chrysler 300c

[m_ron]

Hehe, kapag sa US bumili ng tsikot ang mga Pinoy, ang gaganda siguro. Magkano "lang" ang mga tsikot sa US kumpara dito.

The problem here is the car insurance,it's like paying another used car loan.


300M equals Bentley wanna be. It has the same chassis with w210 mercedes and if it's equipped with Hemi it also has the MB 722.6 electronic transmission.

[empy]

Sir M54, di sya ka-feel ng 124 na MB in handling and ride? Medyo boat-y po yung W124 compared to the E34 pero pwede na rin, much better than American.

Ang ganda kasi nitong 300, sana mabili ko one day.

oops, di ko pala nasagot ang katanungan ni chief flagg. imo mas solid ang ride ng MB W124 kesa sa 300C. its sharper than, say, a Cadillac Seville, but it's still a big heavy car that rides like a big heavy car.

Hehe, kapag sa US bumili ng tsikot ang mga Pinoy, ang gaganda siguro. Magkano "lang" ang mga tsikot sa US kumpara dito.

wahehe...ganun pa rin, Toyota at Honda. pag medyo nakaahon, Benz and BMW. things don't change so much

[G-daddy]

[SIZE=4]Chrysler 300C VS Toyota Camry 3.5Q[/SIZE]

By G-Daddy aka Godfather
9/23/06
first posted on the CarChat
http://p083.ezboard.com/fmotioncarsf...cID=3674.topic

Earlier this week, I got a chance to test-drive my favorite car of the moment, the Chrysler 300C. I fell in love with it even more, but my nagging logic circuits keep pointing me back to the cheaper, and more practical new Toyota Camry. The following is my assessment of the on-going car-war

In the mid-size to full-size sedan market today, the fight (at least in my family) is between the Camry 3.5Q and the Chrysler 300C, which officially brings the Japanese-American war to Philippine shores once more. Bearing very similar specifications, from engine to chassis to body, these two giants will go toe to toe as the American brand Chrysler is trying its darnest to etch a niche for itself in a country where solid backing goes to the globally dominant Toyota. As the two cars clearly belong to different tiers, like lightweight boxers going against heavyweights, each has a clear advantage over the other, which brings them to this somewhat lopsided battle. Apples and oranges they may be, but because of the somewhat strange lineup of our country’s automotive industry’s models, these two unlikely pugilists are pitted together in the same ring.

In terms of price, it’s a one-sided fight in the first round as the Camry easily beats the Chrysler to the punch at P1.990 for its highest and most played out trim, the 3.5Q. While the Chrysler is left struggling to justify its P2.650M price tag for its minimum 3.5 liter. A star-spawning HEMI and an intergalactic-flying SRT8 is also available for proportionally stellar prices, but don’t ask how much. Suffice to say the basic is already way beyond what the normal Juan or Pedro would fish out of his pocket for a non-European ride.

Of course on the petrol front, the reputation of Japanese fuel frugality also beats the notoriety of American car gas-guzzling brashness, so again the Chrysler hits the canvas on this one. The Camry’s 3.5 engine claims that although it is a huge power plant in local auto standards, it is capable of being thrifty due to its transmission, which isn’t the usual 4-speed nor 5-speed, but 6-speed. How it does so exactly escapes my amateur auto engineering grasp, but I was told it had something to do with the in-betweener gears, similar to Honda’s CVT technology. In response, the updated 2006 Chysler 300C comes with a Tiptronic shifter as if to compensate for its 2005 model shortcoming, but it may be a case of too little too late. The very pretty Chrysler sales representative told me that her demo unit averages 6 to 7 kilometers to the liter of purely city driving. Believe it or not? Personally, I believe her, because… well, she’s pretty.

In any case, the Camry claims horsepower at 277, while the 300C reportedly has 250. With car companies’ penchant for exaggerating bhp, it is best to take this with a grain of salt. And as due to the condition of Philippine traffic poor road conditions, and in the absence of an Autobahn, chances are you will never find out anyway. But presuming an even playing field, the significant difference in horsepower I suspect is due to the Camry’s Double Over Head Cam (DOHC) as opposed to the Chrysler’s Single Over Head Cam (SOHC). I have been told though, the difference in numbers may also have something to do with the way the respective automobiles have been tuned. The 300C produces 340Nm of torque at a low 3800rpm while the Camry's produces 346Nm of torque at a much higher 4700rpm.

While I’ve always chastised Toyota for always having the barest of all Jap car manufacturers, and their poor fit, cheap looking finish and terrible design of interiors, the Camry may be their first step in the right direction finally. Bells and whistles galore are packed in this Toyota. At least in Toyota standards. My favorite is the power seats, not just with the front row, but also the rear, reminiscent of the Nissan Cefiro Brougham. The stereo head unit is boring and generic, but as it has been integrated into the dash, it follows a current trend practiced by most Jap rides even in their entry-level sedans (think Mazda 3 and Civic). This gives a classier looking front, compared to the cheesy, albeit top-line Kenwood factory installed in the former model. Considering that Toyota puts Fujitsu 10 in its other rides, consider this meticulous attention to the audio unit, a genuine gift.

What is glaringly missing is a moon-roof. Though I suspect TMPI will be releasing an even more played-out model next year similar to Taiwan’s Camry which includes an LCD screen, rear back-up trunk-installed cameras, AND a moon-roof.

So with the above factors, it seems like the Toyota Camry has already won. Price, engine power, and amenities. So how can the 300C possibly hope to fight it out?

Well, I don’t care who you are, but the first thing a guy notices in a girl, is her chest. Don’t tell me you’re a butt-man and not a boobs-man, the ample bosom is always the first thing that you check out. Always. It’s what makes you a “mammal.” The 300C’s front is “laglag-brip”. It’s Monica Bellucci, Veronica Zemanova and every other gorgeous and naturally big-breasted woman as auto-reincarnate. The moment it has you in its cross hairs, you’re a deer frightfully frozen stiff (pun intended) as you find yourself mesmerized by those gorgeous headlamps. And that butt isn’t bad-looking either. But what will absolutely slay you over and over again is that unforgettable and unique front-grill. It screams Bentley Arnage at you so much, you begin to wonder why Bentley hasn’t filed patent charges against Chrysler. But then again, it’s only similar not identical. The Chrysler has its own style, with whiffs of family resemblance to its Daimler brother, the MB E-class. I had at one time assumed that it shares the same platform and engine as the Benz, being of the same size and trim, but apparently it only shares similar components.

BUT, you get the feeling you’re seated behind the E-Class anyway in this American incarnation. I absolutely love the short and wide windows, and high doors. It envelopes you, making you feel pampered and protected like a superstar. You will never feel crowded in this ride (for normal Filipino height of 5’6”) as your knees are about a good six inches away from the back of the front seat even as the latter has been extended to comfortably accommodate my taller brother. This is probably the only ride out there below P3M with the external and internal looks to deceive you into believing you’re riding a limo. No power-reclining seats like the Toyota boasts, but chances are you won’t need to due to the already-partially-reclined rear back rest.

(continued)

[G-daddy]

(continued)

Sadly though, the dashboard and interior trim is abysmal. The analog clock in the center doesn’t help. It boasts Boston Acoustic speakers and audio system, but it only succeeds in making most of us non-audiophilic morons go, Boston-who? From front to back, it’s plain. It’s almost as if all the design talent went to the exterior and there was not much left for the inside. The leather on the seats is ok, and the shape of the seats are Volvo-esque, i.e. shapely and tall, but that’s about it. The ultra-spacious but generic (even moreso than Toyota’s ) interior can’t hold a candle to say the interior of a BMW 5 series, and it screams American-build, which isn’t a good thing.

As to performance, the drive is nothing to write home about. It’s powerful, but not overtly so. Finding the power just ample is a huge disappointment for me. In third tier automobiles you would expect power galore. Enough to push you off with gusto, and then throws down with confidence as you shift from gear to gear, with a lot of power to spare. It should feel like you’re going to run out of road before you run out of gears.

The fact of the Chrysler is, the first gear actually feels sluggish, probably due to the weight to power distribution. The 300C is about 125 kilos heavier, as it is 8 inches longer and about 2 and half inches wider than the Camry. Which would explain why acceleration is a bit slow, but then it feels worse off than the current Camry 2.4V. Ouch. But on a lighter note, your chauffer would be driving you around anyway, so why do you care? (Notice I said “chauffer.” If you’re in a Toyota, he’s just a “driver”)

When going for a car in the mid-sized to full-sized sedan, I would go for unique-ness rather than conventionality. Admittedly though, conventionality has its just rewards, as Toyota has a guaranteed high resale value, cheap service and cheaper and massively available parts. The same cannot be said for the Chrysler, whose handler is CATS, better known as the local distributor of Benz.

Speaking of which, the half-brother relationship with Benz is double-edged. It can cut and bleed Chrysler either way. On one side, being a product of the Daimler group means royal blood. Unfortunately though, in recent years, that royal blood has also been tainted with poor quality as many Merc owners from around the world are suffering from stinging pockets caused by defective electronics, transmission and major engine problems. So in buying Chrysler, are you getting the prestige that comes with the heritage, or the headaches?

Since it’s a newcomer to local shores, there’s little or no reference, but if the reviews on US sites are to be believed, it’s trust-worthy if not trusty. But then again, take into consideration that they are a culture of motorists who are used to gas-guzzlers and they have little fear from defects as their billion-dollar law-suit mentality forces car manufacturer’s over there to offer extensive quality and service. The same cannot be said here as one runs the risk of culture shock, because having only two branches so far, service may be expensive and tough.

So the risk factor is huge if one chooses the Chrysler 300C. But that look! Oh is all the possible discomfort worth the risk for courting such a ***y beast? Consider this as a comforting thought: I haven’t heard of 300C’s giving their owners problems so far, and it’s been a year and a half since its release.

So what does the Chrysler really have over the Toyota? Two words: *** appeal. The American has tons of it, enough for you to fall in love with it and marry it. The Japanese Camry has little, just enough for a one-night stand or a quickie. The way I figure is, if you’re driving up the entrance of a hotel, which would drop jaws more, your arriving in a 300C, or a Camry? Nuff said. No further questions, your honor.

The reality in the local market is that the Toyota Camry is the favored lass, so I have no doubt it will sell as briskly as the former Camry, or as well as any other Toyota out there. I predict that soon, the new Camry will dominate the streets just as the Fortuner has at present time. Both great looking cars no doubt, but both soon become extremely bland to the palate from saturation.

Which is exactly the reason why I choose the Chrysler. For about P600,000 more, the only physical edge it has over the new Camry is the huge sunroof/moonroof. But for the figurative edge, the price you are paying for is, in a word: exclusivity.

For some people, that is worth the more than half-million price difference.

I happen to agree.

[jkaizer]

Nice write-up G-daddy, enjoyed reading it.

Saw a silver 300C while caught in the ortigas traffic and man, i caught all the drivers in the lane oggling over this car.

Ibang klase ang dating. I'd buy one if I had the money, no questions asked!

[bogitto]

saan kaya ako makaka rent nito.. gusto ko sana ito ang bridal car ko

[Flagg]

We saw an M5 followed by an SRT-8 sa NLEX.

Di maiwan ng M5 ang SRT-8.