Car Gazing
Monumental shift: 300C shows new direction of Chrysler styling
By Derek Price
Over the last decade, Chrysler's sedans have had swoopy, curvy, slippery
looking bodies that show off their "cab forward" designs.
But judging from the latest jaw-dropper at the New York International Auto
Show, that's about to change. Chrysler debuted its 300C concept, already
slated for 2004 production, that shows off a totally new look with
squared-off corners, an imposing vertical grille, and a Bentley-like
profile.
In fact, the new look appears to mix the classic British elegance of a
Bentley or Rolls Royce with the flashy, muscular stance of American iron
from the 1960s. It's a huge change from Chrysler's habit of shortening the
hood, sloping the windshield and arching the roof of its current cars, like
the 300M and Concorde.
Perhaps you can blame it on the popularity of SUVs, but sedan styling
appears to be headed toward bigger, wider and taller designs in the near
future. In addition to the 300C, Ford's Forty Nine concept had a dizzying
roof height and aggressive, American-inspired front end when it was
introduced earlier this year.
Chrysler says the 300C's design draws heavily from its famous "letter cars"
of the 1950s and '60s, but it's not as blatantly retro as the PT Cruiser.
Besides its attention-getting style, it also brings back the legendary Hemi
V8 engine for the first time in a Chrysler in more than 30 years.
The original Hemi was a victim of its voracious fuel consumption, but
DaimlerChrysler honchos describe the new 5.7-liter version as a
"high-performance, fuel-efficient and durable powerplant." Dodge's
heavy-duty Ram pickup is the only vehicle to currently offer a Hemi engine,
and it's drawn positive reviews from owners and the automotive press. Expect
the 300C to make around 300 horsepower as its name suggests.
In keeping with the musclecar theme, the 300C is driven by the rear wheels,
but it only comes with an automatic transmission – disappointing for
purists.
Inside, the 300C seems to benefit from Chrysler's merger with German giant
Daimler-Benz. Materials, color choices and build quality appear to be
absolutely top-notch with a premium appearance that nearly matches that in a
Mercedes-Benz.
Comparing this high-end Chrysler to a Mercedes results in one inevitable
question: Will the 300C cannibalize Mercedes sales? DaimlerChrysler says no.
The company's intention is to make the 300C a high-volume premium car,
meaning you can expect a price in the mid- to low-$30,000 range. That puts
it in a price and prestige category similar to the much smaller, sportier
Mercedes C-class, which has a very different target buyer than the huge
300C.
All in all, it's nice to see sedan design taking a clear direction after
years of stagnating while SUVs stole the spotlight in Detroit. Rather than
following the Japanese and Germans, the 300C says, "I'm American and proud
of it."
(Derek Price is a newspaper editor and freelance writer living in Texas.
Contact him at dprice@cargazingonline.com)
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