SirWindsor

It's a very significant car in the market cause Chrysler was the only amercian company to have an increase in car sales last month. Chrysler is selling every single one it builds, demand is meeting their supply.

So you take the financial significance of the car mix it with editorial subjectiveness and you have the 2005 car of the year. I think it's a beautiful car but, I firmly believe it will end up like the PT cruiser, they will abandon restyling and 4 years from a brand new one will look old, they wont hold value. Chysler will abandon the design because they are content with sales. It was the same thing with the PT cruiser, lots of hype, great styling with broad appeal, great sales numbers to back it up. But now the cruiser is like a red-headed step child with it's outdated styling.

I am a true mustang fan and before the 300C came out i was telling everyone the new stang was gonna win the Car of the Year, brand new chassis after 25 years, Hau Thai-Tang, very broad appeal styling, great power, great interior.

Oh well, maybe we'll get them when the new Cobra comes out.
Just remember think PT cruiser the 300 wont hold value like a new GT.

rhumb

I would probably agree that the 300/Magnum should get it, even over the Mustang.

While the '05 Mustang is a great retro design interpretation and pretty good mechanical execution of the Mustang theme, it doesn't really break any significant new grounds in either styling nor engineering. Actual innovations are rather small, limited to things like the IUPs changing dash color scheme. Otherwise, the Stang's but a very good execution of a rather established existing theme.

The 300/Magnum however pushes much further forward in terms of design and engineering in the family sedan/wagon class. The styling, while retro in many regards, pushes much further forward in terms of interpreting the retro themes in new and exciting ways. As for engineering, the new Hemi introduces an effective cylinder cut-out technology. As for the chassis, it reestablishes the RWD configuration in the mid/full size familay sedan class but, unlike the Mustang, does so with a fully modern suspension setup including a sophisticated IRS.

tom_vilsack

Dear Motortrend:

I send my resumes for your job of picking car of the year.

1. I dont own a mini van.
2. I dont own a suv.
3. I promise to never pick a silly looking hybrids.
4. I wont pick a car that looks like a bathtub.
5. The only sedan i will ever drive in,is a taxi.
7. I dont watch opera.
8. Finally the car i pick will have staying power,it wont be this months fad.

ps: i will work for real cheap,heck ill even work for free!

Yours Truly:
Tom

USA-Adam

I think the 300 is an ugly brick on wheels.

StangNut

Let 'em know what you think... I did.

"The 300C over the Mustang??
That was a misprint, right?
Early April fool's joke?
Next month you'll print a retraction correcting your mistake.
COME ON, people! The 300C?
MT just lost ALL it's credibility with me.
I hope Chrysler paid you plenty for that misguided choice.
Give it a year or two and let's see which car is still going strong."

Ok, so I'm a smart***.
Here's the link to their email page.
Contact Motor Trend Editors

mustang_sallad

I'd rather have the mustang, and i wouldn't be surprised if the majority of the guys testing for COTY would rather own or drive a mustang than the 300. A big factor in their decision though is how big an effect the car has on the automotive industry.
Both the mustang and 300 are pretty amazing cars. They both have great power, bargain price, amazing handling on american standards (for their respective classes). I think the mustangs prettier personally, but you gotta admit that both these cars have pretty outstanding styling.
I think the 300 is having a bigger effect on the industry though.
Again, i think the 300s styling will get tiresome in a few months. i don't think that at all about the mustang, and i'm trying to not be biased. Too bad they don't do car of the year after the cars have been around for that year. Its kinda like they're guessing which is gonna be the best car.

mustang_sallad

oh yeah, and i totally respect their decision with the prius last year. That car was the first successful step into a technology which is gonna spread across the entire automotive industry in the next couple years. The car is completely sold out, they can't even come close to meeting demand, and its doing a lot for us.

in fact, i'd say i was thrilled that these guys, who loved driving so much that they made a life out of it, were able to admit that this thing which probably ain't the most dynamic driver deserved their award. They knew they would take flack for it, even mentioned it in the write up, but they couldn't deny it. Car and Driver said something similar. They said that their lead-footed test drivers were in a matter of hours, driving as gently as possible, getting a kick out of maxing their peak gas mileage.

(On a side note, stop thinking that hybrids are necessarily slow. Check out the Accord Hybrid, 0-60 in 6.7 seconds, 30/37mpg cty/hwy. Sorry, i gotta promote hybrids at least once a month.)

RaiderSilverGT

I wouldn't trade my '05 Mustang GT for a fully loaded "hemi" 300 under any circumstances. I would, however, trade the family Camry XLT for a 300 in a heartbeat. It is a very cool car.

Robert

You're seriously comparing the antiquated taxi-cab, police cruiser, don't-get-rear-ended-above-50mph Crown Victoria to the brand-new-architecture, world-class Chrysler 300C...?

O...kay then.

Indystang

Last weekend I parked next to a Magnum with a Hemi at the store and as I was coming out the guy stopped me to tell me how nice my car was. We talked about 10 minutes and all he could say about his Magnum Hemi was it cruised down the highway easily and how the automatic cylinder shut off helped with the gas mileage. He paid 34K for it and asked me what mine cost. He said he would have bought a Mustang but he had a family with kids and needed the room. I could tell he was crying on the inside but had to settle on the Dodge. It's not a 300 but I thought his story was interesting because he really was a performance car guy at heart.

upstate

That is exactly the nich they wanted. Sooner or later we grow up and then we are in a performance wagon, cause you need the practical side. A Mustang is great but its my 2nd car. I wouldn't be able to buy one if it were my only one.

Retardking

You're seriously comparing the antiquated taxi-cab, police cruiser, don't-get-rear-ended-above-50mph Crown Victoria to the brand-new-architecture, world-class Chrysler 300C...?

O...kay then. [/b][/quote]
I'm not saying the Crown Vic is a vastly superior vehicle, but for a family car, the Crown Vic would make more sense for me. Despite the hoopla about exploding gas tanks (see how many cars, including the 300, don't have an explosion when getting rear-ended at 50mph, I'm sick of media scare frenzies), the Vic gets all those 4 and 5 star crash ratings every single year, I know so does the 300. It's far easier on the wallet. Crown Vic with a V-8 standard starts at under $25,000. To get the V-8(fraudulent Hemi) in the 300 you're at well over $33,000 before you add any options. Quite a substantial price gap, since money is always an object. Plus at night it's fun to watch people slow down when you're behind them when they think you're a cop. Cheap entertainment. Just my opinion.

rhumb

I think the Magnum really should have gotten the COTY (unless it got co-billing?) as I think that pushes forward even more than the 300. For someone with a family or just a lot of stuff, a Hemi Magnum would be an excellent choice. It really goes to redefine the wagon from just a dray grocery-getter hauling squallering tots around to a cool road burner that hauls hiney as well as hauls stuff.

And wait till the 425hp SRT version comes out in the next few months...