No doubt you have been seeing these cars more and more over the past year… and their drivers are becoming more and more diverse. Everybody can find something to love about the Chrysler 300, from executive 30-somethings, college bound 20-somethings, muscle car era 40-somethings, on up to even wheelchair hot rodding 90-somethings.

20-Somethings:

Undoubtedly if you ask a 20-something what they liked best about their 300, they will probably mention the style, 22/24 wheel capability, and the word “Hemi” will probably be mixed somewhere in there as well.

The entire line of Chrysler 300’s are toting powerful engines, from their baseline V6 on up to their top of the line SRT-8. The base 300 ($23,000) has a 178-horsepower 2.7 liter V6 with a four-speed automatic transmission. The Touring and Limited ($27,000-$29,000) 300 have a 250 horsepower 3.5 liter V6, with a five-speed automatic transmission.

The top echelon 300 ”C” and 300C SRT-8 feature the infamous Hemi V8 engine. The 300C ($36,000) is good for 340 horsepower while the SRT-8 ($42,000) is even better at 425 horsepower. It is important however to realize that you are toting around a five-seat sedan upwards of 4,000 lbs, so as impressive as these numbers may seem, their 0-60 tells yet another story.

0-60 for the V-6 2.7 is around 10 seconds. The 3.5 gets there at 8 seconds. The 300C is just under 7 seconds, while the 300C SRT-8 can push you back in your seat at 6.1 seconds (Popular Mechanics). So, your going to have to shell out the big bucks (over $40,000) if you want to win any races (at the track of course).

30-Somethings:

The more family/business oriented 30-something crowd will enjoy the power of the 300 just as much as the 20-somethings, but on the practical side, the 300 is a very affordable “luxury/family” sedan. With the base 300 Touring you can get fog lamps, four-wheel disc (anti-lock) brakes, traction control, stability control, emergency brake assist, leather upholstery, and All-Wheel Drive, all for just a little under 30K in most cases.

40-Somethings:

With age and intelligence comes the knowledge that your most enjoyable time spent with a new car is inside of it, so you might as well make the most of it. There seems to be two sides to the 300’s interior… you will either love it or hate it.

For many, the large leather seats are very comfortable, while the chrome interior accents and white face gauges are pleasing and reminiscent of a performance oriented vehicle. The speedometer even goes to 160 to go along with the 300’s overall bulging presence and estimated 150+ speed capability.

Others say that the interior is full of cheap plastics that are not pleasing to either the look or touch. They say the arm rests are harsh, the vinyl material on the steering wheel is tacky, and the tortoise shell accents are unflattering.

Have a look and decide for yourself which side of the fence you fall…

Either way, the Chrysler 300 is a decent car for your dollar and offers something that just about anyone will enjoy!

Push Button Starter-

As the summer rolls through we should predictively see more and more cars using push button starter systems. Besides looking and feeling cool using them, consumers will actually receive better personal attention from their cars.

By this we are referring to the smart cards that will go along with the push button start. The driver will simply slide into the drivers seat, immediately have their smart card recognized, push the “start” button, and not only will the car start, but the card will have programed the seat setting, steering wheel, mirrors, preferred air temperature, and favorite radio presets.

Once you get to where you want to go, all you need to do is push the button once more and the car shuts off. Recent consumer poles show that one of the top features that they are asking for in their next cars are keyless ignition, and most car manufacturers are beginning to listen.

It wasn’t long ago that this luxury was considered just that, only a feature for such luxury lines as Bentley, Jaguar, and Maybach. But this summer we will be seeing a glimpse of these popping up in more and more Chevrolet’s, Toyota’s, Mazda’s, Nissan’s, etc.

Here is the current list of vehicles using this technology according to Edmunds.com:

Acura RL, Audi (A6, A8, Q7, S6, S8), Bentley (Continental GT, GTC, Flying Spur), BMW (3, 5, 6, 7, B7, M5, M6, X5), Cadillac (STS, STS-V, XLR, XLR-V), Chevrolet Corvette, Infiniti (FX35, FX45, G35, M35, M45), Jaguar XK, Lexus (ES 350, GS 350, GS 430, IS 250, IS 350, LS 460), Maybach (57, 62), Mazda (CX-7, CX-9, Mazdaspeed 6, RX-8), Mercedes-Benz (CL, CLK, CLS, E, GL, M, R, S, SL), Mini Cooper, S, Mitsubishi Outlander, Nissan (Altima, Altima Hybrid, Maxima, Murano, Sentra, Versa), Suzuki (Grand Vitara, SX4), Toyota (Avalon, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Prius), Volkswagen Touareg, and Volvo (S40, S80, V50).

Oh, The Sweet Smell of Burning “Lavender”-

While one of the coolest gadgets for tires coming down the pike for the next five years should be either self-inflating tires or non-inflatable tires, this summer we have fragrance tires to look forward to. Kumho has taken it upon themselves to create a tire that once warm, gives off the aroma of either lavender, neroli (orange) or jasmine.

These tires go under the code name ECSTA DX, and have been being sold through Tire Rack for a number of months. While the muscle car crowd may try to pass these off to the local law enforcement as friendly incense burning while smoking their tires through local neighborhoods, the real targeted consumer according to Kumho is the luxury sedan driver.

Let’s face it, tires do get warm after being on the pavement all day, so when we pull into out garage it may small a bit like warm rubber. Well, now for $80 to $120, you can get out of your car to the sweet essence of man made fragrance…

What are they going to think of next?

We talk a lot about cool cars, but in the real world most people are too practical to actually own one. But there is no reason that you can’t take one out for a spin. In case you didn’t know, Avis has a program out that allows customers to roll in style with their rental needs.

They offer a series of “Ultimate Rides”, plus what they call “Joy Rides”. For around $100+ a day, you could settle yourself into the drivers seat of sweet ride and nobody will ever have to know that you were “impractical” for a day, and why not… you deserve it!

Let’s take a look at a few of the “Cool Cars” Avis has to choose from for the coming year:

2008 Chevrolet Corvette- First on a lot of peoples dream car lists has got to be the infamous Chevy Corvette. While not everybody’s fancy, for around $169.00 a day, you could experience exactly what it feels to have 430 horsepower resting comfortably underneath your right pinky toe! Each Avis Corvette will come complete in the convertible model with the standard 6.2 liter V-8, cruise control, active handling system, and power everything. The Corvettes have already been sold out through Spring in many areas, so if you want to get your hands on one, you better act quick.

2008 Cadillac CTS- If class and style are a little more what your caviar dreams are made of, then the Cadillac CTS offered through Avis will be a welcome change from the average practical car. The Cadillac does not feature quite the brawn of the Corvette, but its 304 horsepower 3.6 liter V-6 (coming this August), is very smooth and capable, and can see MPG’s in the range of 25-26 on the highway. But what you really rent with the Cadillac is not its engine, but its luxurious seating, sound system, 40 gigabyte navigation system, and bullet-proof six-speed transmission.

2008 Hummer H3 (Alpha)- If you have never driven a Hummer before, it is without a doubt an experience of its own. There is something very commanding about being behind the wheel of an infamous military vehicle sporting a 5.3 liter V-8 with 300 horsepower and 320 lb-ft of torque. The H3 is not just cosmetic either, the new Alpha has been designed to go off the beaten path with its standard 4.10: 1 gear ratio and climb and play with the best of them. But if style among the city streets is what you are after, the Hummer is just as comfortable in the city and highways as off-road, and thanks to the new V-8, it can actually pass slower vehicles without the labor and groans of the old inline-5.

2008 Ford Mustang- While perhaps not the infamous Shelby Hertz GT-H, a Mustang is a Mustang and they are all fun to drive, especially this most recent body style. The Mustang GT offers noise, 300 horsepower, more noise, and an image of youth and vigor. While not quite as refined as most of the other cool cars in the Avis line-up, there is a kind of charm that goes along with the rough edges of the Mustang. It is not meant to be a smooth running, luxurious, technological marvel as much as it is a tribute to the days when loud engines and the smell of burning rubber were what defined high performance.

2008 Nissan 350Z- A little more refined than the Ford Mustang, the Nissan 350Z is a classic example of what a sports car should be. For 2008, the 3.5 liter V-6 has been boosted from last years 280 horsepower to its new 306 and 268 lb-ft of torque. Whether you like the standard coupe or Roadster models, Avis has you covered. Part of the beauty of the Nissan Z is its sporty interior, which, let’s face it, is where you will be spending the majority of the time anyway. Unlike the Mustang, the Z also has the sophisticated suspension you’d expect from an import, which means that if you like to do more than go fast in a straight line, then you’ll be in for a treat!

Beyond these popular favorites among renters there is also the choice of a Cadillac STS, Infiniti FX35, Toyota FJ Cruiser, Pontiac Solstice, Saturn Sky, and Lincoln MKX.