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6 WHEELS · Georgetown & Acton · December 22, 2011 Chrysler interiors were upgraded last year, and the 300 is no exception. Abundant soft-touch materials, along with leather, chrome and wood (matte carbon on the 300S), give the cabin a premium look and feel. New 300S has street presence Continued from pg. 1 3.5-litre V6 (let's forget about the sad little 178-hp 2.7 litre), and the available 5.7-litre Hemi was inspiring. The SRT8 model's 6.1-litre Hemi (425 hp, 420 lb/ft) even more so. Still, not everybody was a fan of this car's `gangster' styling, and its cabin-- like other Chrysler interior-- was in need of a makeover. So in 2011, with the company's across-the-board upgrade from cheap hard plastics to more soft-touch materials, leather, wood, chrome and other bling, came some refinement to the 300's overall look. This starts at the front with a more elegant slotted grille with liquid chrome finish, flanked by `key slot' headlamps (housing projector lamps and LED daytime running lights) with a scalloped lower edge. On the new-for 2012 300S model-- my tester for the week-- the headlamp bezels are accented in black, and in the grille, black chrome replaces bright chrome in the horizontal blades. The differences are subtle, but give it more street presence. The high beltline has been preserved, which is an element I like about its predecessor, but thinner pillars provide more visibility from the smallish side windows. The front windshield has been raked back three inches for improved aerodynamics. Pronounced wheel arches rise into the sculpted hood and are echoed by bulging rear fenders that give the vehicle a firmly-planted look. Twenty-inch alloys, standard on the 300S, add to the effect. In back, a deck-lid spoiler, LED taillamps and large-bore dual exhaust outlets hint at the sedan's performance. Inside is where the 300 shows itself worthy of being labelled a world-class sedan. Fit and finish is as good as anything I've driven in the near-luxury segment, and the move towards more premium materials, like real wood appliqués (matte carbon on my tester), bright and satin chrome accents, sapphire blue gauge illumination and ambient lighting, and optional Nappa leather seating, create the kind of luxury accommodations that were missing in earlier models. At $39,995, the 2012 300S V8 is number seven of ten 300 series models that top out at $48,995, and comes equipped with some high end features. These include well-bolstered, 12-way power driver and passenger front seats with two-position driver memory. Seating is also heated both front and rear, and my vehicle included the optional Radar Red leather, giving it a very sporty look. The leather-wrapped steering wheel is also heated (a nice touch as temperatures drop), with controls for the hands-free phone, audio system and cruise. The `S' also gets a power tilt/telescopic steering column, power adjustable pedals, power rear sunshade, auto-dimming side mirror (driver's side) that tilts in reverse, and heated/cooled cupholders that really do work. The 300S is also available with a V6, but the eightcylinder version gets some added perks like rainsensing wipers, adaptive headlights, rear backup camera and a speedo that tops out at 260 km/h-- a silly feature, but speaks to the car's ability. Chrysler is not blowing smoke with its `Imported from Detroit' commercials. The new 300 truly is world class, and although many of us haven't been believers until recently, cars like the 300 should go a long way in changing the hearts and minds of prospective buyers.