Are Luxury Cars Riding Off Into The Sunset?

A few months ago, fuel prices became so obscenely high that it wasn’t practical to drive a luxury car or any car at all, unless it was very important or necessary to. Nowadays, fuel prices have gone down to very affordable levels that V-8 powered SUVs and gas-guzzling luxury cars are back on the streets, and in full force! Unfortunately for these luxury car owners and prospective buyers, another storm is brewing on the horizon – a feared financial recession is beginning to be felt in Europe and in North America.

Fortunately for us Filipinos, we came late to the globalization party thus, when the recession does hit affected countries, we won’t be feeling it immediately, or at least, not for a long while, if our local industry and government financial analysts are to be believed. It’s like we arrived late to a drinking spree and when we got there, everybody was already punch-drunk. And then, just as we were about to enjoy our second glass of wine, (or bottle of beer, if that’s what you prefer), everybody’s itching to go home and nurse their headaches and hangovers.

So, in light of these global developments, do we still need luxury cars?

Drive One to Know One

The only way to answer the question above is to drive a full-size luxury sedan and see if there’s still a reason for their being. We borrowed a 2008 Chrysler 300C and lived with it for a while just so we could get a glimpse of an owner’s experience.

With a low stance, chiseled shoulders and its signature large front grill, the Chrysler 300C is an eye-catcher that’s masculine, a little bit retro and undeniably high-end. Local Chrysler 300C buyers have a choice of three engines: The most affordable model gets a 190hp 2.7-liter V6 which replaced the Touring model that has a 250hp 3.5-liter V6; the Hemi model gets a 340hp 5.7-liter Hemi V8 while the high-performance SRT8 model offers a 6.1-liter Hemi V8 that makes a whopping 425 horsepower. For practical purposes, we got a 2.7-liter for our test.

Beyond the hype and the resultant image, the Chrysler 300C provides an excellent ride that borders on luxurious and sporty, as it provides handling dynamics that’s unexpected from American-made sedans. Its overall combination of style, performance and room make it a really desirable yet practical luxury car. In fact, we get more stares, thumbs-up and pointed fingers driving the Chrysler 300C than we would with a popular European luxury car brand.

Well-Appointed

The rear-wheel-drive Chrysler 300C is a large sedan imported into the country by its official Philippine distributor, CATS Motors and comes well-appointed even in its most affordable trim level. With automatic climate control system, power seats, cruise control, remote keyless entry, 18-inch alloy wheels, xenon-headlights, fog lights, a Boston Acoustics sound system, foldaway mirrors, rain-sensing wipers, premium leather trim, a power tilt-and-telescoping steering column and a driver memory system, our base 2.7 V6 300C rivals the luxury appointments of even the top-of-the-line Japanese executive luxury sedans.

While more options are available on the higher 300C models, we found that as equipped, our 2.7 V6 300C already satisfies. However, if we had a little more “disposable” income, we’d opt for the 5.7-liter Hemi model, not only because it adds more features, but because we felt that the bigger V8 engine with its higher torque rating carries the weight of the 300C much better, especially off the line. Of course, as car enthusiasts, we would like to get our greedy little hands on the high-performance SRT8 models but these 6.1-liter V8 monsters, even when equipped with the vaunted multi-displacement demand system that would make them a little more fuel-efficient, will gulp down fuel faster than a thirsty sailor on shore leave because of our heavy right foot.

Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), traction control and stability control, dual airbags and side curtain airbags all make the 300C a safe place to be in case of a crash and it was proven in American NHTSA crash tests, where the car earned a perfect five stars for frontal-impact protection. In side-impact tests, it earned four stars for front-occupant safety and five stars for the rear. It earned a “Good” rating – the highest possible – in IIHS frontal-offset crash testing.

Driving Impressions

The interior opens to feature a simple but elegant layout. The dash may not be as fancy as some other cars in this segment, but its combination of sporty, semi-retro and luxury motifs is effective and the white-faced gauges add to its luxurious feel. Cabin dimensions are generous in all directions, and the trunk is simply cavernous. General driving position is compatible with European and Japanese cars, and the 5-speed automatic transmission is a joy to drive.

Understandably, the 300C comes with plenty of Mercedes-Benz technology since it was designed when M-B and Chrysler were still partners as DaimlerChrysler and the V6 motor was one of technologies developed by M-B. When we got the car, our trip computer showed an average fuel consumption of 15.4 liters per 100 kilometers (6.5 kilometers per liter), probably due to its use in the crazy Metro traffic. However, our smooth drive to Subic and around SBMA brought it down to a more manageable 9.8 liters per 100kms or 10.2 km/L in combined city and highway driving.

Do We Really Need One?

With a price hovering around 2.5-3 million pesos for the 2.7 V6 300C, this Chrysler will give the comparably priced Mercedes-Benz C-Class, BMW 3-Series and Audi A4 a serious run for the money. Styling, of course, is subjective and the brutish-looking 300C is far more distinctive than the sleek, organic look of its European counterparts. On the other hand, many pundits are saying that the Chrysler 300C is the “poor man’s Bentley”, if indeed poor men should need a Bentley during their humble existence.

But, we’re not really poor. And we’re not really wealthy, either.

So, to answer the question, YES, some of us need to have luxury vehicles and YES, the luxury and image that Chrysler 300C affords its occupants is one of the reasons for its being. It may not be a practical everyday mode of transportation, but the new Chrysler 300C models are more fuel efficient, more earth-friendly and more attractive than their ancestors from the ‘60s. Blessed are the men who can afford the 300C.