Not only is the Chrysler 300 "imported from Detroit," for 2012, its luxury refinement will rival imported competition. The exteriors of the 300 "Luxury Series" will boast platinum chrome trim on the grille, door mirrors and handles plus impressive 20" polished wheels.
Inside, a seriously good eight-speed automatic transmission,first ever on a domestic sedan,powers the four-door vehicle with exceptional smoothness and authority. Fine interior details abound, from glittering switches to supple leather seating to intelligent dashboard design.
Of course, all of these improvements will be reflected in a price increase over the regular 300 models, but new car shoppers may just find the added value is worth the cost. And all of this added goodness comes with Chrysler's competitive 5-year/100K limited warranty.
Starting at just over $40,000, the 300 Luxury Series is also a good bit less expensive than other luxury cars with comparable trappings. We confidently suggest you will like what you see if you stop by a local Chrysler/Dodge dealer after New Year's and test drive the Chrysler 300 Luxury Series. Three of our favorites are Palmer Dodge in Roswell, Mall of Georgia Chrysler in Gwinnett and Stone Mountain Chrysler in Stone Mountain.Despite major improvements, public perception still lingers that most American luxury sedans don't quite approach the level of refinement and equipment offered by their imported competitors. And so it follows thatChrysler models fall shy of Lincoln and Cadillac, especially because their pricing is less dear. But the latest announcement from Auburn Hills aims to close that perception – and pricing – gap ever so gently.
Whereas in the past, the Pentastar automaker may have tried to sell the buying public on terms like "Corinthian leather" to sell their luxury automobiles, today, all it has to do is call up its friends (read: corporate overlords) in Italy to get some top-quality Potrona Frau leather (usually found in Maserati and top-of-the-line Alfa Romeo models) and hand-sanded wood trim sent over. The new-for-2012 Chrysler 300 Luxury Series is visually distinguished as well by "platinum-chrome" trim on the grille, door mirrors and handles, plus 20-inch polished wheels and all the bells and whistles Chrysler can muster. Starting at $40,125, it's also a good bit less expensive than other luxury cars its size cars with similar trappings.
Couple that with what Chrysler claims is the first eight-speed automatic transmission offered on a domestic luxury sedan and available all-wheel drive, and the 300 Luxury Series could just make luxury import buyers swing by their local Chrysler dealership for a closer look. Short of that, have a look at the high-res images in the gallery and the press release after the jump for a closer look.
Happy New Year to all of you from all of us at ACarDealer.com!