2000 Chrysler 300M - Falling Head Over Wheels
It's not every day that a car comes as a surprise. Yet today, an American "sport" sedan sits at the foot of the driveway. It just seems strange to put the words American and sport sedan together in the same sentence - or does it?
The 300M pulls its heritage from Chrysler's classic 'letter cars' which made stock car history in the late 50's. These were fabulous cars that raced on oval tracks and drag strips, yet felt out of place on anything that resembled a curve.
In my line of work I get to drive a lot of luxury sport sedans. BMW's are at the top of the list when asked for favorites. I've also been more than around the block in Alfa's, Audi's and Acura's and they all have something special that makes the enthusiasts heart warm up at the very thought of driving one. Each is adequately powered, reasonably refined and capable of high-speed touring with one undeniably important feature... superb handling characteristics. What is an Audi... but 'Control', or so their advertising slogan states. Why is BMW the "Ultimate Driving Machine"? Superior road manners!
I picked up the 300M at the Chrysler PR departments HQ's in North Vancouver, and proceeded to meander my way through the afternoon congestion unaware of the caged thoroughbreds (all 253 of them) that were about to be released from beneath my right foot.
Upon entering, the first thing I noticed was the superb detailing of the 300M's interior. The round analog gauges, including the clock, were crafted like the dial of a fine Swiss watch, redefining the word 'elegant', as far as it has been used for modern cars. The switchgear is chrome, adding to the retro feel of the interior. The ambiance this created was soothing, complimenting the rest of the well-designed dash extremely well.
It's not every day that a car comes as a surprise. Yet today, an American "sport" sedan sits at the foot of the driveway. It just seems strange to put the words American and sport sedan together in the same sentence - or does it?
The 300M pulls its heritage from Chrysler's classic 'letter cars' which made stock car history in the late 50's. These were fabulous cars that raced on oval tracks and drag strips, yet felt out of place on anything that resembled a curve.
In my line of work I get to drive a lot of luxury sport sedans. BMW's are at the top of the list when asked for favorites. I've also been more than around the block in Alfa's, Audi's and Acura's and they all have something special that makes the enthusiasts heart warm up at the very thought of driving one. Each is adequately powered, reasonably refined and capable of high-speed touring with one undeniably important feature... superb handling characteristics. What is an Audi... but 'Control', or so their advertising slogan states. Why is BMW the "Ultimate Driving Machine"? Superior road manners!
I picked up the 300M at the Chrysler PR departments HQ's in North Vancouver, and proceeded to meander my way through the afternoon congestion unaware of the caged thoroughbreds (all 253 of them) that were about to be released from beneath my right foot.
Upon entering, the first thing I noticed was the superb detailing of the 300M's interior. The round analog gauges, including the clock, were crafted like the dial of a fine Swiss watch, redefining the word 'elegant', as far as it has been used for modern cars. The switchgear is chrome, adding to the retro feel of the interior. The ambiance this created was soothing, complimenting the rest of the well-designed dash extremely well.