How Much HP Does A Chrysler 300 SRT8 With The 6.4L HEMI V8 Have & What's Its Top Speed?

While the earliest model dates back to the mid-50s, the Chrysler 300 re-emerged in 2005 and offered drivers a performance-oriented sedan at more affordable prices than foreign competitors. A strong sales debut saw the new model move 144,048 units in 2005, per Carfigures.com. One of the most exciting variants of the 300 is the SRT8 model, which includes a robust Hemi engine. Initially, the SRT8 variant came equipped with a brawny 6.1L HEMI, but the automaker would later add even more cubic inches and output.

In 2012, Chrysler upped the ante with an even more powerful 6.4L HEMI V8 that produced an impressive 470 horsepower with 470-pound feet of torque. This 392 Hemi is one on the best engines ever put in a Dodge Charger, let alone a 300. This output translated into a 0-60 mph time of just 4.3 seconds, and a swift 12.7-second quarter mile. The Chrysler 300 SRT8 can also manage a top speed of 175 mph, making it a formidable performance machine, despite its unassuming appearance. 

Sadly, Chrysler is pulling the plug on the 300 after 17 years and focusing in another direction. The automaker cites "shifts towards electric and more advanced technologies" as the reason for the 300's exit. However, the muscle sedan has faded before only to make a triumphant return, so it may not be the last auto fans have seen of the great HEMI.

A sleeper car is one that doesn't exude flashy sport-infused elements like oversized spoilers and racing stripes. It's a car many wouldn't expect to be incredibly fast and is underestimated as a result. The Chrysler 300 SRT8 is not only a large four-door sedan, but other than a few small details, doesn't look dramatically different from the vastly less-powerful standard model. Beneath the unassuming exterior of the 300 SRT8 is also enhanced suspension with three selectable modes and a launch control. Fortunately, this sedan was just one of the lucky few vehicles to get Chrysler's 6.4L 392 HEMI under the hood.

Despite the amount of power available, and comfortable upscale interior, the 2012 300 SRT8 is significantly less expensive than German sedans like the 2012 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG and 2011 BMW M5. Granted, these sedans aren't comparable in every aspect, as these automakers utilized more compelling technology and refinement. However, Autofocus.ca held a track showdown in 2012 of all three of these vehicles, concluding, "The guys at SRT should be really proud of this car. I mean its half the price of those Germans and it can hang pretty close to them." 

In 2012, the Mercedes retailed for around $87,000, the BMW for around $94,000, while the 300 SRT8 retailed for only $47,670. Even though the SRT8 model was discontinued in 2015, the 2023 Chrysler 300C gives the sedan a heartfelt 6.4L HEMI goodbye.