2005 Chrysler 300 Review

Specifications

ASC 300C Convertible May See Production

Down in the basement of Detroits Cobo Hall, home to the North American International Auto Show, was one of the most intriguing cars shown at the January event.

Of course, the premise of chopping the roof off of Americas sweetheart sedan is a no-brainer, but the way American Specialty Cars (ASC) went about the job was unorthodox and the result is an unusually attractive and wonderfully practical luxury ragtop.

Formed from a HEMI V8-powered 300C, a car that is now almost starting to look commonplace due to its enormous popularity, the Helios, named after the Greek god of the sun, was transformed into an extremely rich looking drop-top.

“From top to bottom, the Helios is inspirational, setting new standards for convertible performance, as well as offering the potential of creating an all-new vehicle segment not currently served today,” said Paul Wilbur, president and chief executive officer of ASC.

Possibly it was the unique champagne and caviar color treatment, or the fact that only the wealthiest American tycoons or movie stars of the roaring twenties or dirty thirties could ever afford a dual-cowl phaeton, the name given to four-door convertibles back in their heyday when domestic luxury coachbuilders such as Cadillac, Duesenberg, Pierce Arrow roamed the better neighborhoods.

OK, I agree that the Helios isnt patterned exactly after a dual-cowl phaeton, as it doesnt feature a rear passenger compartment sectioned off via a center bulkhead. The only Chrysler to be fitted with such a unique configuration was a one-off 1941 pace car based off what looks to be either a Newport or Thunderbolt, but that may change with the new ASC prototype. It seems that show goers werent the only ones to notice ASCs Helios, as rumor has it Chrysler Group are considering commissioning ASC to produce the new convertible for public consumption.

“The Helios is a whole new kind of halo car aimed at affluent Baby Boomers and others who seek the freedom, reward and excitement of open-air driving, but combined with four-door room and comfort,” commented Jeff Steiner, ASCs executive vice president and chief marketing officer. “Theres a big white space on the entire industrys marketing map for a car like this, and we think this type of vehicle might just be what the doctor ordered for OEMs looking for whole new emerging market segments.”

Another “segment buster” from the automaker that stole the compact crossover limelight before there even was one with its utilitarian yet stylish PT Cruiser, introduced the car-like Pacifica luxury-crossover before most competitors had even dreamt up a concept, revitalized the full-size American luxury sedan segment, and continues to innovate while many rivals merely contemplate stepping up with new ideas, seems in keeping with Chryslers bold corporate philosophy, but a 300C convertible built outside Brampton?

Why not? Toyota had ASC design and currently has it building the new Camry Solara convertible, also on the Detroit show stand. It makes sense for Chrysler to outsource such a specialized procedure, and the work ASC has done to make sure its version not only looks superb but also drives well, with little cowl shake according to reports, makes the aftermarket supplier a good choice.

This has been accomplished by bolstering the 300C Helios with cross-car bulkheads, mid and rear, center tunnel reinforcements, bolt-on under-body reinforcements, revised front- and rear-seat frames, and a unique “half B-pillar” reinforcement system, necessary for tightening up the roofless four-door.

The attractive “xpanse” fabric top comprises an inward folding mechanism and five supportive bows. Its 5-ply Haartz fabric should keep out noise while appearing extremely well finished inside and out, and requires simple one-touch actuation, of either a console-mounted button or the key fob to open or close.

But what happens to trunk space when the roof is folded down? Thanks to the xpanse folding mechanism, only 18 inches across is needed to stow the 5-foot, 8-inch roof. Making the packaging even more impressive is the tops overall size, covering a 59-inch long opening; the largest in the industry. The rear decklid remains stock, reducing production costs and maintaining the stylish lines of the sedan, while four, full-size golf bags fit inside the slightly compromised trunk.

“In 2005, ASC enters its fourth decade of leadership in open-air engineering,” said Mark Trostle, ASCs longtime head of design and chief creative officer, “and the Helios demonstrates that leadership in designing not just convertibles but also the full-vehicle systems necessary to make a state-of-the-art open-air vehicle possible today.”

ASC added more than just a well executed power cloth roof to the 300C convertible to give it a more alluring presence, mind you, with such details as a new nickel-plated front grille stepping up the cars styling, complementing nickel-plated beltline mouldings and exclusive 20-inch nickel-plated alloy wheels all-round.

Other exterior details include a tonneau-mounted LED CHSML, leather-wrapped hard tonneau cover and frameless, B-pillarless door glass.

The paint scheme, while appearing a brownish gold in the lights of the auto show stage, is actually a custom Pearl-Mist Green, complemented by a Rain Forrest Green fabric roof.

Such attention to exclusivity carries on to the cars interior as well, including an extremely upscale looking woodgrain center console stretching from front to rear, and featuring HVAC vents for rear passengers as well as four beautifully integrated, chrome rimmed and woodgrain covered cupholders. The rear console adds a private club atmosphere to the rear seating area, which also features individual power-actuated reclining rear bucket seats divided by a stunning woodgrain covered “waterfall” area between the seats, with an integrated storage compartment and DVD system. Rear seat legroom remains unchanged, as the wheelbase from sedan to convertible is identical.

Upping the luxury is “Royal Cream” leather trim on the seats and door trim, while the seatbelts have been integrated into the seatbacks for a more finished appearance and greater safety. Enhancing safety is a rollover protection system, integrated next to the rear headrests. The A-pillars and windshield surround has been reinforced as well, capable of acting as a roll hoop if needed. ASC also claims side-impact protection remains good.

“Our goal was to create a vehicle that exceeded the market standards for crashworthiness and rigidity, or what is also referred to as body stiffness,” stated Helios project manager, Dr. Mostafa Rashidy. “Rigidity is critically important to convertibles, because without it a vehicle would feel loose and will have compromised handling characteristics. And, thanks to engineering breakthroughs such as our cross-car bulkhead, longitudinal tunnel and lattice-like underbody assembly, we feel weve met all those goals–and not just for this car, but for virtually any sedan currently on the market.”

If produced, Chrysler would most likely drop the state-of-the-art Sony navigation and entertainment system for its own integrated unit, which would be optional as it currently is sold on the 300C. The portable Sony system, making its North American debut, features 30-gigabytes of power and 3D visuals, as well as advanced infotainment functionality. It can download MP3 files or movies, and play them back through the cars 400-watt audio system and multiple screens; the latter integrated into the rear portions of the front seat headrests. The front monitor connects through to a full-color, high-resolution rear-vision backup-assist camera as well.

Only about 135 kilos (300 pounds) has been added to the car overall, which is quite impressive considering the many luxury upgrades, folding roof mechanisms and considerable reinforcements, plus ASC believes it can build them en masse for as little as $4,800 ($4,000 USD) over the 300Cs MSRP; which is about the same as Toyota pays for the upgrades to its Solara convertible.

The only negatives are limitations brought about by one less rear passenger and slightly less trunk space.

ASC was clear to mention that its advanced convertible system is not only ideal for converting the 300C to open-top duties, but could also be applied to any two- or four-door vehicle.

The last year a four-door convertible was produced was 1967, marking the final year of production for Lincolns now very collectible Continental convertible. The 300C Helios has all the presence of the Lincoln, and Chrysler would be smart to put it into production while the automaker is enjoying such renewed enthusiasm for the winged nameplate.

Most likely, it will come to market for the 2007 model year, coinciding with the 300Cs mid-cycle upgrade. The timing would be ideal, as three years into any product is usually when designs start looking stale and customers start looking elsewhere for the latest trends.

The advent of a four-door 300C convertible should also quell any prospects of a two-door 300C coupe, at least during the cars current generation. Talk of a two-door, in both coupe and convertible guises, has been rampant since the new sedan took the North American market by storm last year.