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Tinashe Makichi  Motoring Reporter
Chrysler, though one of the rarest brands on the local motoring scene has been slowly infiltrating the market.
Chrysler officially FCA US LLC, is an American car manufacturer head-quartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan and owned by Italian car-maker Fiat.

The manufacturer will this year introduce Chrysler’s full-size, rear-wheel-drive 300S which has been  dubbed America’s last true “dad’s car.”

The award-winning 3,6 litre Pentastar V6 engine delivers 292 horsepower, 260 lb-ft of torque and best in Class 31 highway mpg+, an exceptional combination of performance and efficiency in a full-size sedan and such characteristics have been transferred to the upcoming Chrysler 300S 2015.

With its strong hood, broad shoulders and paternal gaze, the 300 sedan is bold, confident and unmistakably American. Chrysler 300S’s performance is enhanced to achieve 300 horsepower and 264 lb-ft of torque and still maintain best in class highway fuel economy

The 2015 Chrysler 300 is a full-size sedan that offers Best-in-Class 31 highway mpg+ with its standard 292-horsepower 3,6 litre Pentastar V6 engine. For Best-in-Class V8 horsepower and torque+, choose the available 5,7 litre HEMI V8 engine with fuel saver technology. It produces 363 horsepower and 394 lb-ft of torque.

The 300 model has been a successful car for Chrysler sales went up 48 percent in the four years since its last redesign and for its 2015 update, Chrysler seems bent on not messing with success when the updated 300 starts arriving in dealerships in the first quarter of this year.

This new offering is as safe as a refresh gets, involving only new front and rear bumpers, grilles, wheels, and all-LED taillamps. Sport-flavored 300S models also now get blackout window trim to go with darkened headlamp bezels and gorgeous new 20-inch Y-spoke wheels; if there’s a Hemi V-8 under the hood, the 300S also gets standard sill extensions and big lip spoiler. But at the end of the day, the 300 looks more or less the same.

The blue instrument cluster is the most obvious difference, with its chronograph-inspired gauges flanking an easy-to-use, seven-inch high-resolution driver information display.

The gear selector has been replaced by a Jaguar-style rotary e-shifter, and pair of USB ports have been added in back so that kids or customers can charge their devices without cluttering up the front half of the cabin.

And as ever, an analog clock remains front and centre on the dash, like a grandfather clock for the car.

The 300’s revised model line-up leaves no model under equipped, with even the base $32,390 Limited model boasting standard leather seats, Chrysler’s intuitive 8.4-inch touch screen  Uconnect system, keyless starting, heated 12-way power front seats, capless fuel filling, and more.

The new brand has more than 80 standard and available safety and security features.

2015 Chrysler 300 offers safetytec, two option packages consisting of innovative safety and security features that help protect occupants and assist the driver in maintaining vehicle control.

The vehicle has a lane departure warning with lane keep assist plus measures the vehicle’s position within lane boundaries and monitors the vehicle’s movement.

The system alerts the driver during unintentional lane drifts and leverages the electric power steering to gently course correct the vehicle back into the lane.

Chrysler expects that about 45 percent of buyers will opt for the new edition 300S while 15 percent will choose the more luxurious $38,890 300C model with its standard dual-pane moon roof, Nappa leather, hand-sanded wood, polished wheels, rear window sunshade, and navigation.

A select few (about five percent) will get the new-for-’15, fully loaded 300C Platinum model ($43,390) with its diamond-stitched hides, open pore wood, leather-wrapped dashboard, platinum silver trim, 20-inch wheels, and a 900-watt, 19-speaker Harman/Kardon surround sound system.

The remaining 35 percent, Chrysler estimates, will come in 300S guise and will be afforded an opportunity to get everything in the Limited, plus piano black and “carbon hydrographic” trim, a 552-watt Beats sound system and a slew of performance upgrades.

Chrysler said they took Chrysler up on its offer to drive the 2015 300 on the beautiful Hill Country roads around Austin, Texas, spending some quality wheel-time in an all-wheel-drive 300 Limited, a rear-wheel-drive 300S, and a Hemi-powered 300C.

“Not surprisingly we found that the V-6 models required some cajoling to get moving with any gusto, especially when saddled with all-wheel drive, which adds another 206 pounds to the 300’s two-ton weight.

“Efficiency remains impressive for a full-sizer, however, with 19/31 mpg for the rear-drive model and 18/27 for the all-wheel-drive version,” said Chrysler.

Quality craftsmanship abounds with new interior colours, lush fabrics and tasteful accents. Leather-trimmed seats are now standard on all models. New stitch patterns add a refined touch to the sumptuous interior. Heated, eight-way power front seats are now standard on all 300 models.

They include a power four-way lumbar adjustment for added comfort and support.

The 300C brand has an all-wheel-drive 300 ride on the same “touring” suspension, which includes 19-inch wheels with all-season tires.

Thus equipped, the 300 floats nicely over bumps and undulations but is nothing  fun The 300S, on the other hand, receives a new-for-‘15 “Sport” suspension boasting stiffer springs front and back, as well as unique shock tuning, a larger front stabilizer bar, and a unique electric power steering calibration. Steering effort and feel are increased considerably when the “Sport” button on the dash is pressed, which also puts the engine/transmission in a more excited state, quickening shifts.