Chrysler 300 is discontinued
In the 1950s, Chrysler put a real high-flyer on the road with the 300. This was followed by an eventful history for the model series and the Group. The 300 chapter is now closed. At least for the time being - perhaps there will be an electric comeback in a few years?
An era in car manufacturing has come to an end: almost 70 years ago, the US car manufacturer Chrysler launched the 300 for the first time. Its last model has now rolled off the assembly line at the Brampton/Ontario plant. In this case, it was a 300C painted in Velvet Red and powered by a 6.4-liter V8 with around 500 hp. It is also the last example of a farewell special series limited to 2000 units for the US market.
The V8 engine closes a circle, as the model designation 300 has its origins in the two-door 300 sports sedan, which began in 1955 with a 220 kW/300 hp 5.7-liter V8. At the time, the two-door model with independent suspension was considered the most powerful production car in the USA. Its top speed of 208 km/h was breathtakingly high for the time.
New series and variants of the Letter and Non-Letter series followed within a short space of time, some of which had even more powerful drive systems and were able to achieve many racing successes, such as at Daytona Speed Week and speed records at Bonneville. In 1957, for example, the 300C of the Letter Series followed with a 375 hp V8 engine. In 1958, a 300D reached the speed record of 252 km/h.
After the end of the 300 Letter Series and the 300 Non-Letter Series at the beginning of the 1970s, the Chrysler 300 remained quiet for a long time and was only continued in 1998 with the then very modern 300M as the successor to the Letter Series. The upper mid-range saloon was also officially marketed by Chrysler in Europe.
Child of the parents Chrysler and DaimlerBenz
In 2004, the successor 300, which was a child of the short marriage between Chrysler and DaimlerBenz, followed. Its appearance was based on retro charm paired with numerous components from the Mercedes-Benz E-Class of the 210 generation. The over five-metre-long saloon in the classic three-box design was again offered in Germany and exclusively in the higher-quality 300C version. Over 11,000 units were officially registered in Germany between 2004 and 2011. The Euro-300C was mainly manufactured at Magna-Steyr in Graz.
In addition to V6 and V8 petrol engines, the 300C was also available with a V6 diesel engine and in the Touring estate version. 2006 was the most successful year for the US model series in Germany, with over 3100 units sold. Sales were discontinued in 2010. Three years earlier, the Daimler and Chrysler car groups had completed their separation.
In 2011, Chrysler launched a new edition of the 300, which was visually and technically closely related to its predecessor. Since Fiat joined Chrysler in 2009, the 300C was sold in Europe as the Lancia Thema between 2011 and 2014 in a rather unsuccessful search for synergies between the two car companies. The end of the Thema also heralded the end of the Lancia brand in Germany, which, incidentally, will celebrate its comeback next year.
Comeback as an electric saloon?
Since then, the Chrysler 300 has avoided Europe. However, it continued to be produced for North America and was also technically modernized. However, the updates did not prevent its decline in sales figures. The 300 will probably achieve fewer than 8,000 new registrations in its home country, the USA, this year.
However, this does not mean the definitive end of the 300. Chrysler is now one of many brands in the Stellantis Group, which is increasingly focusing on e-mobility. According to media reports, the 300 could make a comeback in a few years' time as an electric saloon based on the Stellantis STLA electric platform.
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The discontinuation of the Chrysler 300 series has left a gap in the Automotive market, but the brand may consider a comeback in the future with electric models, likely based on Stellantis' STLA platform. Meanwhile, Lancia has also announced a comeback, which could include offering certain Chrysler models in Europe again.
There have been several successful iterations of Chrysler models in the past, such as the iconic 300 series and its powerful V8 engines, which have left a lasting impact on the industry. In the 1950s, for instance, the two-door 300 sports sedan with a 300 hp V8 was considered the most powerful production car in the USA.
Chrysler's partnership with DaimlerBenz in the early 2000s led to the creation of the retro-inspired Chrysler 300, which was also marketed in Europe as the Lancia Thema. Although sales were modest, the car continued to be produced in different versions, including the Touring estate and with various engine options.
Source: www.ntv.de
