2006 Chrysler 300C SRT8 Preview

I actually expected to see the new Charger before an SRT8 version of the 300, but now that the hypo-Chryco has debuted at

The normally aspirated 6.1-liter HEMI V8 in the 300C SRT8 produces 425 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque. (Photo: DaimlerChrysler Canada)

Pebble Beach, how can I complain? The normally aspirated 6.1-liter HEMI V8 in the 300C SRT8 adds an additional 85 horsepower over and above the already quick 340 horsepower 5.7-liter HEMI, a 25 percent increase at 425 horsepower. Torque is up too, from 390 lb-ft to 420.

"With a nearly 50 percent take rate, the HEMI is a critical ingredient to the success of the Chrysler 300," stated Dan Knott, Director - Street and Racing Technology (SRT). "With the new 2005 Chrysler 300C SRT8, we are now adding even more horsepower to the HEMI and even more performance to the Chrysler 300C."

By the way, in case you were wondering, at 69.8 horsepower-per-liter the 6.1-liter HEMI delivers the highest specific-output of any engine ever sold by Chrysler Group, even more than the 1966 "Street HEMI," according to Chrysler.

And just what will 425 horsepower do to the car's zero to 100 km/h sprint? It'll knock about a second off of its time, from just over 6 seconds to the low 5-second range with the quarter mile achieved in the "high

At 69.8 horsepower-per-liter the 6.1-liter HEMI delivers the highest specific-output of any engine ever sold by Chrysler Group. (Photo: DaimlerChrysler Canada)

13-second range," according to preliminary performance targets set by Chrysler.

But hold on. In my initial road test of the 300C I mentioned how it felt much faster to 100 km/h than the 6-plus second rating Chrysler gave it, and commented that I thought the brand was being extremely conservative. Is this conservatism being repeated for the 300C SRT8? Yes it very well could be. Chrysler actually comes clean about real performance figures for the regular 300C in the SRT8 press release, stating the following: "Note that these (SRT8 0 to 60 specs) are extremely conservative, considering that the 340-hp 300C delivered 0-60 in 5.3 - 5.5 seconds." Expect the SRT8 version to break into the high 4-second range when production examples surface.