Chrysler's Australian chief, Gerry Jenkins. And he could be right, as the new SRT8 will offer traditional HSV and FPV buyers with a fairly cost effective alternative. The sticking point may be the badge though - both Ford and Holden fans may join forces and turn on Chrysler, forever dubbing it a foreign wannabe.

That said, there's no doubting that the new Austrian-built Chrysler 300C SRT8 makes a very grand impression and will certainly have the HSVs and FPVs looking for ways to divert attention away from the new large performance sedan arriving in Australia. Interestingly, Chrysler has also confirmed that it will import the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 into Australia during the final months of 2006, which is again powered by the storming 6.1-litre Hemi V8.