Among the most discussed and highly praised new vehicles on the

road, the Chrysler 300 offers sedan fanciers sophistication, power and a

lot of luxury -- all packaged about as nicely as feasible. It's as if the

heavy-duty tankers of yesteryear have been given a modern-day

makeover.

Gone is the sluggish, gas-guzzling reputation of cruiser sedans. Instead,

the new Chrysler has gone upscale and elegant as if the terms sleek

and sturdy and dutiful and cruising family sedan are no longer mutually

exclusive.

My test drive for the week was the 300C. It featured a 340-hp, 5.7-liter

Hemi V8 with a five-speed, automatic transmission. The combination is

frighteningly powerful, which I embarrassingly discovered on a few

occasions.

At one intersection after a city traffic, low-speed errand run, I stopped at

a stoplight. When the light changed, I barely touched the accelerator

and off I jettisoned, tires screeching.

On other occasion, I equally quickly bolted through heavy traffic on the

freeway. Chrysler claims the vehicle has the 9.0-second results in the

standard 0-60 test, and there's little to question the claim.

The Chrysler 300 is available in four options with my 300C model,

second only to the SRT8 in standard and optional features, size and

performance pedigree. With its 20-inch wheels and 6.1-liter engine, for

example, the SRT8 boasts of a 0-60 mph in 5.0 seconds.

The point: The Chrysler 300 -- whether the base, AWD Touring, 300C or

the flagship SRT8 model -- will get you to where you want to go, and it

will do so with a quick bolt of speed and then quietly cruise down the

freeway at ease.

The Chrysler 300C will also get you where want in extreme comfort. The

front and back seats are spacious, and the leather-trimmed seats are

handsomely coordinated with the silver-colored instrumentation and

wood grain panel trim and console. In my instance, the presentation was

further enhanced by a distinguished-looking Satin Jade Pearl (think

charcoal gray) exterior and interior.

At night, the simply designed, stylish instrument control faces are backlit

an attractive light green. Additionally, the dual-material steering wheel --

it's light tortoise shell with a leather-covered bottom half -- all add up to

give the driver and passengers a serene, luxurious experience.

The ride quality further complements the high praise, including a Best

Buy recommendation from Consumer Guide. My vehicle did have

increased wind rush at higher speeds. But it's a small issue, particularly

considering the vast standard and optional features.

Among the standard features: Halogen projector headlamps, fog lamps,

heated front seats, tilted power steering wheel with radio controls, tire

pressure monitoring system and rain-sensitive windshield wipers.

More than a dozen option packages are available, with my test drive

featuring the Sound Group II ($635). It included AM/FM radio with

cassette with a six-CD changer, 368-watt amplifier and seven Boston

Acoustics speakers. The high-intensity headlamps and headlamp

washer added another $695, a rear-seat video system (untested)

contributed another $695 and SIRIUS satellite radio with one-year of

service added another $195. With a destination charge of $675, the

300C's total price is just under $37,000.

That amount puts the Chrysler 300 into the mix with a good cross

selection of vehicles. For its combination of power, comfort and style, it

would be hard to argue against it as a top choice.

2006 Chrysler 300: The Weekly Driver

Safety features -- Dual front airbags (other airbags available)

Fuel Mileage (estimates)-- 17 mpg (city), 25 mpg (highway).

Warranty -- Bumper to bumper, 3 years/36,000 miles;

Powertrain, 7 years/70,000 miles; Corrosion, 5 years/100,000 miles;

Roadside assistance, 3 years/36,000 miles.

Base price -- $33,325.

James Raia is a freelance writer, author and publisher in Sacramento,

Calif. To read more examples of his car review column, The Weekly

Driver, visit his web site, http://www.ByJamesRaia.com