Benny Oeyen

'The 300C has already been a big hit in the US with 80,000 of the 300 series sold in the first three months,' he says. 'We are confident of selling 1,000 to 1,500 cars in the Middle East in the first year, and will be sticking with our top-of-the-line 300C in this market.'

This 340 hp, five metre-long sedan is a modern classic for the lovers of big US cars, and AME info was fortunate to be included in the initial test-drive.

At the heart of the 300C is a massive 5.7-litre, V8 Hemi engine which offers effortless, smooth power through a Mercedes-designed transmission that rockets from 0-100 kph in just 6.4 seconds, a performance that leaves many sports cars standing. But is this not a little decadent in these days of higher gas prices?

'One of the things that Americans liked about the 300C is that this is the first modern vehicle to be fitted with automatic cylinder deactivation,' explains Mr. Oeyen. 'This means that at lower speeds it switches from V8 to V4 automatically, to give the fuel consumption of a V6.

'We have also chosen rear-wheel drive for the 300C which allows a longer wheelbase and smoother ride, better cornering, better acceleration and better braking. Rear-wheel drive is new for Chrysler but brings us into line with our European rivals.'

Indeed, this is a highly competitive market segment, and the 300C squares off against the Jaguar S-Type, BMW 5-Series, Audi A6, Volvo S-80, Cadillac CTS and Lexus GS. But the 300C is an impressive looking, high performance car with a character of its own, and at a shade under $38,000 very strong on pricing.

There is also no compromise on safety with a small arsenal of features from ABS, ESP, BAS and TCS to side curtain airbags. The Boston Acoustics 380W, 7-Speaker sound system is also awesome, perhaps one of the reasons rap-star Snoop Dog became an early buyer of the 300C.

'We started working on this vehicle four years ago at the conceptual stage,' recalls Mr. Oeyen. 'This involved basic things like deciding on front or rear wheel drive, and choosing to include technology from Stuttgart such as the front and rear suspension, transmission and steering column.

'The V8 engine offers the best compromise available for torque and smoothness; a V12 would be too large and expensive.'

AME Info can certainly testify to the smoothness of the 300C which performed beautifully on a 300km test-drive through the desert interior of the UAE despite temperatures reaching 54C. And there is something of the feel of a Mercedes about the 300C, not surprising really given the inclusion of key components from Stuttgart.

But the new flagship 300C is just the start of a radical shake-up to the Chrysler model range with a new Grand Cherokee due next May, and a total of nine new models to be launched by 2006/7 which will double the present total to 18. Chrysler used to have more than twice its present car sales in the Middle East, and is out to regain that crown. The 300C is a very good start.