Drive this car to discover why Chrysler’s sales are climbing while Ford and GM are getting junk-bond ratings from financial institutions around the globe. The 2005 300C SRT-8 is a brilliant machine. Stupid fast thanks to its 425-horsepower, 6.1-liter Hemi V8, the 300C SRT-8 is no one-trick pony. Rather, this amazing sedan blends the best of an American muscle car – big-displacement horsepower and torque – with the best of a German sport sedan. It stops and turns just as well as it goes. And boy, does it go, down any kind of road, straight or kinky.

Yeah, it’s expensive, and with its limited-production status, dealers won’t be letting them go without tacking on extra profit. But compared to the high-end machinery it’s up against, like the BMW 545i, Infiniti M45, Lexus GS 430, and Mercedes E500, it’s still a bargain. And don’t think the 300C SRT-8 is nothing more than a garden-variety 300C with big wheels and a lip spoiler on the trunk. The difference in driving dynamics is like night and day. The SRT-8’s steering offers real road feel, and responds quickly to input. The body rides taut on a suspension that Velcros the massive 20-inch rubber to the road. The brakes behave flawlessly, the manually-shifted AutoStick transmission responds instantly to commands. But the drawing card is the motor, gorged with horsepower and torque, producing dizzying speed at the drop of the throttle. – Christian J. Wardlaw

Photos courtesy of DaimlerChrylser, Christian Wardlaw