Chrysler 300.
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The last generation Chrysler 300 ended production on December 8, 2023. Of course, by then, it was as popular as it had been in the past years. With only 13,169 units sold in 2023. Which isn’t that terrible for a design that came out 12 years earlier.
At around the same time, Stellantis also killed the Dodge Challenger. While the Dodge models morphed into the brand new Charger available in both 2 and 4 doors, there is no replacement for the Chrysler 300.
The new STLA large platform is used for the new 2025 Dodge Charger. But also for the Jeep Wagoneer S and the upcoming Recon. You would think the cost of designing a Chrysler body on top of that same platform would not be prohibitive, and a great way to revive the old brand. We have previously heard that a new SUV based on the STLA large platform is coming as a Chrysler. Which would obviously be closely related to the future Dodge Stealth EV SUV and the Dodge Wagoneer S.
So why not a new Chrysler sedan based on the new 4-door Charger? If Stellantis thinks there is a market for a large Dodge EV sedan, there is probably one for a large Chrysler EV sedan as well. This would be a more luxurious version that could compete with higher-end cars like the new A6 Audi e-Tron sedan. Or even the Mercedes EQE sedan and BMW i5.
Something with a definite American flair could be popular. Just like the Chrysler 300 was a very American alternative to foreign sedans.
The first generation Chrysler 300 came out in 2004 and was designed by Ralph Gilles, who is now the chief design officer at Stellantis, by the way. The great design emphasized the big American sedan feel of the car while being only a couple of inches longer than a Toyota Avalon. The RWD platform and available V8 completed the total transformation from the previous Chrysler Concorde.
A second generation came out in 2011 and wasn’t as original. But an evolution and a refined version of the 1st generation. I personally think it still looks great today, almost 15 years later.
I think a 3rd generation could reinvent the Chrysler 300 for the modern age. The “300” names still mean something to many, unlike older names like “Concorde” or “New Yorker”. The illustration above shows a design that is obviously inspired by the previous 2 generations. And that is probably what many Chrysler 300 fans would want.
The Chrysler Halcyon concept we saw is a complete departure from any other previous Chrysler models and does look great. But that concept was in no way previewing a production car and looked more like a Science Fiction movie prop. Unlike the Dodge Charger and Jeep Wagoneer concepts.
No matter what it looks like, a new luxurious Chrysler sedan would be great news.
Chrysler should have a 300 replacement. However, it shouldn’t attempt to be a Tier1 competitor. It will lose that fight terribly. It should target the Lexus, Acura, Genesis and Toyota Crown bunch. And not an EV, but a hybrid. The people that would buy it are going to be nostalgic and American car buyers, and unfortunately that means largely a lower price category. Can’t do that on EV pricing. But they could on hybrid pricing.