KansasCity.com's view

ATLANTA–The serpentine road through the Chattahoochee National Forest was the perfect place for Chrysler to introduce journalists to its European-inspired 300M performance sedan and the more luxurious LHS. Both felt at home on the tightly laced curves that would make the Swiss Alps jealous, but the 300M was clearly in its element.

My driving partner was a young man from an automotive enthusiast magazine, and he attacked this road as fiercely as a pit bull going after the pants leg of a door-to-door salesman. No matter how hard he wrestled the wheel and stabbed the brakes, the 300M refused to be upset. The same could not be said of me, however.

When I got behind the wheel I understood why he had been driving so hard. The 300M, especially when equipped with the optional handling package, feels like a European thoroughbred. Its direct steering, balanced handling and stronger brakes invited exploration of its capabilities. Prudence comes with age, however, and I nearly put him to sleep.

The 300M and LHS are the near-luxury versions of the Concorde, vehicles that Chrysler hopes will account for 60,000 to 70,000 additional sales. The sophisticated and elegant LHS has a pug nose and a long trunk, while the sporty and aggressive 300M has a chopped-off trunk and a shorter nose. This duo sports a long list of standard equipment, including leather-trimmed seats, automatic climate control, AM/FM stereo with compact disc player and Swiss-watch like gauges with cream-colored faces that glow light blue at night. The LHS starts at $28,995 and the 300M at $28,895, including destination charges.

Baby Boomers may remember Chrysler’s 300 letter-series cars from the 1950s and 1960s. Even though the 300M has four doors, front-wheel-drive and a 3.5-liter V6 engine, it captures much of robust performance of the older car. With a 0 to 60 time of 7.6 seconds and a top speed of 139 mph, it is faster than the 1962 300H. The LHS has the same engine.

Both cars ride on a 113-inch wheelbase. The 300M is some 10 inches shorter overall so that it falls within the 5-meter length, a common international size. It will be exported to Europe, South America, Asia and the Middle East.

Shortening the trunk makes the 300M look muscular and taut, with a European profile. The LHS, on the other hand, is longer, rounder. Its bigger trunk should hold at least three golf bags, maybe four.

Befitting its performance image, the 300M has a suspension that is tighter and firmer than the LHS. The optional handling package includes: Michelin tires on 16-inch wheels; externally vented four-wheel disc brakes with anti-lock; a firmer-feel steering gear; and tighter springs and shocks. This package gives the 300M a very European feel and is a must for any driving enthusiast.

Power comes from a 24-valve, all-aluminum V6 that boasts 253 horsepower. This engine is compact and energetic. It is mounted to a four-speed automatic transmission. The 300M h as an AutoStick transmission so the driver can shift manually depending on conditions. In the hills around Fort Mountain State Park it was invaluable for positioning the car in turns or holding it in gear during steep descents.

The cabin is genuinely spacious, both front and back. My six-foot, six-inch driving companion had ample head and legroom, although he noted that the passenger seat did not slide back quite as far.

Interior textures are soft and elegant looking. The instrument panel has woodgrain trim and a leather-like texture unbroken by a seam for the passenger-side airbag. An analog clock sits in an indention above the center outlets. While the auxiliary switches are much better than they were in the previous LHS, they fall somewhat short of some competitors in this near-luxury class.

A small overhead console has a trip computer, compass and HomeLink transmitter.

The front seats, with heat and power standard, are wide and generous. Ditto for the ack. Back-seat legroom is substantial, but the sloping roofline requires passengers to duck slightly to get inside.

The LHS has a pass-through port to the trunk, while the 300M gets a fold-down seat. Each has a center armrest with built-in cupholder and storage compartment.

The cars we drove were pre-production models, so I will reserve final judgment until I have time with a standard production car. My short drive confirmed the following: To me, the styling of the LHS is not as elegant as the regular Concorde; the 300M, on the other hand, is lean and sophisticated, yet distinctively American. Both offer a lot of performance and styling for the money.

Price

The base of the 300M is $28,895, while the LHS is $28,995.

Warranty

The standard warranty is for three years or 36,000 miles.

There is no At A Glance box because this is not a test drive of a production vehicle.

SPECIFICATIONS:

ENGINE: 3.5-liter, V6

TRANSMISSION: Automatic

WHEELBASE: 113 inches

CURB WEIGHT: 3,567 lbs.

BASE PRICE: $28,895

PRICE AS DRIVEN: n/a

MPG RATING: 18 city, 27 hwy.