Chrysler 300 and Dodge Magnum
 

After checking these cars out yesterday, all I can say is...I'm impressed.

And it's funny...they certainly are not beautiful, but somehow I find them attractive.

I can't wait to get a chance to drive them. They have very nice and roomy interiors. Even the base cars are nicely appointed. Eventhough they are smaller on the outside than Crown Vic and Grand Marquis....they have at least as much room inside, and are soooo much nicer.

As I mentioned in another thread, I am blown away by their affordable base price. I spent about 40 min checking out the 300 and 300C HEMI. While the loaded 300C (about $36K),got alot of attention, the $23,000 base car had everyone impressed and running in circles.

Just while I was there, numerous auto industry types and journalist came by. I kept hearing this common phrase from EVERYONE (including myself), over and over..."can you believe that this car is 23K?"

If I were in the market for a full sized sedan right now, there is no doubt which cars I'd be most interested in. I would certainly take them over an Impala or Taurus. These are updates of the classic, full sized, RWD, American sedan....with some help from the last gen Mercedes E class.


Good job Chrysler!

I 1st saw the 300C in the flesh at the San Francisco show, and you hit it on the head when you say it's not a pretty car, but there is something magnetic about it's design. Then realizing that Chrysler is selling base models of these things at the same price as a simularly equpted Chevy Impala is simply mind blowing!

I checked out the interior of the Magnum at the LA show, and I gotta say it's not what Chrysler used to make. It's not Mercedes-like in quality or NEW-Ford-like in pizzaz, but it most certainly is one of the most well made and well layed out interiors I've seen on anything American made to date.

Before I left LA, there was a couple of 300Cs done up with oversized aftermarket rims and a few other dodads for advertizements, a magazine, and some car related youth TV show ("Cruising with Master Flex"?), so it seems on track to be the next "cool" car with the youngsters.

I'm predicting Chrysler will sell every single 300C they make. :thumb:

Good news for those (**cough**GM**cough) sitting on the fence on RWD to see what happens.

I tyhink what makes the 'attractive but not pretty' is their overall profile. Both are very muscular, chiseled shapes.

However, having said that, my pesonal design hard drive gives them a negative vote (on styling, not the product(s) themselves). I personally like slooping hood lines and raked windshields. The front of the 300C with it HUGE grill turns me off. The Magnum is a little better, but still a little too blocky.

IMO, Chrysler's styling is starting to remind me of the over the top stuff from the late 50's:(

Hey Tim.

If you go to the show this week, check those cars out. You might change you're mind.

I like them way more than I thought I would.

Believe it or not, that's exactly the intention (minus the tailfins, of course). :D

I'm going Sat. I should've put that disclaimer in my post. There's numerous other cars I liked more after I saw them in person that in pics.

we shall see

I saw them both in Detroit. Liked the Magnum even though I'm not a wagon guy. 300? I'm sure it's a nice car and all, but the styling leaves me cold. Looks more "snobby old-money" than "young and cool" IMO.

Yeah, it'll be interesting to see. I don't think it's really aimed at the "young and cool" market, but I can see the Magnum making some conquests. Where else can you get a full sized, RWD car ( before you say CV...one that's cool), with about 250 hp and mid-20K price tag.

I still haven't seen more than a couple of pictures of the production Magnum, but I've seen several of the 300C. Are they actually on sale now?

I think they go on sale in April.

Can't wait for the rumored coupe on that platform or for the R/T versions.

Which brings up another related subject.

Seems that there is going to be a Dodge Charger sedan that's going to see production about this time next year.

It apparently won't have the 300C/Magnum bodywork.

Seems this is why only the LX wagon is on sale at Dodge dealers.

Coupe is due sometime afterwards (2007?). It's likely to be called Challenger.

Chrysler will be adding products to the LX plant to keep it running at top capacity. The Charger & Challenger, along with the Magnum, 300C, and the European "300 Touring Car" (a Magnum with a 300 front end) is aimed to do exactly that.

Reason why I say It seems" & "Apparently" is because I still bear alot of ill-will over Daimler previously postponing and cancelling these cars after they ran out all the top Chrysler executives about 4 years ago and sucked the cash reserves dry.

These cars are actually on the books as part of Chryslers "new" product offensive. Let's just see if Daimler doesn't screw them over... again.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by guionM
Believe it or not, that's exactly the intention (minus the tailfins, of course). :D [/QUOTE

Hmmm] :think:

I've never thought being different for the sake of being different was good. Different and better, yes. Of course it's moot since styling is in the eye of the beholder. More power to them I guess.

Challenger aye? That's the first time I've actually heard someone use that name with the new LX's.

I like it!

Another pony car is always good.:D

Dodge Challenger...

See now my imagination is in high gear. Oh man, wouldn't it be cool if there were a new Trans Am type race series.

Challenger T/A , Mustang GT-350 (or should it be BOSS), Mercury Cougar, 350Z, (among others),......and of course, our favorite...Camaro Z/28, slugging it out for glory (and sales). Too bad 'Cuda AAR, Firebird and AMC Javelin won't be around.

Here's a cool Cougar Trans Am racer.
http://www.1maddmax.com/CougarTransAmcar.html

And Challenger:
http://www.historictransam.com/Drive...Challenger.htm

Here some more great pics:
http://www.historictransam.com/racep...ountry2003.htm

http://www.historictransam.com/racep...meRock2003.htm

After I saw the production version of the 300C, I was watching a program about the 300 cars on Speed and noticed that the new car looks very similar, with the grill, to the 50-60s cars. I think they did a good job about recreating the big grill 300 cars. Now that being said, I am sure that it will grow on me, but that frond end is just too blocky I think. But, I love the Magnum and would buy one if I had the money.:(