2011 Chrysler 300 to Get 30 MPG With Eight-Speed Transmission
At today’s Detroit auto show, Chrysler announced the redesigned 300 will get an estimated 30 mpg on the highway with a new eight-speed automatic transmission and the automaker’s Pentastar V-6. The combination will become available “this calendar year,” Chrysler spokesman Jiyan Cadiz told us.
The car will initially be offered with five-speed automatics in both V-6 and V-8 configurations. Cadiz wouldn’t confirm any plans to pair the V-8 with the eight-speed automatic, but it would only seem natural for that to happen sometime down the road. After all, the automaker announced last June that it would invest $300 million in its Kokomo, Ind., transmission plant to produce an eight-speed.
There were no details on what sort of city mileage the transmission might return, but the highway figure is impressive for a full-size car; the competing Toyota Avalon and front-drive Ford Taurus get 29 mpg and 28 mpg, respectively. Few other details on the transmission were available, and Cadiz wouldn’t say if the eight-speed will be offered early on as an option or if it will supplant the five-speed entirely. We’ll let you know once we know more.
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Highway mileage is relatively easy - low rolling resistance tires, aerodynamics, and gear up...way up. Once you get going, it takes little to keep going on a level surface - inertia. Back in the days of 3 speed automatics they pulled this off by just having a ridiculously high rear differential gearing (although it killed acceleration.)
The real trick is city mileage, where you have to constantly move a large heavy object from a standstill to speed. I would like to see those numbers quoted more often.
There is only so much you can do with city mileage on such a heavy car. This mileage is impressive because taurus and avalon have less than 270hp and this has 292. Maybe with the 8 speed the new 300 can get some respect vs the genesis. One thing is for sure, this will outsell the genesis handily
Chrysler has the same engineering deficiencies that GM does in that their cars are much to heavy. I don't suspect this will be underpowered like a lot of the newer GM vehicles are. With that being said Chrysler should sell a fair amount as they can always move a lot of them through fleet sales as they do now.
The 300 issue night heavier than an uplevel bmw 5 series so I fail.to seen hiw its too heavy. The else class issue also over 4000 lbs
Sorry. Meant to say no heavier than those cars. And the chrysler is larger.
Why isn't the eight-speed ready in time for the new car's debut? Guess the zombie automaker just couldn't get everything ready in time. No wonder they went bankrupt!
Who would be stupid enough to buy this car with the old 5 speed automatic, when the 8 speed auto should be out in less than one year?
The better question is, "Who would be stupid enough to buy any Chrysler product?"
If they don't put the 8 speed with the Hemi then I won't be buying and I suspect many others feel the same.
since the V6 will be the volume seller Chrysler benefits more from improving the mileage on that model. This is about CAFE rules as much as performance. The V8's mileage is respectable for car with so much power.
GM & Ford jointly developed the 6-speed transmission which has a smoother ride and higher mileage. Both companies applied this tranny in many of their latest models and all turned out to be so successful.
With this 8-speed tranny, I believe Chryler may trump over GM, Ford & all Japanese automakers.
this is my baby,the best ever car to be made on earth.if you doubt this check on the upcoming 2012 version.....