A NEW entry level Chrysler 300C opens up a whole new market for the imposing saloon from the American car maker.

The company is out to win more sales with business and family motorists looking for 'stand out' transport and so has introduced the SE version at £23,995. That's some £3,600 less than the price of the previous entry-level model.

But the bargain-basement price doesn't mean you will be getting a low spec car.

The SE version boasts leather trimmed seats, ESP, ABS, front, rear and side-curtain airbags, heated front seats, dual zone climate control, LED ambient lighting, front fog lamps and parking sensors. Xenon headlamps and rain-sensing windscreen wipers are also standard along with 18' aluminium wheels.

Top speed is 143mph and the car can reach 62mph from rest in 8.7 seconds.

Chrysler says the new SE model will help it 'gain a competitive advantage in a fiercely contested segment of the market'.

Step up to the SR version at £24,995 and you get an auto-dimming rear view mirror, upgraded in-car entertainment, satellite navigation and a hands-free communication system, while the £27,995 SRT includes a mesh grille with chrome surround, body coloured door mirrors and door handles, wheel arch extensions, 20 inch aluminium wheels, leather and suede trimmed sports seats and carbon fibre interior details.

These - and the estate versions of the car - are powered by a 3.0-litre diesel engine giving an average of around 34 mpg.

For real enthusiasts there is the V8-powered, top-of-the range performance model, the SRT-8 at £41,795.

Powered by a hefty 6.1-litre petrol engine boasting 425bhp of power it is capable of reaching 62.5mph in just five seconds, has a standing start quarter-mile time in the high 13-second range, a top of speed of 165mph and 0-100-0 in the mid 16-seconds.

In complete contrast Chrysler's Grand Voyager is still proving to be a popular MPV with motorists who need plenty of space.

It's available with either a 2.8-litre diesel engine or 3.8-litre petrol engine with prices starting from around £25,500.