When Chrysler badges a car with the SRT moniker (Street and Racing Technology) it means that under the hood of the car lays a mammoth burbling V8 that can deliver bucket loads of power when asked. The 300 SRT-8 was an extravagant performance version of the regular full-size Chrysler 300c sedan. It offered a Dodge Charger’s power in a more flamboyant, and comfortable package.

First unveiled at the New York International Auto Show in 2012, the first units only hit the market in 2012 and were in direct competition with other luxurious American sedans like the Cadillac CTS-V. Being a more affordable alternative, it was most people’s foray into luxury muscle sedans, a ride chosen by gearheads ballin' on a budget. Surprisingly, this car wasn’t a hit as it couldn't match offerings from the top luxury car brands like Rolls-Royces, Bentleys plus other German automakers.

In an age where automakers are planning and releasing more and more hybrid luxury cars, the Chrysler 300 SRT-8 is poised to stand out more in the future. For those that crave muscular elegance and raw performance, here are 10 things everyone forgot about the Chrysler 300 SRT-8.

RELATED: 10 Things We Just Learned About Chrysler And Its Cars

10 Powered By The Monstrous Hemi V8

Chrysler 300 SRT- 8 Engine
Via: Barrett-Jackson

Chrysler’s biggest contribution to the automotive world was making the storied Hemi V8 engine, which is in the 3rd generation and still keeps getting better. It's an engineering marvel that most enthusiasts agree will remain on the best V8 engines lists for years to come.

2005 Chrysler 300 SRT-8
Via: Barrett-Jackson

The version used in the Chrysler 300 SRT-8 model was a 6.1-liter V8 mated to a 5-speed gearbox with paddle shifters on the steering wheel for quickly moving through the gears. It was an upgrade over the previous 5.7 L introduced for the 2009 model year. The introduction of revised coolant channels and oil jets for cooling its pistons could enable it to churn out 425 hp at 6,200 rpm and 420 lb-ft of torque at 4,800 rpm without any issues.

9 A High-Performance Version Of The Chrysler 300 Luxury Sedan

Chrysler 300 SRT-8
Via: Mecum Auctions

When the Hemi V8 engine got dropped into Chrysler’s highly-refined and luxurious limo, the result was the birth of an unapologetic muscle sedan. Mechanically, it was similar to the Chrysler’s Group SRT performance cars like the 2012 Dodge Charger SRT-8 as both used the same engine.

Chrysler 300 SRT-8 Side
Via: Mecum Auctions

Performance-wise, it could accelerate from a standstill to 60mph in an as-measured 4.9 seconds and achieve a quarter-mile time of below 13 seconds. On a long stretch of road, it could hit a maximum speed of 173 mph — impressive numbers for such a massive vehicle.

8 It Also Had Updated Exterior Design and Styling

The Chrysler 300 SRT-8
Via: Edmunds

The Chrysler 300 stylish broad-shouldered and long design had become the acceptable face of extravagance for most buyers at the time. Chrysler didn’t bother with overhauling the design for the SRT-8 performance model, they just built on that styling to give it an updated, aggressive look.

Related: 10 Sickest Hemi-Powered Mopars Ever

Chrysler 300 SRT8s
Via: Hemmings

Its front and facia got restyled by slotting new upper and lower front grilles. Other changes were the introduction of a new special 7 spoke 2o-inch aluminum wheels, huge Brembo brakes, large exhaust tips, and it was also given a lower, sportier, and stiffer suspension. The result of all that was a luxury design with a purposeful stance that just screamed “get-out-of-my-way”.

7 Rare Find

2013 Chrysler 300 SRT-8
Via: YouTube

Good condition SRT-8 badged Chrysler 300s are scarce and much more desired today than they were in their production years. Not many Chrysler SRT-8s hit the market back then (sales numbers are difficult to get) as this car only had a 2-year production run. Around 2015, Autotrader listings only showed 103 unique second-generation SRT-8 models (new and second-hand) on sale in the US plus a few new 2014 SRT-8s in dealerships.

2012 Chrysler 300 SRT-8
Via: YouTube

In 2021, the Chrysler 300 SRT-8 is even rarer, as the appetite for performance-focused luxury sedans has grown tremendously. Reasons? Prices for new powerful limos without an iota of electrical assistance are extremely high as the car market now is filled with fuel-efficient crossovers, compact sedans, and hybrids.

6 A Muscle Sedan That Was As Comfortable As Limo

A Black 2005 Chrysler 300 SRT-8
Via: Mecum Auctions

Even though the Chrysler 300 SRT-8 was known more for its performance capabilities, it was also a posh limo and uncannily smooth to ride in because it had a three-mode adaptive-damping suspension.

Black 2005 Chrysler 300 SRT-8
Via: Mecum Auctions

Being a long and wide sedan, it also had plenty of elbow and stretching room inside, and its leather-lined seats made it as comfy. Owners could enjoy a relaxed yet confident ride in its retro ritzy interior glinting with bright trim.

5 Didn’t Cost An Arm And A Leg

2012 Chrysler 300 SRT8
Via: Edmunds

Exotic luxury sedans serve the purpose of being status symbols and performance machines. The downside for many is that they cost an arm and a leg ($100,000 or more). Buyers ready to overlook the “prestige” part for the spirit of a true performance car and enjoy a Hemi V8's growl could get the SRT-8 for just above $40,000.

RELATED: 10 Classic Mopar Cars You Can Modify Into Monsters

A 2008 Chrysler 300 SRT-8
Via: Mecum Auctions

There was no better deal in the performance-sedan market back then. Even today, car enthusiasts can get better deals on used Chrysler SRT-8s ($10,000- $30,000) as most underwent rapid depreciation despite their scarcity.

4 Killed By The Arrival Of The 2015 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat

Silver 2014 Chrysler 300 SRT-8
Stellantis North America

Gearheads looking for more aggressive designs and performance-optimized setups in FCA cars go for Dodge Chargers and Challengers. In 2015 when Chrysler introduced the all-new supercharged variant of the Hemi engine (the Hellcat) and put it in their other 4-door muscle car, it spelled doom for the 300 SRT-8 sedan.

2014 Chrysler 300 SRT-8 and 2014 Dodge Challenger
Via: Stellantis North America

The new coupe was called the Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat and has become a refined piece of machinery recently. The inspiration for the Hellcat name come from an American carrier-based fighter aircraft used in World War II called the Grumman F6F Hellcat. To add salt to injury, Dodge got exclusive rights to the SRT nameplate to make them the performance arm of the Fiat-Chrysler empire.

3 Very Shortlived But Still Continued Reigning Outside North America

Chrysler 300 SRT NSW Police Vehicle
Via: Flickr

Production of the first generation of the Chrysler 300 SRT-8 started in 2012 and ended in 2014 — a very short run in North America. From 2011, Chrysler 300 sales started slowing down; the numbers were even worse for the 300 SRT-8 performance version. After the 2014 model year, Chrysler only made it only available in other regions like the Middle East, and the UK. In other regions like Australia, some departments made it their police/patrol car.

Chrysler 300 SRT-8 Sideview
Via: Mecum Auctions

Chrysler killing it in North America made lots of sense because it had become an unpopular redundancy in its performance cars line-up. Also, luxury buyers were leaning more towards laid-back, cushy, and smooth-riding Chrysler 300Cs.

2 Infamous For Poor Interior Quality

Inside The Chrysler 300 SRT-8
Via: Barrett-Jackson

The inclusion of this point may dismay many gearheads, but the Chrysler 300 got produced in an era where the automaker’s vehicles were infamous for their poor interior quality. The 300 SRT-8 suffered from being associated with Chrysler. Despite being among the cars that offer a cheaper route to a luxury-car experience, the Chrysler 300 SRT-8 never matched or felt truly as high-end as sedans from established luxury players like Mercedes, Bentley, Porsche, or Rolls-Royce.

RELATED: 10 Best New Car Interiors Under $50,000

Chrysler 300 SRT-8
via Barrett-Jackson 

Problems mainly stemmed from some poor interior materials (dismal plastics) being used and the fast rate of interior deterioration. However, this car still had some nice interior features like an SRT-8 steering wheel, SRT-8 leather sports seats, and some carbon fiber interior parts.

1 Its Immediate Successor

Red Chrysler 300 SRT-8
Via: Edmunds

The 300 SRT-8 got succeeded by a new Chrysler 300 sedan that only got sold outside the North American market. Chrysler dropped the "8" from the branding of the vehicle, but it was still no slouch. Its new powerplant with higher displacement could now hammer out 470 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque.

The Chrysler 300 SRT8
Via: Mecum Auctions

Even better, Chrysler dropped its slacky 5-speed automatic transmission sourced from Mercedes for a new "Torqueflite" 8-speed transmission based on the ZF 8HP automatic gearbox used in the BMW 7 Series (F01). That's why the shifting, efficiency, and reliability of the 2015 Chrysler 300 SRT got much better.