No Hellcat: 2023 Chrysler 300C Gets 6.4L Hemi V8 With 485 HP

Only 2,000 will be available in the U.S.
Chrysler

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The Chrysler 300 is ending production after the 2023 model year, but this might ease the pain. Returning for one model year only is the 2023 Chrysler 300C powered by a 6.4-liter 392 Hemi V8 making 485 horsepower and 475 pound-feet of torque. The last time the engine was available in the 300 was in the 2012-2014 300 SRT8. For reference, the most powerful 300 currently available is the 5.7-liter, 363-hp 300S. Rumors were flying last week that Chrysler might have gone and dropped a supercharged 6.2L Hellcat V8 in the 300, but alas. Still, hard to be mad about an even bigger V8 serving as the car’s final sendoff.

The 300C will be quite limited: Just 2,000 will be available in the U.S. and 200 will be sold in Canada. Prices start at $56,595, including mandatory destination fees.

Chrysler

The 300C accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds, runs the quarter mile in 12.4 seconds, and hits a top speed of 160 mph. An eight-speed TorqueFlite automatic transmission shifts gears in 160 milliseconds while 20-inch wheels wear performance all-season tires. Four-piston Brembo brake calipers are painted red, a limited-slip differential and active dampers keep all that power manageable, and an active exhaust system peeks out from underneath the 300C with black tips.

On the inside, black Laguna leather, silver contrast stitching, carbon fiber trim, and a new “300C” badge add some visual flair. Available in black, red, or white, the final 300C is being pitched as a sendoff for the 300 as a whole, a nameplate that dates back almost 70 (!) years. The first Chrysler 300 appeared in 1955 rocking yep, a 300-hp Hemi V8 to make it the most powerful full-size car at the time. It was two years later that the 300C came on the scene with a 392 V8 making 375 hp, setting the stage for today’s finale.

Sixty-six years later, Chrysler is once again making a 300C with a 392 V8 albeit one producing 110 additional hp. Sadly, it’ll almost definitely be the last time it ever does.

Got a tip or question for the author about the Chrysler 300C? You can reach him here: chris.tsui@thedrive.com