Born from the fertile minds of Chrysler’s Street and Racing Technology team, or SRT, the Chrysler 300C SRT-8 is the perfect bookend to one of the most successful vehicle launches of modern times. In the span of little more than a year, Chrysler 300s are everywhere, with few indications that the popularity of the car is fading. On the heels of this reception, Chrysler debuts the limited production SRT-8 – a deadpan ringer for the mass-produced version, with subtle yet significant differences beyond performance. Of course, there’s a price for the changes, and though a window sticker of $39,920 makes it a steal in the luxury performance market, it’s a bit high for the common man. Still, for around $40,000 you get a truly marvelous performance machine that matches up to the likes of the BMW 5 Series, hidden under covers that make it look like a upstyle commuter car with a bad attitude. It is, after all, a Chrysler 300, with exterior modifications limited to upgraded fascias, a small rear spoiler and color matching to the mirrors, door handles and bumpers. Inside, it is also very much like a 300, except for sport seats and some leather trim.

But hey – you’re paying for the kick in the pants it delivers, not comfy seats. On that score, the Chrysler 300C SRT-8 delivers 425 swift kicks from a 6.1-liter Hemi born from the 5.7-liter V8 you can find in a normal 300C. Along with adding displacement, the SRT team also opened up the intake and exhaust, giving the engine more air to breathe. That results in 425 horsepower at 6,200 rpm and 420 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,800 rpm. Mated to a five-speed automatic transmission, the SRT-8’s engine generates plenty of speed – and the car stops quickly, thanks to large Brembo brakes measuring 14.2 inches up front and 13.8 inches in back. The ability to go fast and stop in time is nice, of course, but it won’t win you many awards at a European Performance Festival. What gets the blue ribbon in that competition is a car that can move fast when the road turns and twists, and do so with the flexibility of Tod the Fox. To that end, changes made to the 300 by SRT include a lowered suspension with firmer and beefier hardware, including specially-tuned dampers and spring rates, and larger anti-sway bars. All this rides on 20-inch Goodyear performance tires mounted to beautiful multi-spoke brushed aluminum wheels. If that’s not enough to keep you on the road, the SRT-8 features a performance-tuned Electronic Stability Control (ESP) program that provides a wider envelope of driver control before kicking in to save your butt. The bottom line: If you go off the road in the SRT-8, it’s probably because you launched the thing.