Press Kit: 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show

Auburn Hills, Mich. September 3, 2007 - The restyled Chrysler 300C Sedan and Touring make their first European appearance on September 11 at the 2007 International Auto Show (IAA) in Frankfurt. Loaded with premium features, signature Chrysler design and abundant standard safety features, the 300C continues to make everything else on the road seem ordinary.

The dramatic exterior design of the Chrysler 300C has been refreshed with minor changes to the rear fascias and taillamps. The 300C Sedan and Touring now feature a rear deck lid with an SRT-inspired integrated spoiler and high-mounted stop light. However, the classic proportions of a long bonnet, short deck and dramatic profile remain to give the 300C its continued award-winning presence.

“The key for us in updating the Chrysler 300C was to maintain the proportions and style that make the car appealing and simply further enhance an already good design,” said Thomas Hausch, Vice President – International Sales, Chrysler. “We also added more premium features such as MyGIG™ and a Boston Acoustics eight-speaker 5.1 Matrix Surround Sound system to satisfy even the most tech-savvy customer.”

The interior design of the Chrysler 300C has also been enhanced with even more luxury appointments including LED lighting in the front cup holders and front- and rear-door map pockets, and soft-touch surfaces on arm rests and door panels.

New entertainment and communications options on the Chrysler 300C include a Boston Acoustics eight-speaker 5.1 Matrix Surround Sound system and MyGIG Multimedia Infotainment System with optional navigation. An iPod^® interface is also added to the UConnect^® Hands-free Communication System module for seamless connection and playback of MP3 files. (iPod is a trademark of Apple Computer, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.)

Other changes to the interior include a new instrument panel and centre-console design, highlighted with satin silver bezels, and a newly designed and relocated cruise control stalk. Adaptive Cruise Control, introduced earlier this year, continues to be an available premium convenience feature.

In addition to an already long list of safety equipment, seat-mounted air bags have been added to the front and rear side-curtain air bags for increased driver and passenger safety.

The 5.7-litre HEMI^®-powered Chrysler 300C now offers a “Fuel Saver Mode” display, included as part of the Electronic Vehicle Information Centre (EVIC), that tells drivers when they are in four-cylinder mode, allowing them to modify their driving habits for improved fuel efficiency.

The Chrysler 300C Sedan and Touring continue to be available with four engines. Within the petrol line-up, the 2.7-litre V-6 engine provides an outstanding combination of performance, fuel economy, quietness and durability. The 3.5-litre V-6 engine delivers higher output, still with a perfect blend of performance and economy, and for true V-8 performance of an American sedan, 300C customers can choose the 5.7-litre HEMI V-8.

Chrysler 300C Sedan and Touring are the only vehicles in Europe’s E-segment to offer a Multi-Displacement System (MDS) as standard on a V-8 engine. Chrysler’s MDS seamlessly turns off the fuel consumption in four cylinders of the 5.7-litre HEMI engine when V-8 power is not needed. This provides a world-class combination of outstanding performance, power and competitive fuel economy. MDS increases fuel economy up to 20 per cent, depending on driving style and vehicle usage.

Also available is the 3.0-litre V-6 CRD engine, fitted with Bosch high-pressure fuel injection (1600+ bar), a variable geometry turbocharger, four valves per cylinder with dual overhead camshafts, and Piezo injectors with a 0.1 millisecond response time. Maximum power is 160 kW (218 hp DIN), and peak torque is 510 Nm (376 lb.-ft.) from just 1600 rpm.

Chrysler 300C SRT8
The Chrysler 300C SRT8 also features an all-new deck lid with an integrated spoiler and new taillamps for a freshened rear view. Other unique touches to the 300C SRT8’s exterior include new bodyside mouldings, body-colour front and rear bumper inserts, body-colour mirrors and door handles and unique SRT badging.

The refreshed Chrysler 300C SRT8 envelopes the driver and passengers in an even richer interior with a dark slate grey palette, revised instrument panel, new centre console and LED lighting in the cup holders and door-map pockets.

End-user technology figures prominently in the Chrysler 300C SRT8 with new features such as the SRT-exclusive Reconfigurable Display in the cluster providing performance data, Adaptive Cruise Control and a Kicker premium surround-sound system.

Befitting its high-performance character, the Chrysler 300C SRT8 continues to provide power-adjustable front sport seats accented with performance suede inserts (matched in the rear seats), a power-adjustable pedal cluster, full instrumentation, automatic temperature-control system with dual-zone controls and infrared temperature sensing, and an EVIC with 128 customer-programmable features.

Powered by a 6.1-litre HEMI V-8 engine producing 317 kW (431 hp DIN) and 569 Nm (420 lb.-ft.) of torque, the Chrysler 300C SRT8’s powertrain represents a higher level of HEMI performance, with over 90 additional horsepower – 27 per cent more than the 5.7-litre HEMI.

Chassis setup for the Chrysler 300C SRT8 is aimed at all-round performance, including SRT-tuned dampers, specially tailored spring rates and suspension bushings, and large-diameter anti-sway bars. Revised front and rear suspension knuckles contribute to a ride height that is lowered 13mm (one-half inch) from the 300C. In addition, the Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) has been tuned for the 300C SRT8’s Adaptive Cruise Control.

The stopping performance results from a four-wheel, disc-brake system featuring performance callipers developed by Brembo, each equipped with four pistons for even clamping. Up front, the Chrysler 300C SRT8 has 360 x 32mm vented rotors, and 350 x 28mm vented rotors in the rear.

MyGIG
MyGIG is a completely integrated Harman/Kardon touch-screen audio, entertainment and hands-free communication system. MyGIG also is available with an optional navigation system, which adds voice recognition.

This next-generation navigation radio features a 16.5cm (6.5-inch) Thin Film Transistor Display with a touch-screen panel that can support 65,000 colours, providing a three-dimensional appearance to graphics and animation, as well as multiple font sizes and styles. The MyGIG navigation system allows voice-activated commands and includes many new features for music, sound, movies and personalised picture displays, including:

• A 20-gigabyte hard disc drive that includes Music Juke Box for organising music and pictures on the hard drive
• Universal Serial Bus (USB) port that provides downloading of WMA, MP3 and JPG files onto the hard drive
• Gracenote^® database that is installed on the hard drive to provide song identification, including composer, artist and title
• Playlist creation capability to provide easy access to files
• Voice memo recording that allows a 3-minute message to be recorded using the microphone integrated into the rear-view mirror
• Radio display screen that can show movies (when vehicle is not in motion)
• UConnect Hands-free Communication System that uses Bluetooth^® technology to provide voice-activated wireless communication between the occupants’ compatible mobile phones and the vehicle’s onboard receiver. The hands-free option promotes safety, freedom, value and flexibility
• Functionality in six languages (Dutch, English, French, German, Italian and Spanish)

The Chrysler 300C also offers a MyGIG system without navigation.

New technologies and exterior and interior refinements continue to offer Chrysler 300C customers an elegant, confidence-inspiring vehicle at an exceptional value.

Chrysler Brand
Chrysler brand sales currently comprise 38 per cent of total Chrysler company sales outside North America. For the month of July, Chrysler brand’s international sales were up eight per cent (7,480 units) versus the prior year, led by Chrysler 300C sales.

The Chrysler line-up for international markets currently includes the following models: Crossfire Coupe and Roadster, Sebring Sedan and Cabrio, 300C Sedan and Touring, 300C SRT8 Sedan and SRT8 Touring, PT Cruiser Sedan and Cabrio, Pacifica (for select markets), Voyager and Grand Voyager.