A warm and inviting interior designed by Trevor Creed. (Photo: Chrysler)

Trevor Creed, DaimlerChrysler's styling guru, left his stamp on the 300 M Special by designing a warm, aesthetically pleasing cabin that is nicely crafted and assembled. The creamy Light Taupe leather interior in our tester blended with the Deep Slate dash and centre console to create a cozy, yet up-market feel. Materials and fit and finish are all first rate.

Subtle but striking chrome bezels surround the big, Euro-look tach and speedometer - elegant is the word that kept coming to mind. There's a nice line to the sweep of the dash over the vents while the little analog clock in the center adds that perfect touch of class. The leather and solid wood steering wheel and leather clad shifter feel substantial and satisfying to use as well, plus both the HVAC and 9-speaker Infinity sound system complete with an in-dash six-CD changer are straight forward and easy to operate.

There's nothing groundbreaking here or over the top, just excellent execution of a classically designed interior. (Photo: Chrysler)

Even the faux carbon fiber trim pieces are nicely integrated into the overall look. There's nothing groundbreaking here or over the top, just excellent execution of a classically designed interior. Motorcycle-style gauges and brushed aluminum consoles are left to the newer entries in this segment (read Infiniti and Maxima). Chrysler seems to have struck a nice balance between old world class, understated luxury (Jaguar) and contemporary design.