Short Take Road Test
In our preview of the 1999 300M, we concluded that the "M" should be reserved for a car producing "300 net horsepower" and that Chrysler should give it a "lowered suspension." Then, we declared, Chrysler would have a " real 300M."
That said, we did like the 300M as it was-enough to award it back-to-back 10Best trophies in 1999 and 2000. Its blend of a powerful V-6 with responsive handling, a roomy interior, and the chiseled sheetmetal made it a front-runner in the near-luxury segment. But that was then, and times have changed. Our admiration for the 300M has waned in the face of stiffer competition, making it a second-tier choice at the past two 10Best competitions.
Obviously in an effort to win back our adulation, Chrysler has presented us with a hotter 300, one with the kinds of mods we generally wish upon all cars-more power, a stiffer suspension, and bigger rubber.
Badged the "300 Special M," the limited-edition sedan gets a bump of five ponies-to 255, owing to reduced back pressure from its dual exhaust. It's not the 300 horsepower we asked for, but it's enough to make the Special's V-6 the most powerful iteration of Chrysler's 3.5-liter SOHC motor. Torque is up as well, to 258 pound-feet, an increase of three. Coupled to an AutoStick transmission that features a shorter final-drive ratio-3.89 versus 3.66-the beefed-up six seemed poised to make the Special quicker.
Poised? Yes. Quicker? No. The Special clipped the 60-mph mark in 8.0 seconds, 100 mph in 22.7, and the quarter-mile in 15.9. Not shabby, but not any better than the last 300 we tested (March 2000), which reached 60 in 7.8, 100 in 21.2, and the quarter-mile in 15.9.
Although the Special's numbers don't set it apart from a standard 300, they do put it in another league when compared with front-drive competition such as the Acura 3.2TL Type-S and Infiniti I35. Unfortunately, that would be minor league, not major league. The 260-hp Type-S runs to 60 mph almost two seconds quicker at 6.2, nearly seven seconds faster to 100 mph at 16 flat, and more than a second quicker through the quarter-mile at 14.8. Similarly, the 255-hp I35 handily beats the Special in each category: 0 to 60 in 6.9, 100 in 18.2, and the quarter in 15.3.
Turns out that in the transformation from ordinary to extraordinary the Special gained more than 70 pounds. A body kit, a dual-exhaust system, a larger wheel-and-tire package, and additional standard content are the culprits, essentially offsetting the picayune power gain and shorter final-drive ratio.
Even though those features create a portlier M, they do enhance the Special's appearance. The ground-effects front and rear fascias-featuring a new grille, xenon headlamps, and a chrome-tipped dual exhaust-sport dark-gray lower-body cladding that extends to the side sills. Low-profile 245/45 Michelin Pilot Sport radials wrapped around 18-inch, 15-spoke wheels accentuate the Special's already-aggressive half-inch-lower stance. The look is stealthy yet subdued-think shovelnose shark.
The bigger footprints, lowered stance, stiffer suspension-performance-tuned with firmer strut damping and taller rear jounce bumpers-and firmer-feeling 17:1 steering-gear ratio (normal 300s get standard variable assist) enabled the Special to pull 0.82 g on the skidpad. That matches the standard 300M and I35's scores and is 0.01 g better than the Acura Type-S's. Chrysler claims the Special pulled 0.91 g, but that number seems suspect to us, considering a Porsche 911 managed only 0.90 g.
When it comes to stopping, however, 911 comparisons are not out of the question. The Special required just 167 feet to stop from 70 mph, a mere four feet more than the Carrera, not to mention an impressive 19 feet less than the plebeian 300 and the TL and 22 feet less than the I35. Chalk it up to the meaty Michelins and Euro-spec brakes that feature stiffer front calipers, outboard-vented rotors, and higher-performance linings.
Inside, the Special comes with the signature Jacuzzi-at-night gauges, premium leather, high-end sound system, heated power seats, and faux carbon-fiber trim.
Eight thousand Specials are earmarked for the U.S., each with a price tag of $32,595. That's a $3600 premium over the standard M, and although still in the same ballpark, it's costlier than a comparably equipped 3.2TL Type-S or I35.
For that kind of extra dough, the Special begins to look not so special, particularly considering its lack of forward progress over that of a normal 300. We do applaud Chrysler on a tastefully prepped package, but we just can't put our hands together for the performance.
