New Chrysler 300: the Lancia Thema arrives in Europe

Why the Chrysler 300 matters in Europe

The freshly updated Chrysler 300 continues the company’s run of revised-and typically far improved-models that have emerged since its bankruptcy and subsequent restart. It is now, more than at any point before, one of the most important cars Chrysler builds.

That importance is not only down to its role in keeping Chrysler competitive in the American large-saloon class, but also because the same car will be sold across much of Europe this year as the new Lancia Thema. The exception is the UK, where it will still wear the Chrysler badge-so it is worth paying attention to what’s on offer.

Platform and positioning: from imitation to credible luxury

What’s on the table is genuinely intriguing. Built on the same upgraded architecture that underpins the latest, improved Dodge Charger, Chrysler has effectively moved the 300C from being a faux, budget Bentley into something closer to a convincing budget Bentley.

Where the outgoing model largely relied on having the right basic proportions, this new version adds the muscle and refinement needed to make the promise feel real.

Engines and the relaxed “waft”

In terms of refinement, it is quieter than a submarine with the engines shut down, and its ride is so supple it would make a magic carpet feel firm. The new 300 now does luxury-car wafting better than models costing 10 times as much.

Power comes from an all-new 3.6-litre 291bhp Pentastar V6, while a reworked version of the dependable 5.7-litre 363bhp Hemi V8 remains in the range. By the time it reaches the UK market, there will also be a new V6 diesel option. Further down the line, there will be biceps-on-show SRT8 variants-and possibly even the return of the Magnum, should Italy’s appetite for estates get its way-but for now the current engine line-up is easily sufficient.

Interior technology and cabin comfort

The cabin has also taken a massive-massive-step forward. A large 21.3 cm central touchscreen serves as the primary interface for the driver, and it’s a lesson in how usability should be done. Rather than burying you in sub-menus and endless settings, it relies on big, clear on-screen buttons, plus just a couple of physical knobs for volume and temperature.

Combine that with a carefully designed, high-quality cabin layout and colour palette, along with enormous “let’s drive across a continent” seats, and it becomes a calm, easy-going place to watch the miles melt away.

Steering and suspension: Europe gets a different set-up

If there was a weak point on these US-spec cars, it was the steering. With virtually no feel, simply keeping it tracking straight could be demanding, and pushing on through bends felt like trying to thread a needle from about 9.1 metres away. That’s the style of tuning many buyers prefer on the other side of the Atlantic.

The encouraging news is that European versions of the 300/Thema will receive entirely different suspension and steering calibrations-closer to, and likely even tighter than, the more precise Charger. The link is clear, as they share the same electromechanical steering system.

Styling updates

The other headline shift is the design. At a glance it appears broadly familiar, but seen up close the new 300 is significantly more attractive. It brings subtler surfacing, tighter panel gaps, and more intricate LED lighting front and rear.

It retains the same general character, yet the overall impression is of a far more premium, more luxurious car.

And it truly is.