Don't Let The Power Go To Your Head

If you remember the days when suburban driveways were filled with Chryslers, Buicks and loud echoing Mercurys then the new Chrysler 300 may recreate your childhood playground. 40,420 the 2007 Chrysler 300 averages 21/28 mpg in the V6, and 14/20 mpg in the Hemi. Other cars in this price point include the Acura TL, Nissan Maxima, Lexus ES 350, Toyota Camry, and Volkswagen Passat. Where the Chrysler 300 shines is in its ability to be a less predictable sedan at a valid price point. Sitting inside the ergonomically designed cabin you can help notice how spacious it is. Vintage design elements are not lost in the interior appeal of the car. Activate any of the four choices of engines and the Chrysler 300 comes alive. The rear wheel-drive has abuzz with plenty of Mercedes-Benz technology and the car is considerably more refined than the 1950s ancestors. Sharing the chassis and suspension with the E-Class, the car handles remarkably well. The torque loving V8 is a bit excessive and keen to squeal the rear tires at the slightest provocation. Driving the Chrysler 300 is like taking a menacing bulldog for a stroll.

You really have to pull back on the reins to make sure it does not go and attack the neighbors' cat. In our humble opinion either of the V6 at 190 horsepower or 250 horsepower versions have enough vitality for modern driving situations while saving you a fair bit on gas. The high life is plentiful in the 2007 Chrysler 300. It shares a lot with the Mercedes E-Class, and adequately communicates the feel of the road. A large rectangular cube surrounded with pillows. Active safety features such as ABS, traction control, stability control are optional on the base version, but standard on the Touring, Limited and C versions. There is also the option for a longer wheel base for those coveting a secret longing for a limo like ride. Other features such as side curtain airbags, self-sealing tires and adjustable pedals are optional on all models. For the longest time, American manufacturers have wanted to re-invent the automobile as it once used to be. The Chrysler 300 is actually the first jointly commissioned vehicle bearing the fingerprints of both Daimler-Benz and Chrysler. The combo unit features new Mercedes technology coupled with American styling. The Chrysler 300 body is shaped to evoke the historic 1955 300C, but only two things remain common from then to now: the giant front grille, and the hemispherical combustion chambers. The 340 horsepower Hemi weighs 4046 lbs, can sprint from 0 to 60 in 6.3 seconds. Mercedes suspension communicates a smooth ride, and a solid, comfortable cabin, not bad for a four-door family sedan.

Its combined fuel consumption: 5.3 /l 100 km (139 g/km CO2). The driver approaches a red light, brakes the Tiguan to a stop, shifts into neutral and takes the foot off the clutch (with DSG it is sufficient to press the brake pedal). This causes the engine to shut off momentarily. In the multifunction display the text "Start (A) Stop" appears. As soon as the traffic light turns green again, the driver depresses the clutch (or with DSG simply releases the brake), and the engine starts, the "Start (A) Stop" text is cleared, the driver engages a gear and resumes driving. Essentially, the driver does not need to perform any extra operating steps compared to a conventional car, yet saves up to 0.2 l/100 km in the city using the Stop/Start system. Regeneration helps to utilise the energy expended in driving as ideally as possible. During coasting and braking phases of the Tiguan - i.e. whenever the driver releases the accelerator pedal or brakes - the system elevates the voltage of the alternator (generator), and this electricity is used to bulk charge the vehicle's battery.

In Volkswagen's line-up of four-cylinder engines, DSG has replaced the conventional torque-converter automatic transmissions. In the new Tiguan, an extremely fast and efficiently working 7-speed DSG version is used. Its most prominent design characteristics - two dry clutches whose pressure is regulated hydraulically. Engine power is transmitted to the dual clutch via the crankshaft and a dual-mass flywheel. Clutch I handles the odd-numbered gears, and clutch II the even gears plus reverse gear. The results of this sophisticated clutch management: when shifting, there are no gaps in propulsive power. Comfort and convenience are excellent, and the driver experiences an incomparably dynamic yet comfortable shifting feeling. Responsible for this - along with an intelligent electro-hydraulic transmission control (mechatronics) - are two clutches as well as two drive shafts and three final drive shafts. This networked system makes it possible to continually "lie in wait", ready to go into action at the next higher driving level.