--- title: "Here’s Why the 2023 Chrysler 300C Isn’t a Hellcat" date: "2022-09-16" modified: "2022-09-16" authors: - name: "James Gilboy" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/james-gilboy.md" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/heres-why-the-2023-chrysler-300c-isnt-a-hellcat" categories: - "Car Tech" - "Chrysler News" - "Manufacturing" - "News" - "News by Brand" --- # Here’s Why the 2023 Chrysler 300C Isn’t a Hellcat ![2023 Chrysler 300C in red]() *\Chrysler\* The [2023 Chrysler 300C]() is the sedan's most powerful variant ever with its upgrade to Dodge Charger [Scat Pack]() spec. What it isn't is a Hellcat-powered send-off, which would've been more appropriate since this will be Chrysler's last internal combustion muscle car. The 300C shares a platform with the Charger that does get the Hellcat V8, so why is it still going without in its final year? It's a question that'd bug us for years if we didn't get an answer, so we asked Chrysler. As it turns out, the problem isn't selling Hellcat-powered 300Cs—the problem is building them. According to a person with knowledge of the program, all of the automaker's Hellcat engines are dedicated to other vehicles. Simply put, the 300C doesn't have a Hellcat engine because there aren't enough. Dodge has been moving a lot of Hellcats lately, and with the [Durango Hellcat]() coming back to add demand on top of [Ram TRX]() production and [crate engine sales](), it figures that Chrysler was left out in the cold. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() What's more, anyone who wants a four-door Hellcat can just get in line for a Charger. The lack of a 300C Hellcat hasn't exactly made a difference in sales so far, and it would've still cost money to develop, even if only a small amount. And all for what? To hype a nameplate whose cultural moment has been outlasted by the Charger's? Don't get me wrong, I wanted to see a 300C Hellcat happen before the chance was gone—to see Chrysler get another moment in the spotlight. But from a cold, hard business perspective, I get it. There'd be little to gain from Hellcatting a Chrysler, and certainly some money to lose. If a 300C Hellcat wasn't worth developing years ago, then it'd be even less worthwhile with the sun setting on the full-size, V8 American sedan. *Got a tip or question for the author? You can reach them here: james@thedrive.com* ## Author James is a former staff writer for The Drive. He has changed the conversation around electrification, debunked misinformation online, and become a prominent hunter of what he calls "automotive cryptids." ### Author social links [Instagram]() ## More - [Confirmed: 2023 Chrysler 300C Will Get a High Performance ‘Special Edition’]() - [The 2023 Chrysler 300C Hemi V8 Sold Out in Just 12 Hours]() - [End of an Era: The Final Hemi-Powered Chrysler 300C Just Rolled Off the Line]() - [No Hellcat: 2023 Chrysler 300C Gets 6.4L Hemi V8 With 485 HP]() - [Lifted Chrysler 300C With a Hemi V8 and AWD Makes a Capable Plow Rig]() - [Chrysler’s Making a Performance Car Again After Almost a Decade]() - [Goodbye, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. Here’s How We’ll Remember You]() - [Could a 707-Horsepower Chrysler 300 Hellcat Be in the Mix?]()