Have they dropped the ball without V8s?

[RichardTK]

Certainly not meaning to diss the 300C, but I'm curious to know how many people in the UK would have opted for them if the SRT8 and Hemi hadn't existed to draw attention to the range?

I notice that the Thema in Europe has the Pentastar V6, but no Hemi.

I'm wondering if the loss of that hook, that standout specification, means that the vast improvements in interior ambience in the Executive model that make it a serious 'premium' contender will be overlooked.

[badgx]

I don't want to see a HEMI engine dropped behind a Lancia badge Its heritage closely belongs to Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep

[MADDOG]

I know I wouldn't have purchased mine if all was available was a V6. However, mine is a different market and yours deals with significant fuel cost pressures.

[ivanford]

If there had been a v8 petrol on offer, I probably would have changed. As it is I'm sticking with my 06 5.7 for a while longer.
There appears to be no estate version offered either.

[jojotunes]

Originally Posted by RichardTK

Certainly not meaning to diss the 300C, but I'm curious to know how many people in the UK would have opted for them if the SRT8 and Hemi hadn't existed to draw attention to the range?

I notice that the Thema in Europe has the Pentastar V6, but no Hemi.

I'm wondering if the loss of that hook, that standout specification, means that the vast improvements in interior ambience in the Executive model that make it a serious 'premium' contender will be overlooked.

I realy can't speek for the Charger and Challenger crowd,but the looks of the 300 and magnum would have held there own here in the US. I still love the looks of the '05-'07 Black 300 touring with thier headlight buckets and the thin crome strips in the creases of the bumpers. But to answer your Q. I don't think the Charger would have survived if it didn't have a Hemi due to it's heritage so the Challenger would not have exsited.

[RichardTK]

I'm really talking from a UK perspective only - we don't get Chargers (meh) or Challengers (seriously wish we did), or 300s which aren't Cs, and obviously got the Magnum in 300C form as well.

With a lower profile brand, a different demographic of buyers, and some fierce discounting on premium German marques for most business users (I could lease a BMW 5 series for 2/3rd the basic 2012 300C CRD), the big Chrysler is a tough sell, I think. I only paid attention to them because they had the V8, though I've driven a CRD one and liked it enough that would never have happened had the V8 model not drawn my attention to them.

There are very few Pentastar V6 300Cs in the UK (having driven a 300M, I wouldn't want that version, the engine needs to be worked too hard) and they no longer import petrol Voyagers, either. That's one of the reasons I got a 300C, I'd gone in to look at the current Voyager to replace my 3.3 V6 one, but didn't want the four cylinder 2.8 CRD