11 Aug 06
Chrysler has yet to crack the tough European sports saloon market. When you have cars like the BMW M5, Mercedes E 63 AMG, Audi's upcoming RS6 and Jaguar's S-type R to deal with, you need something pretty special to lure buyers away.
Chrysler believes the 300C SRT-8 could be the car to do it. Fettled by Chrysler's SRT division - that's Street and Racing Technology - the SRT8 combines steroid-enhanced performance and bouncer looks in a good-value package.
It certainly looks the part - in fact, it's almost a caricature of an American muscle car. Check out those deep flanks complete with kerb-kissing bodykit, gun-slit windscreen, 20" alloys and massive discs, split exhaust, vast grille and out-of-my-way headlamps. Few cars give such a vivid visual description of their performance potential.
Beneath the SRT-8's dining table-sized bonnet sits one hell of an engine. The 6.1-litre 90-degree V8 is an enlarged and significantly modified version of the 5.7-litre found in the standard 300C. Bored out by 3.5mm and fitted with new intake and exhaust manifolds, bigger valves and reshaped cylinder ports, the iron-block engine whips up 425bhp at 6,000rpm and 430lb-ft of torque at 4,800rpm.
