March 13--In the Dodge-Chrysler sedan family, the Challenger is the younger brother full of spunk and pluck, but in being so desperate for attention it lacks the refinement of the gentleman. The Charger is a bit more mature, but is capable of backsliding into his wild ways. If I'm going to run all the way through this analogy, then the Chrysler 200 is the sensible matriarch and the Fiat 500L your drunk uncle Bob; the patriarch -- no, the godfather of this family, is the full-size Chrysler 300.
Stately if not intimidating, its broad-shouldered stance is stretched over a wide wheelbase so that even though it is built for comfort there is some surprising athleticism hiding in its rear-wheel drive haunches.
Redesigned for 2015, the poor man's Bentley comes in four trim levels with available all-wheel drive and 8-speed transmission in either a 5.7-liter V-8 engine turning out a best-in-class 363 horsepower and 394 pound-feet of torque, or a very capable 3.6-liter V-6 making 292 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque.
For a week around Chicago, I felt like a made man driving the blacked-out 300S, the sports model that replaces the 300 SRT8 and looks most at home in the city. While it wasn't equipped with the available 5.7-liter Hemi V-8, the S model modestly boosts output to 300 horsepower and 264-pound feet of torque, enough to spit gravel from a stop.
Even though the V-8 hits the 60 mph mark in under 6 seconds, drivers of the V-6 will not be disappointed at how light this big fella feels on his toes. Sport mode improves on responsiveness, cuts shift times by 40 percent (only racers would notice), and increased damping enhances the sport-tuned suspension for a smooth ride on the highway, but without the kind of pitch and roll in curves that you'd expect from a car this size.
The FCA engineers have proven with the Hellcat that full-bodied cars can rumble the Earth and peel faces, but the smooth operation paired with a very impressive power to fuel economy ratio of the Pentastar V-6 is equally notable.
On the highway, the V-6 gets an EPA estimated 31 miles per gallon, which Chrysler calls best in class. I exceeded that when traffic was thick enough to average about 55 mph, but the 300S is too much fun to keep bottled up at one speed. In the city it gets 19 mpg, averaging out at 23 mpg combined. There's some enhanced sound that makes it sound meaner than it is, but the black clad body and black 20-inch wheels are all business.
The beauty of the 300S is its versatility. Dropping the kids off at school drew all sorts of apprising eyes, and not in the "are you serious" gapes elicited by the purple crush Dodge Challenger. This will never be mistaken for a midlife meltdown. The trunk space is massive, good for fitting at least four Billy Batts. And his shine boxes.
As impressively stately as the high forehead and tapering roofline of the exterior, the interior of the 300S is a fine Italian suit with leather-trimmed Nappa blue bucket seats in silver French stitching. It's remarkably refined for a full-size sedan on the good side of $40,000.
The gear stick is a dial on the center console, in what Chrysler calls its class-exclusive electronic rotary transmission shifter. OK. It frees up the steering column for paddle shifters to flick through the eight speeds.
The new three-spoke steering wheel houses redundant controls for Chrysler's UConnect infotainment system, which is still the simplest on the market to navigate and use. Voice recognition wasn't as good as I had remembered, or other makes have gotten better, or my voice has gotten shakier. While climate and radio controls were clear, the fidelity for navigation and phone functions was inconsistent. But with the neatly designed 8.4-inch touch screen, there's no problem getting to what you need. Large knobs and buttons on the center cluster are just as easy to use.
Behind the wheel, a tradition tach and speedometer are split with a 7-inch driver information display. The seven inches is measured diagonally, so its really about half as wide, but still plenty visible to scroll through the eight main menus of vehicle information, ranging from tire pressure to trip info to the status of advanced safety features.
Chrysler's neatest trick with the 300S is the price tag. Starting just under $35,000, the 300S optioned out at $37,585, in company with the Chevy Impala and Buick LaCrosse, but less than the luxury-minded Hyundai Genesis. For less than $40,000, Chrysler is making an offer you can't refuse.
rduffer@tribpub.com
2015 Chrysler 300S at a glance
Full-size sedan
As tested: $37,585
Base price: $34,895
MPG: 19 city, 31 highway
Engine: 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 in RWD
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic with paddle shifters
Parting shot: The full-size sports sedan hits all the right points.
