Few cars have more swagger than the Chrysler 300 and, for the 2011 model year, the large four-door is even bolder than before.
Nevermind the revised engine lineup, the 300 is first, and foremost, about style. For 2011, the 300 receives a stylistic refresh at least as dramatic as that of the new Dodge Charger. Let's have a look.
Up front, the 300 adds trendy LED daytime running lights, positioned inside reshaped headlights. The C-shaped LEDs are integrated nicely and don't appear forced. Pretty much everything else you can see from the front end is new, from the Chrysler family grille to the cleaner lower fascia and more complex hood sculpting.
From a profile view, the slim greenhouse look remains, but with more chrome trim. There are new wheel designs, of course, but the door protector chrome trim pieces are gone on the new car. Without them, the 300 appears sleeker -- at least, until a shopping cart accidentally dings the doors.
The rear view of the 2011 Chrysler 300 may now be the most controversial. That's thanks largely to the revised taillights and plenty of shiny trim beneath those lights. We don't yet have official interior shots of the 2011 300, but given the attention Fiat has paid to the interiors of other 2011 Chrysler products, expect more luxury inside than ever before.
Overall, are you as interested in the 2011 Chrysler 300 as you were when the original 300 -- Motor Trend's 2005 Car of the Year -- debuted?
Last week, the 2011 Nissan Quest minivan proved polarizing -- not really a surprise.
"Compared to the last model, refreshing," said jbv4. "Compared to the competition, revolting."
Beard wasn't so complimentary: "The previous [Quest] was not good looking but this new one takes ugly to a whole new terrifying level."
"In a market filled with more or less identical, mundane vehicles, Nissan has the nuts to try something new, even if it is revolting," said t-mille. "In that respect, I'll have to say the Quest is...refreshing."
I’ve come a long way since I drove sugar packets across restaurant tables as a kid, pretending they were cars. With more than 17 years of experience, I'm passionate about demystifying the new car market for shoppers and enthusiasts. My expertise comes from thoughtfully reviewing countless vehicles across the automotive spectrum. The greatest thrill I get isn’t just from behind the wheel of an exotic car but from a well-executed car that’s affordable, entertaining, and well-made. Since about the time I learned to walk I’ve been fascinated by cars of all shapes and sizes, but it wasn’t until I struggled through a summer high school class at the Pasadena Art Center College of Design that I realized writing was my ticket into the automotive industry. My drive to high school was magical, taking me through a beautiful and winding canyon; I've never lost the excited feeling some 16-year-olds get when they first set out on the road. The automotive industry, singing, and writing have always been my passions, but because no one seeks a writer who sings about the automotive industry, I honed my writing and editing skills at UC Irvine (zot zot!), serving as an editor of the official campus newspaper and writing stories as a literary journalism major. At USC, I developed a much greater appreciation for broadcast journalists and became acquainted with copy editing rules such as why the Oxford comma is so important. Though my beloved 1996 Audi A4 didn’t survive my college years, my career with MotorTrend did. I started at the company in 2007 building articles for motorcycle magazines, soon transitioning to writing news posts for MotorTrend’s budding online department. I spent some valuable time in the copy editing department, as an online news director, and as a senior production editor. Today, MotorTrend keeps me busy as the Buyer's Guide Director. Not everyone has a career centered on one of their passions, and I remind myself all the time how lucky I am.
Read More
