Ten years prior to the release of 426 HEMI-powered intermediates on public roads, which quickly became iconic muscle cars, the Chrysler Corporation garnered attention for another HEMI-powered, high-performance car: the formidable 300B. As an automobile manufacturer, Chrysler appears to have lost its edge these days, offering just an antiquated sedan and an expensive minivan in the US market.
In the past, however, some of the finest, most powerful American luxury cars donned Chrysler badges. That was the case in the first part of the 1950s when the carmaker produced models like the New Yorker, Imperial, and 300 (codenamed C-300). The latter was introduced in 1955, and although it was an elegant gran touring-style coupe aimed at the personal luxury car segment, the main reason for its development was to homologate a new car for NASCAR.
Named after the amount of horsepower its FirePower HEMI V8 could produce, the C-300 was the first in a long line of ever-more-powerful Chryslers dubbed the 300 letter series.
An improvement all across the board
Even though there were eleven more lettered 300s (twelve if you include the 1970 Hurst 300), the 1956 300B is still regarded as one of the most well-known and sought-after models in the series. Similar to its predecessor, Robert MacGregor Rodger and Virgil Exner designed the 300B. Despite using many parts from current Chrysler vehicles, the car was nonetheless a significant upgrade all around.
The car received visual refinements, new amenities that made it more luxurious, a 12-volt electrical system, bigger brakes, and a larger-displacement HEMI engine that made it more powerful.
Luxury galore
Though very similar to the C-300, the new model’s exterior received just the right amount of subtle upgrades to make it look even more elegant, like the brand-new, jet age-inspired tailfins that rose from the quarter panels. Meanwhile, available creature comforts included power steering and front brakes, power windows, a power bench seat, a gas heater, air conditioning, multispeed wipers, and a lavish steering wheel-mounted clock.
Also new for the 300B was the innovative Highway Hi-Fi audio system. It was created and developed by Peter Goldmark and permitted vinyl records to be played within the vehicle, albeit with unique, smaller-diameter records made especially for the setup.
The 300B’s interior focused comfort and luxury, akin to that of a real European grand tourer, even yet it was capable of race car performance figures. All of the trims, switches, and buttons were made of chromed metal, while the dashboard and bench seats were covered in premium leather.
One of the fastest, most powerful production cars available in 1956
When the C-300 with its 331-ci (5.4-liter) HEMI was introduced a year earlier, it became the first American car to make 300 hp, but for its successor, Chrysler had even bigger plans. The FirePower V8 with hemispherical combustion chambers was enlarged to 354 ci (5.8 liters). In addition, the crankshaft was now forged and hardened, while the compression ratio also went up.
The engine’s rating in standard configuration was 340 horsepower, which added a healthy 40 horsepower to an already extremely powerful engine. Customers had the option to upgrade to a 354 ci FirePower with a greater compression ratio, which could produce 355 horsepower, making it even more spectacular. When it was released in the latter version, the 300B was among the quickest and most powerful production automobiles in the world as well as the first automobile manufactured in the United States to produce one horsepower per cubic inch.
It could sprint to 60 mph (97 kph) from a standstill in about 9 seconds, and, during a test conducted at Daytona in 1956, it reached a top speed of 139.9 mph (225.14 kph).
A dominant NASCAR career
Like the C-300, the new 300B was taken to the track for more than high-speed tests. During the 1956 season, NASCAR team owner Carl Kiekhaefer brought several examples and raced them in the Grand National Series. Except for some minor modifications like hood latches and headlight covers, the stock 300B racked up 22 wins in 41 races, of which 16 victories came consecutively. Moreover, the car helped Hall of Famer Buck Baker win his first Grand National Series title that season.
The Chrysler 300B today
This legendary car was only produced during the 1956 model year in 1,102 units that were sold with a starting price of $4,242 ($46,978 in 2023 money). Today, surviving models are one of the most saught-after American cars built during the 1950s. A few months ago, a 300B donning a unique body became the most expensive example ever sold.
Italian entrepreneur Giovanni “Gianni” Agnelli commissioned the custom 300B, whose elegant body was coachbuilt in Italy by Carrozzeria Boano. The Chrysler 300B is still one of the most well-known and sought-after members of the 300 letter series, despite not being the first or most powerful. Sadly, Chrysler is no longer making this stunning and surprisingly capable luxury vehicle, even after nearly seven decades of production.