The performance-tuned, muscle-bound 2012 Chrysler 300 SRT8 may hog most of the limelight, but it isn’t the only variant of the 300 sedan to receive some modification for the 2012 model year. Perhaps the most significant news lies with a new transmission: select V-6-powered cars will now be offered with an eight-speed automatic.

The news isn’t all that surprising, considering Chrysler formally announced the gearbox last summer. The eight-speed automatic is licensed from German powertrain supplier ZF, and until Chrysler can fully retool its transmission plant in Kokomo, Indiana, the automaker will be buying completed transmissions directly from the supplier.
Although the new transmission may ultimately be available on all 300 V-6 models, for now, it’s only confirmed for the new 2012 300S — and only when built with both Chrysler’s 3.6-liter V-6 and rear-wheel drive (opt for either all-wheel-drive or the 5.7-liter Hemi V-8, and you’re relegated to the aging, Mercedes-Benz-derived five-speed automatic). The model, available with either V-6 or V-8 power , is much like the new 2012 200S in that it dresses up both the 300′s interior and exterior appearance. Cosmetic tweaks include body-colored accents in the front fascia, a unique black chrome grille insert with matching black headlamp bezels, and large 20-inch polished aluminum wheels with black painted accents. Read the rest of this entry »