Aware of the concern shown in some quarters that its return to rear-drive for its large cars might cause expectations of uncontrolled carnage during the winter months, the folks from Chrysler decided to hold a drive event in Houghton, MI – about as far north as you can go in the state while staying on dry land. But when we arrived, the track was under water after unseasonably warm weather turned the snow into slush. So it was off to the streets of Houghton, dodging civilian drivers on roads slicker than a riverboat gambler. Not only did the 300 handle the conditions without problem, it showed that Chrysler engineers gave the vehicle stability system greater latitude and less abruptness before full intervention than their Mercedes colleagues. The system works with the driver without siphoning off all of the fun.

Although my initial impression of the 300’s interior left me certain it fell short of its exterior design and on-road character, further time behind the wheel made me realize that the interior designers were better and more clever than I had initially given them credit for. Suddenly, the molded black upper of the instrument panel didn’t look so out of place. Its grippy surface – I’d dare say it probably could keep a small cell phone from sliding all over the place – provided a contrast to the lighter hues used elsewhere in the cabin, and shrunk the distance between the face of the panel and the base of the upright windshield.

The 250-hp, 3.5-liter V6 powertrain handled most any situation without bother (though the 340-hp Hemi is still an unmitigated blast, and something to aspire to), and did so with more character than expected. Steering and brake feel were well matched, and proved light without being delicate. There is no doubt this is an American automobile, and one that understands the difference between a ballerina and a linebacker. Which is why the 300 Touring feels like a combination of the two, that is a running back.

When pushed – something that’s tough on wintry roads – the handling traits that appeared in the Dodge Magnum RT again became apparent, but it was easier to understand what was going on. The transition from pure damping to reliance on the urethane jounce bumpers causes a small but sudden spike in the suspension’s response. A change in their shape or the durometer of the material should eliminate the problem, though it’s unlikely most buyers will ever notice the sensation or drive the car hard enough to engage the jounce bumpers.

The long wheelbase, short overhangs, and rear-drive make this a surprisingly maneuverable vehicle, and increase the distance between wheel bumps to the point where they are easily damped. In fact, the development engineers might want to consider altering the damper curves and orifices enough to lessen the transitional hiccup while increasing the sporting character of the car – all without harming the ride.

For years, buyers who wanted an American rear-drive sedan have been forced to buy cars that have not taken full advantage of the changes in design, engineering and technology of the past 30 years. Chrysler’s 300 changes all of that. It is a modern rear-drive sedan that melds both sport and luxury with a distinctly American personality. Regardless of the weather.

Notes: Base price for the Touring version of the Chrysler 300 is $27, 395, which includes destination charges. The 3.5-liter V6 pumps out 250 hp, and is mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. Seventeen-inch wheels are standard, as are ABS, traction control, ESP (Electronic Stability Program, another name for vehicle dynamic control), leather seats, a manual tilt-telescope steering column, eight-way power driver’s seat, and chrome accents. It’s also where the 300 range should start, as the $23,595 base version is a little too pedestrian for the 300’s regal visage. Unfortunately, Chrysler currently doesn’t have a mid-size car that can fill that slot, so the 300 extends farther down the range than it might otherwise.