Chrysler 300 SRT8 Core 2014 review

The rationale behind the Chrysler 300 SRT Core is as simple as the car itself. The idea behind this goes back to the main preferences of buyers - value for money in a powerful car. This particular 300 was designed specifically for the Australian market, as the guys in the States are well aware of our enthusiasm. Indeed, now Americans will be offered Australian cars in their home market.

Price and features

A net $10,000 was taken off the standard price of 300 SRT, bringing it down to an affordable $56,000. Because it kept the core values ​​of the car exactly the same as before, the new model received the Chrysler 300 SRT Core tag.

That $56,000 MSRP puts the big Chrysler on par with hot Ford Falcons and Holden Commodores. Tellingly, the SRT Core is cheaper than the cheapest HSV models.

The price cut for the Chrysler SRT Core was achieved with cloth trim instead of leather; there is no heating of the rear seats, although the front ones are still heated (but not cooled); cup holders are no longer connected to the air conditioning system and remain at ambient temperature; and there is no mat or cargo net in the trunk.

The base audio system is used, with the number of speakers reduced from nineteen to six, meaning you'll have to spend more time listening to the sound of the big Chrysler V8 exhaust. Sounds good to us!

Uses standard, non-adaptive cruise control; you lack an adaptive suspension damping system; no blind spot monitor (though of course anyone who drives an SRT knows how to adjust the outside rear view mirrors?). The rear cross-traffic detection system is a handy feature, but unfortunately it has been removed.

Styling

This is the Chrysler 300C. Although the importer doesn't like being called "gangsta", I have some bad news for them - everyone who chatted with us about the new Core product used that term...

The Chrysler 300 SRT8 Core is equipped with 20-inch five-twin-spoke alloy wheels. There are red and chrome "Hemi 6.4L" badges on the front fenders, and a red "Core" badge on the trunk lid.

Core is available in eight finishes: Gloss Black, Ivory with XNUMX-layer pearl finish, Billet Silver Metallic, Jazz Blue Pearl, Granite Crystal Metallic Pearl, Deep Cherry Red Crystal Pearl, Phantom Black with XNUMX-layer pearl finish, and Bright White.

The Core cab features black seat trim with white stitching and 'SRT' lettering embroidered on the material. The dashboard and center console have piano black bezels and matte carbon accents.

Engine and transmission

All important transmission details are the same as the standard Chrysler SRT8. The 6.4-liter Hemi V8 engine produces 465 horsepower (347 kW by Australian standards) and 631 Nm of torque. The active exhaust system remains, as does the excellent launch control system that really gets the big beast moving with just the right amount of wheel slip. Of course, this should only be used in the right places.

Driving

What's really interesting is that the 300C SRT8 Core is lighter than its full-blown big brother, so it appears to have better straight-line performance. You'll need a timing engine to test this, and it will probably only show hundreds of seconds of improvement. However, hundredths are important in high performance cars...

Throttle response is almost instantaneous, and the automatic responds quickly to driver demands. This American oil car sounds great, although I would have liked a bit more volume when the throttle was open from low to moderate. It's a little sad when AMG Mercs and Bentley Continental Speeds make a louder sound than Chrysler Hemi.

A five-speed automatic transmission is used in place of the more modern eight-speed transmission on the rest of the 300 range. But if you have 631Nm of torque at your disposal, you really don't need the extra help from the many extra gear ratios. Great stopping power comes from large Brembo disc brakes.

Driving up and down the motorway at 115 km/h, we saw that the average fuel consumption is an incredible eight liters per hundred kilometers. This is partly due to the COD (Cylinder On Demand) function, which disables four cylinders under light load. That's right, our Chrysler 300 SRT Core was a four-cylinder car. Consumption skyrocketed while driving in the city, most of the time while in their mid-teens. In the countryside and on the move, things were approaching the twenties.

Traction is high, but it's a big, heavy car, so you won't get the same amount of cornering fun as the best of small hot hatchbacks. Ride comfort isn't all that bad, but rough roads certainly make it clear that low-profile tires can't cushion a car that well.

A great affordable car concept, the big Chrysler 300 SRT8 Core is a permanent addition to the Chrysler 300 lineup. Incidentally, this range has just been expanded to include one more model, 300S. We will tell in a separate story.