Another in a series of my reviews that appeared in the online version of African Americans On Wheels, a now defunct automotive magazine that was included as an insert in the Sunday newspapers of major cities.
It was eye-opening driving the Q45 and the 300M back to back. Sure, I’m comparing a V8-powered, rear-wheel drive luxury sedan to a V6-powered front-wheel drive near-luxury sedan. But, damn, a manufacturer could throw a luxury badge on this one and charge $50k and probably get away with it. I know quality-control issues did in most of the LH-bodied cars, but driving a new one for a week where nothing broke or went wrong, I had no issues highly recommending the 300M.
If the Infiniti Q45 is overpriced at $50,000, then the new Chrysler 300M is a bargain at $30,000.
Built off the same platform as the Concorde and LHS but a good 10 inches shorter, the 300M is the Chrysler brand’s European flagship. The in-your-face styling, highlighted by a narrow grill, quadruple projector-beam style head lamps, and a tall, stubby trunk, manages to be both aggressive and elegant at the same time. From teenage girls to adult males, it turns heads.
The beige and tan leather interior features wood-tone trim and a tasteful center-mounted analog clock. The instruments are more like a clock face, with classic-looking black numbers on a white background. At night, the whole pod lights up like a Timex Indiglo watch, which provides good contrast as well as a unique styling touch. All the power touches are there as well as a few unusual features for this price range, such as two-memory driver’s seat/radio presents/side-view mirrors and an overhead trip computer. Although it’s two inches shorter than the Q45, its cavernous rear seat has six inches more leg room, and its trunk is six cubic feet larger. Drawbacks to the design: the steeply raked windshield and front end render the hood invisible from the driver’s seat, hampering parking maneuvers. In addition, retrieving items from the back of the trunk is difficult due to the short lid.
Unlike the V8 in the Q45, the 300M only has a V6, but it’s a powerful one, and the lighter 300M feels just as quick as the Infiniti. Traction control is standard and necessary, and the four-speed automatic features Chrysler’s “Sport Shift” for those who miss the absence of a manual transmission. Our 300M came with the Performance Handling Group, which includes performance steering, suspension, and tires. These modifications help it to become a fine dancing partner in the black-top ballroom, and I can’t imagine what the 300M would be like without them. The ride suffers, but only a little.
Power, head-turning styling, top-notch handling, and more equipment than you thought possible, with enough money left over for a month-long European vacation. You can’t beat that.
For more information contact 1-800-992-1997
SPECIFICATIONS
Type: Four-door Sedan
Engine: 253-horsepower, 3.5 liter V6
Transmission: Four-speed Automatic
EPA Mileage: 18 city/27 highway
Tested Price: $30,110
Today’s car people love to make fun of Chrysler, but I’d argue that this car shows what they were capable of at the time. I’d say that a 300m with an owner willing to treat it like a BMW come service time would have a long, happy life. Before the Daimler takeover (financed with Chrysler’s own cash reserves, ugh), Chrysler was the smallest US automaker, but who made the most profit per unit, and had lowest warranty costs. Their bold styling set hearts aflutter every time new models debuted. They boldly okayed image models like the Viper and Prowler. They got new products to market quickly and with interesting solutions like the Durango. If they hadn’t been poisoned by where they were placed on the Daimler ladder and finished by Cerberus, I think they’d have been much healthier than the other two ten years later.
Im still driving my baby!!! With all horsepower!!@ 148544 miles not to bad……clean….
My father drove a 1998 Intrepid for 245,000 miles before the tin worm won the war. Trouble-free, comfortable motoring. The 3.5L and the transmission were outstanding and returned incredible highway mileage. As far as I was concerned, Chrysler owed my father at least this much after he kept showing blind faith in the brand by purchasing Caravan after Caravan that, while generally good, always had some transmission or engine malady. The Intrepid started to show its age around 190,000 miles, but was still a good car for the remaining 55k.
My Grandma had one of these and I always thought it was a beautiful car, especially the interior. The few times I drove it I quite liked it. The seats were comfy, it handled well for a large car and it seemed very powerful indeed to a teenager who had mostly driven cheap 4 cylinder cars from the 80s. As I recall hers was a 2000 model year and never gave her much trouble. Sadly it met an early demise (as did so may of my Grandma’s cars) in 2009 or so when she totaled it in a car wreck.
/I really enjoy these reviews Adam. Very cool to be taken back in time.
I’ve written previously about having inherited one of these as my grandfather’s last car. I only involuntarily parted with it a couple of years back. Granted, it was a very low mileage example of a 1999 model car, but even in 2018 it was a fantastic road car, and not at all unsuited to daily driving. There were some lower quality interior trim pieces that didn’t age so well, but overall it was still impressive in its performance right up until the end. The 3.5 was a great engine, and the 4-speed transmission was perfectly mated to it, with shift points that never irked me as a lifelong manual transmission fanatic. I still miss it.
I thought the grilles on these cars were ridiculously small. It gave the car a puckered up look as if it had just tasted a pretzel that was too salty. Otherwise a nice design that seemed to take its influence from the Taurus line. Nice review!
The designers tried to distill the styling essence of the 1960 300F, and apply it in a modern aerodynamic way. That car also appeared in commercials for the 300M.
100% agreement, nice car but that front end, ugh.
Moparlee,
I’m sorry to be disagreeable but the grille pucker on this car is clearly from sour lemon and not salty pretzel, but that’s just my opinion.
Part of the problem was it was originally intended to be the 2nd gen Eagle Vision, at least here in the US, and a good bit of the design was already set when they pulled the plug (shot the bird out of the sky?) on the Eagle Division.
My 90 year old dad just gave up his ’99 300M selling it to one of my mom’s home health aides. Only had 36,000 miles, but the interior was looking a little tired. And that fake wood never looked good. I drove it a few times, and I can echo the need for the performance handling option – my dad’s didn’t have it and it was wallowy. And huge, compared to my 3 Series and VW Golf wagons.
But all in all, they were headed in the right direction. And then the Germans arrived.
The problem with the grille might not be the size so much as the rectangular shape doesn’t mesh well with the ovoid headlights.
Like Mustang, Impala, Malibu, and Charger, 300 is one of those enduring car names that has stood the test of time. Going back to the original 1955 Chrysler C300, there’s some real brand-equity there and it was a shrewd move for Chrysler to not only bring it back after a 28 year hiatus (with the exception of the one-year-only 1979 Cordoba-based car), but use it on a vehicle worthy of the name.
The styling of the Chrysler 300M still looks great today, twenty-one years after its inception.
My Mom had one. Great car.
I knew someone who bought one of these new. Stunning car. Big, powerful, styled with sophistication and taste.
It was traded in after awhile for a Buick Rendezvous. May have been good. Don’t care. Ugly thing.
Yeap I’ve been eyeballing the 98 – 04 intrepids RT with the 3.5L. They have really nice bodies. I imagine a modified two seater mid engine design sport car turbocharged a few easy body tweaks and it’s gonna be like no other.
A “right on” review and greatly deserved. Yes the front view isn’t the best looker, but the side and rear looks are great. My car has the exact specs you describe 256 hp and 3.5 liter v6, and mine’s the darkest gray exterior and matching color leather interior. During my first week of ownership 21 years ago, a MA state trooper pulled me over just to inquire about the car, a hot and fast beauty. The auto stick allowed me to race from each toll booth on the Mass Turnpike, willing to take on anyone else.
I’m closing in on 300,000 miles now, and have never had a problem with the car. Take it to a Chrysler master mechanic in northern AZ where I live now. Also own a Mercedes sports car, but my heart belongs to my 300M!
I remember reading Car and Driver’s long term test notes on their 300M Special, they liked it a lot. These really were a good blend of luxury, good looks, right size with awesome packaging, ride/handling balance, and an engine that put out excellent power for the era while returning very decent mpg. And honestly from what I’ve heard/read, these held up pretty decently mechanically, especially if they were serviced regularly. If I could find a well kep low mileage example right now I would buy it and enjoy a comfy competent daily driver and highway mile eater.
I just bought a jet black 2003 300M with the chrome wheels, and chrome fender flares added to it with only 65,000 miles on it. An elderly man only drove it locally, and it’s minty !! Best car I’ve owned in 40 years. 19 years old and it still looks as stylish as the cars designed today. Drives like a dream. Based on the other comments, sounds like it will have a long life.