Chrysler this month has released a limited-edition Mopar "parts unit".
Mopar is the company's parts division, and a brand in itself. Any gearhead with a Chrysler (or Dodge or Plymouth or Jeep or Eagle or, now, even Fiat) is well familiar with the name. It has been on the eagerly-awaited boxes that have arrived in the mail and made it possible for them to repair, enhance, or soup up their car.
Chrysler has taken to releasing a Mopar unit each year, but this year marks the 75th anniversary of the division's founding; and, to mark the occasion, the parts unit is based on the prestigious 300. Previous years' were based on the Dodge Challenger and Dodge Charger.
Five-hundred units of the Mopar '12 300 are hitting dealers in the US and Canada this month. Chrysler says that some began arriving even before the announcement was made.
"The Mopar brand of vehicles typically sell fast so if you have at least an inkling in getting one, contact your local dealer now," the company says on its blog.
In 2011, Chrysler made 1500 Mopar '11 Chargers, and the year before it made 600 Mopar '10 Challengers. In both cases, the cars sold out within days.
This year's "moparized" 300 is called a "performance tribute".
Car and Driver notes that because it's a classy Chrysler getting the treatment this year, the exterior alterations have been kept relatively understated.
The model still has a black front grill, black 20-inch forged aluminum wheels, and black-trimmed headlights (that's understated?).
The interior of the Mopar '11 differs from that of the 300 in that the car has stiffer suspension, higher-performance brake pads, and a higher rear-differential ratio that Mopar says cuts the car's 0-to-60 time into the low-five-second range.
All of this, Car and Driver says, puts it approximately $10,000 over the price of the 300.
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