The Hellcat 300 that Chrysler should have built is up for grabs
In the small family of Mopar’s LX-platform cars and their derivatives, the Chrysler 300 is a bit of a black sheep. Few laud the memory of the Dodge Magnum. That’s a shame, but unlike the Magnum, the 300 is still in production, living in the shadow of the sporty Charger and muscular Challenger.
The fraternal Dodge twins remain relevant with exciting throwback trims, special colors, and—most importantly—the highest-output V-8 engines Mother Mopar produces. The luxurious Chrysler 300, on the other hand, has had no such loving attention from product planners. Since the 6.4-liter 300SRT8 ended production in 2014, the top engine available in a 300 was the 5.7-liter Hemi. Those that want an absurdly powerful luxury cruiser from Chrysler are out of luck.
Well, not entirely, it seems.
This custom-built 2017 Chrysler 300S, currently up for bid on Bring-a-Trailer, has ditched its 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 in favor of a powertrain nabbed from a 2018 Charger Hellcat. The supercharged, 707-hp V-8 has been upgraded with a smaller supercharger pulley to spin it up faster for more boost, and the fuel system has been upgraded to match, with an additional pump and larger injectors. It also has a Z Automotive Tazer which allows access to the SRT Performance Pages in the UConnect infotainment system as well as custom programming for the engine and transmission settings that the factory may have locked.
If you’re in the market for a comfortable late-model sleeper, this Chrysler may deserve a look. The Ceramic Gray paint will help it blend in with the crowd, even if the cowl hood might raise some eyebrows. That custom-built hood does serve a purpose, however, as it helps air to flow over the supercharger and exit the engine bay, keeping intake air temps lower for improved power.
Chrysler might have 300 SRT8 production just before the Hellcat V-8 came to town in 2015, but one 300 fan fixed that error. The bid is currently at $18,000 with just five days to go. This one-of-a-kind Chrysler would be a genuinely unique way to enter the Hellcat club and drink in the joys of supercharged Hemi power.
