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| Alloys are pure bling |
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Admittedly, we drove pre-production examples which may not be representative of the finished customer cars, but the basic materials used will not change. The finish is superficially good - and surprisingly tasteful, even with the mock tortoiseshell door panel/steering wheel detailing - with plain monochrome, metal-ringed instruments and an angular black/dark grey facia, dated in appearance but not unpleasant. But look closer, and it's clear that the cabin has been constructed down to a price, with hard-edged plastics, cheaper fabrics and materials in areas where they're less likely to be noticed (nylon undersides to the leather seats, fabric-look A-pillar linings, brittle interiors to the glovebox and centre consoles) and a number of rough edges, wide gaps and examples of poor fit. This is disappointing, especially given the radical improvement Chrysler claims in the quality of its vehicles. Rear legroom isn't as generous as the car's exterior dimensions suggest, either, and riding in the back, the view out is restricted by the high waistline and shallow windows.
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| Cheap materials lurk beneath 300C cabin's fine appearance |
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All this makes the 300C a peculiar hybrid. Rationally, it doesn't add up, and thinking logically, there are better all-rounders and more pragmatic choices to pick. As investments go, it's an unknown quantity as well, but we wouldn't hold out much hope of strong residual (resale) values. Yet strangely, it's somehow rather appealing. At a time when the German saloons are becoming default options, understatement and subtlety are listed as virtues, company car taxation is nudging buyers into ever more frugal machinery and those who can afford something thirsty are buying off-roaders or big MPVs, a fine old-fashioned flash saloon is a welcome, amusingly politically-incorrect statement. Like the MG ZT 260 V8, it shouldn't work, we couldn't condone spending one's own hard-earned cash on it and it defies quantitative analysis - yet it's damn good fun.
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