Chrysler 300 letter series
Encyclopedia
The Chrysler 300 "letter series" were high-performance luxury cars built in very limited numbers by the Chrysler Corporation
in the U.S. from 1955-1965. Each year's model used a new letter of the alphabet as a suffix (skipping "i"), reaching 300L by 1965, after which the model was dropped.
The 300 "letter series" cars were among the vehicles that focused on performance built by domestic U.S. manufacturers after World War II
, and thus can be considered one of the muscle car
's ancestors, though much more expensive and exclusive.
Chrysler has recently started using these designations again for sporting high performance-luxury sedans, using 300M
from 1999, and continuing the 300 series with a new V8-powered 300C, the top model of a relaunched Chrysler 300
line, a new rear-wheel drive car launched in 2004 for the 2005 model year. Unlike the first series, the second does not have 300 hp engines, except for Chrysler's current top-line 300C models.
purposes, with Chrysler's most powerful engine, the 331 CID FirePower "Hemi" V8
, fitted with twin 4-barrel carburetors, a race-profiled camshaft setup, solid valve lifters, stiffer suspension and a performance exhaust system. By 1956 this would be the first American production car to top 355 hp, and the letter series was for many years the most powerful car produced in the United States.
The car's "Forward Look" styling can be attributed as much to the Chrysler parts bin as designer Virgil Exner
. The front clip, including the grille, was taken from the Imperial
of the same year, but the rest of the car did not look like an Imperial. The midsection was from a New Yorker
hardtop
, with a Windsor
rear quarter. Exner also included base-model Chrysler bumpers and removed many exterior elements such as back-up lights, hood ornament, side trim, and exterior mirrors. There were few options available including selection of three exterior colors (red, white and black) and only one color of tan leather interior. Power windows and power seat were available but air conditioning was not available in 1955. At least one known 1955 C-300 had A/C as a special order for a Chrysler executive.
Measured at 127.58 mph (205.32 km/h) in the Flying Mile, and doing well in NASCAR
, the C-300 aroused a lot of interest that was not reflected in its modest sales figure of 1,725 built.
With the optional 355 hp 354 cu.in engine, the 300B became the first American car to produce 1 horsepower per cubic inch, besting Chevrolet
with their fuel-injected 283 CID by one year.
and delivered 390 hp, but the fuel injection system was troublesome and most cars soon had it replaced with the standard twin-quad carburetor setup. A 300D was driven to 156.387 mph (251.68 km/h) at the Bonneville Salt Flats that year, but only 618 hardtops and 191 convertibles were produced, in part due to a recession in the economy.
The 1960 300F introduced a new, higher power 413 CID Wedge engine delivering 375 hp in standard form. To boost power at lower and mid rpms, a special "cross-ram" intake manifold was derived. Instead of the normal V8 engine
central intake manifold with carburetor
(s) on top, the cross-ram consisted of two pairs of 30 in (762 mm) long tuned pipes that criss-crossed so that each set fed the opposite side of the engine. The carburetors and air cleaners hung off the sides of the engine over the fender wells. These long tubes were tuned so that resonances in the column of air helped force air into the cylinders at those engine speeds. Also new were four individual, leather bucket seats with a full length console from dash to rear seatback.
A special 400 hp "short ram" version was produced for competition; in this, the tuned portion of the stacks was only 15 in (381 mm) long (though the overall tube length remained at 30"), so that the resonant effect was produced at higher engine speeds. Only 15 "short ram" cars were produced; these were also fitted with the exotic but often troublesome French Pont-a-Mousson 4-speed manual transmissions developed for the Chrysler-powered Facel Vega
. Approximately 4 of these "Special GTs" are known to exist, including one convertible and one with air conditioning; it is believed that 15 were originally produced.
The bodywork was also redone for 1960, using Chrysler's new lightweight unibody construction and given sharper-edged styling with outward-tilting fins that were visually separated from sides. The "toilet seat" trunk lid contributed to a demeaning opinion of the 300F and was done away with after this one year of production.
Sales increased to 969 coupes and 248 convertibles.
s. Small parking lamps below the headlights were likewise slanted and V-shaped, and the front bumper was canted up at each end, scoop-like. At the rear, the taillights were moved from the fins to the tail below them, and the fins were made sharper-pointed.
Mechanically, the cross-ram "short ram" and "long ram" engines remained the same, although the expensive French manual transmission
was dropped, and replaced by a more reliable and still expensive Chrysler racing manual transmission (referred to as 'option code 281'). There are currently only five cars with this transmission. Code 281 cars may have been built for the 1961 Daytona Flying Mile, although like the 1960 F Specials, no specific records were kept by Chrysler. Unlike the 300F Specials (which were randomly pulled from the line and upgrade for the Flying Mile), the 300Gs had a specific build code (281).
. Only 501 units are believed to have been built.
The Hurst 300s were all 2-door and shared a white and gold paint scheme similar the Oldsmobile
and Pontiac
Hurst models of the day. The scooped hood and trunklid (with a molded spoiler) are both fiberglass. All Hurst 300s had satin tan leather interiors that were straight out of the Imperial
and could be had with column- or console-mounted 727 automatics. All came with the 375 hp 440 CID 4-barrel TNT V8 engine.
Road tests clocked one at 0-60 at 7.1 seconds with the 1/4 mile in 15.9 seconds. "Not bad for a 4100 lb (1,859.7 kg) aircraft carrier
", they claimed.
In the 501 units sold, one convertible is documented having been used as a Hurst promotional car and another is believed to be dealer equipped with a 426 CID Hemi also a convertible.
platform. The appearance changes to the Cordoba were the following: a cross-hair grill with a '300' emblem in the middle, front fender gills, special 7" x 15" road wheels (also with a 300 emblem in the center cap) and wide white-lettered Goodyear
radial tires. Almost all the cars were Spinnaker White (though a few were built to special order and painted rallye red), with a red interior. The interiors were Corinthian red leather, a console shift automatic transmission
, and a rallye instrument cluster with a tachometer. The cars were outfitted with a strong (for the era) 195 hp, 360 cu in (5.9 litre) V8, a 3.23 axle ratio, and an extra stiff suspension set-up. It received positive reviews from the automotive press for its handling and respectable (again, for the day) acceleration. Unfortunately it came along just as the economic recession of 1979-81 set in, and many were still on the dealers lots into 1980. They are now garnering interest in the collector circles, and clean low mileage cars are beginning to fetch significant dollars.
At an auction at the Robson Estate in Gainesville, Georgia
on November 13, 2010, the sole 1960 300F convertible equipped with the factory 400 hp engine and the Pont-a-Mousson 4-speed sold for $437,250.
There was one concept vehicle called the Chrysler 300, created in 1991. It featured a sports car body and a Viper
engine. It was never produced.
The 300 letter series name was resurrected in 1999 on the Chrysler 300M
; but it is the 2005 300
that is closest to the original with its rear-wheel drive, and V8 engine once again bearing the "Hemi
" name. That Hemi was actually introduced on an LH platform
concept convertible in 2001.
Chrysler
Chrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925....
in the U.S. from 1955-1965. Each year's model used a new letter of the alphabet as a suffix (skipping "i"), reaching 300L by 1965, after which the model was dropped.
The 300 "letter series" cars were among the vehicles that focused on performance built by domestic U.S. manufacturers after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and thus can be considered one of the muscle car
Muscle car
Muscle car is a term used to refer to a variety of high-performance automobiles. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines muscle cars as "any of a group of American-made 2-door sports coupes with powerful engines designed for high-performance driving." Usually, a large V8 engine is fitted in a...
's ancestors, though much more expensive and exclusive.
Chrysler has recently started using these designations again for sporting high performance-luxury sedans, using 300M
Chrysler 300M
The Chrysler 300M is a sports sedan produced by Chrysler from 1999 to 2004. Chrysler Corporation revived the 300 name on the 300M. This time it was a front-wheel drive, V6 engined car using the Chrysler LH platform. While not technically part of the famous "letter series" of the 1950s and 1960s,...
from 1999, and continuing the 300 series with a new V8-powered 300C, the top model of a relaunched Chrysler 300
Chrysler 300
The Chrysler 300 is a full-size upscale car first shown at the 2003 New York Auto Show as a concept car. Sales in the U.S. began in the spring of 2004 as an early 2005 model year car. Designed by Ralph Gilles, the new 300 was built as a high-end sedan while the SRT-8 model was designed to be the...
line, a new rear-wheel drive car launched in 2004 for the 2005 model year. Unlike the first series, the second does not have 300 hp engines, except for Chrysler's current top-line 300C models.
1955 C-300
This first of the letter series cars didn't actually bear a letter; it can retroactively be considered the '300A'. The 'C-' designation was applied to all Chrysler models, however for marketing purposes the numerical series skipped more than 225 numbers forward in sequence in order to further reinforce the 300's bhp rating. The 300 originally stood for the 300 hp engine. The C-300 was really a racecar aimed at the NASCAR circuits that was sold for the road for homologationHomologation
Homologation is a technical term, derived from the Greek homologeo for "to agree", which is generally used in English to signify the granting of approval by an official authority...
purposes, with Chrysler's most powerful engine, the 331 CID FirePower "Hemi" V8
V8 engine
A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of four cylinders, in most cases set at a right angle to each other but sometimes at a narrower angle, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft....
, fitted with twin 4-barrel carburetors, a race-profiled camshaft setup, solid valve lifters, stiffer suspension and a performance exhaust system. By 1956 this would be the first American production car to top 355 hp, and the letter series was for many years the most powerful car produced in the United States.
The car's "Forward Look" styling can be attributed as much to the Chrysler parts bin as designer Virgil Exner
Virgil Exner
Virgil Max "Ex" Exner, Sr. was an automobile designer for numerous American companies, notably Chrysler and Studebaker. He is known for his "Forward Look" design on the 1955-1963 Chrysler products and his fondness of fins on cars for both aesthetic and aerodynamic reasons.-Early life:Born in Ann...
. The front clip, including the grille, was taken from the Imperial
Imperial (automobile)
Imperial was the Chrysler Corporation's luxury automobile brand between 1955 and 1975, with a brief reappearance in 1981 to 1983.The Imperial name had been used since 1926, but was never a separate make, just the top-of-the-line Chrysler. In 1955, the company decided to spin it off as its own make...
of the same year, but the rest of the car did not look like an Imperial. The midsection was from a New Yorker
Chrysler New Yorker
The Chrysler New Yorker was a premium automobile built by the Chrysler Corporation from 1939–1996, serving for several years as the brand's flagship model. A model named the "New York Special" first appeared in the 1930s...
hardtop
Hardtop
A hardtop is a term for a rigid, rather than canvas, automobile roof. It has been used in several contexts: detachable hardtops, retractable hardtop roofs, and the so-called pillarless hardtop body style....
, with a Windsor
Chrysler Windsor
The Chrysler Windsor was a full-sized car built by the Chrysler Corporation of Highland Park, Michigan from 1939 through to the 1960s. The final Chrysler Windsor as known to Americans was produced in 1961, but continued production in Canada until 1966...
rear quarter. Exner also included base-model Chrysler bumpers and removed many exterior elements such as back-up lights, hood ornament, side trim, and exterior mirrors. There were few options available including selection of three exterior colors (red, white and black) and only one color of tan leather interior. Power windows and power seat were available but air conditioning was not available in 1955. At least one known 1955 C-300 had A/C as a special order for a Chrysler executive.
Measured at 127.58 mph (205.32 km/h) in the Flying Mile, and doing well in NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
, the C-300 aroused a lot of interest that was not reflected in its modest sales figure of 1,725 built.
1956 300B
The 1956 300B was fairly similar externally, distinguished by a new tailfin treatment, but with larger engines, two models of 354 CID Hemi V8 with either 340 or 355 hp (254 or 265 kW). Only 1,102 were sold. Performance was a little better than the previous year's, being measured at almost 140 mph (225 km/h). A 6.17 ratio rear end was also added to the options.With the optional 355 hp 354 cu.in engine, the 300B became the first American car to produce 1 horsepower per cubic inch, besting Chevrolet
Chevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
with their fuel-injected 283 CID by one year.
1957 300C
The 1957 300C is generally considered the classic year of the 300 "letter series". New styling was brought in, with a yawning wide front grille and fins; the Hemi engine was upgraded to 392 CID with 375 hp, or as a very limited edition 390 hp version (18 built). A convertible model was available for the first time. The car had a number of red, white, and blue '300C' medallions on the sides, hood, trunk and interior. 1,767 coupes and 484 convertibles were built.1958 300D
The 1958 model year was to be the last use of the old FirePower Hemi in the 300. The engine was still 392 CID, but tuned to 380 hp as standard. Thirty-five cars were built with fuel injectionFuel injection
Fuel injection is a system for admitting fuel into an internal combustion engine. It has become the primary fuel delivery system used in automotive petrol engines, having almost completely replaced carburetors in the late 1980s....
and delivered 390 hp, but the fuel injection system was troublesome and most cars soon had it replaced with the standard twin-quad carburetor setup. A 300D was driven to 156.387 mph (251.68 km/h) at the Bonneville Salt Flats that year, but only 618 hardtops and 191 convertibles were produced, in part due to a recession in the economy.
1959 300E
1959 saw the Hemi engines replaced by Chrysler's new Golden Lion wedge-head V8 at 413 CID displacement. Power output remained about the same at 380 hp. The loss of the Hemi and the late-1950s recession meant sales of 522 coupes and 125 convertibles.1960 300F
V8 engine
A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of four cylinders, in most cases set at a right angle to each other but sometimes at a narrower angle, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft....
central intake manifold with carburetor
Carburetor
A carburetor , carburettor, or carburetter is a device that blends air and fuel for an internal combustion engine. It is sometimes shortened to carb in North America and the United Kingdom....
(s) on top, the cross-ram consisted of two pairs of 30 in (762 mm) long tuned pipes that criss-crossed so that each set fed the opposite side of the engine. The carburetors and air cleaners hung off the sides of the engine over the fender wells. These long tubes were tuned so that resonances in the column of air helped force air into the cylinders at those engine speeds. Also new were four individual, leather bucket seats with a full length console from dash to rear seatback.
A special 400 hp "short ram" version was produced for competition; in this, the tuned portion of the stacks was only 15 in (381 mm) long (though the overall tube length remained at 30"), so that the resonant effect was produced at higher engine speeds. Only 15 "short ram" cars were produced; these were also fitted with the exotic but often troublesome French Pont-a-Mousson 4-speed manual transmissions developed for the Chrysler-powered Facel Vega
Facel Vega
Facel was a French manufacturer of automobiles from 1954 to 1964.The company was named after the original metal stamping company FACEL, and the company's first model, the Vega, named after the star, was introduced at the 1954 Paris Auto Show...
. Approximately 4 of these "Special GTs" are known to exist, including one convertible and one with air conditioning; it is believed that 15 were originally produced.
The bodywork was also redone for 1960, using Chrysler's new lightweight unibody construction and given sharper-edged styling with outward-tilting fins that were visually separated from sides. The "toilet seat" trunk lid contributed to a demeaning opinion of the 300F and was done away with after this one year of production.
Sales increased to 969 coupes and 248 convertibles.
1961 300G
The 1961 300G saw another restyle. The grille, formerly wider at the bottom than the top, was inverted; the quad headlights, formerly side-by-side, were arranged in angled fashion, inward at the bottom, in a manner reminiscent of 1958-1960 LincolnLincoln (automobile)
Lincoln is an American luxury vehicle brand of the Ford Motor Company. Lincoln vehicles are sold mostly in North America.-History:The company was founded in August 1915 by Henry M. Leland, one of the founders of Cadillac . During World War I, he left Cadillac which was sold to General Motors...
s. Small parking lamps below the headlights were likewise slanted and V-shaped, and the front bumper was canted up at each end, scoop-like. At the rear, the taillights were moved from the fins to the tail below them, and the fins were made sharper-pointed.
Mechanically, the cross-ram "short ram" and "long ram" engines remained the same, although the expensive French manual transmission
Manual transmission
A manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
was dropped, and replaced by a more reliable and still expensive Chrysler racing manual transmission (referred to as 'option code 281'). There are currently only five cars with this transmission. Code 281 cars may have been built for the 1961 Daytona Flying Mile, although like the 1960 F Specials, no specific records were kept by Chrysler. Unlike the 300F Specials (which were randomly pulled from the line and upgrade for the Flying Mile), the 300Gs had a specific build code (281).
1962 300H
From 1962s 300H, the fins were gone, as was the letter series' unique place in the Chrysler lineup; there was now a whole Chrysler 300 Sport Series (which included a four-door hardtop along with a two-door hardtop and convertible), along with the 300H. Externally there was little difference between the 300H and the 300 Sport Series(except for a "300H" badge on the driver's side of the trunk), and many of the 300H's features could be ordered as options on the other models. Under the hood of the 300H the cross ram intake was gone, and there was a return to the inline dual 4-barrel carb setup of the 300E. With a slight power boost and a 300 lb (136.1 kg) lighter body, the 300H was faster than the 300G, but the loss of exclusivity coupled with high prices made this the slowest-selling letter series year yet, with only 435 coupes and 135 convertibles sold. The regular 300 (non-letter) series used a 383 CID B engine.1963 300J
Further restyling for the 1963 300J (the letter "I" was skipped because people would confuse it for the numeral "1".) left the car with a smoother, more angular 1960s look. (Shared with the Newport and New Yorker series, this body design was the last one styled during Virgil Exner's term as Chrysler's styling chief.) The letter-series convertible was dropped, leaving the hardtop. The only engine available was the hrysler RB engine#413|413 CID ram-induction V8, with an increase of 10 hp from 1962. A redesigned and more sumptuous interior featured an oddly squared steering wheel. The 300J was faster than the standard 300H of the year before, with a 142 mph (228.5 km/h) top speed, 8.0 seconds 0-60 mph, and a standing quarter mile time of 15.8 seconds with a terminal velocity of 89 mph (143.2 km/h). Sales were especially poor, with only 400 cars produced. As for the non-letter 300, the 300 convertible was the official pace car for the 1963 Indianapolis 500-Mile Race.1964 300K
The convertible returned for the 1964 300K, but the "cross-ram" engine became an extra-cost option available on the 300K only. A 413 CID Wedge with a single Carter AFB 3614S 4-barrel carburetor, a regular intake manifold, and 360 hp was the new standard engine. Leather upholstery was no longer standard either. All this reduced the baseline price by over a thousand dollars, and sales responded with the largest total ever; 3,022 coupes and 625 convertibles.1965 300L
The 1965 300L was the final year of the traditional letter series. A complete restyle, with crisp lines, slab sides and a tall "greenhouse"--styling cues introduced by Elwood Engel when he succeeded Virgil Exner as Chrysler's styling boss--brought a sleek mid-1960s linear look to the cars, and dropped the panoramic windshield that had disappeared from other Chrysler models in 1961. The cross-ram engine was no longer available; the 413 CID engine with regular carburetion and inlet manifold was the only one supplied. Practically every feature on the 300L could be ordered as an option on the regular 300; the only absolute difference was the '300L' badges. 2,405 coupes and 440 convertibles were sold.1970 Hurst 300
The 1970 Hurst 300 lacks the single-letter suffix of its forbears and appeared five years after the last Letter Series Chrysler, the 300L. Many automobile historians do not include the Hurst 300 as a Letter Series model. The concept of the car, however, does fit with the Letter Series cars, as it was a high-performance variant of the luxury 300, built with the input of aftermarket parts manufacturer Hurst PerformanceHurst Performance
Hurst Performance, Inc. of Warminster Township, Pennsylvania, manufactured and marketed products for enhancing the performance of automobiles, most notably for muscle cars.-Products:...
. Only 501 units are believed to have been built.
The Hurst 300s were all 2-door and shared a white and gold paint scheme similar the Oldsmobile
Oldsmobile
Oldsmobile was a brand of American automobile produced for most of its existence by General Motors. It was founded by Ransom E. Olds in 1897. In its 107-year history, it produced 35.2 million cars, including at least 14 million built at its Lansing, Michigan factory...
and Pontiac
Pontiac
Pontiac was an automobile brand that was established in 1926 as a companion make for General Motors' Oakland. Quickly overtaking its parent in popularity, it supplanted the Oakland brand entirely by 1933 and, for most of its life, became a companion make for Chevrolet. Pontiac was sold in the...
Hurst models of the day. The scooped hood and trunklid (with a molded spoiler) are both fiberglass. All Hurst 300s had satin tan leather interiors that were straight out of the Imperial
Chrysler Imperial
The Chrysler Imperial, introduced in 1926, was the company's top of the range vehicle for much of its history. Models were produced with the Chrysler name until 1954, and again from 1990 to 1993. The company tried to position the cars as a prestige marque that would rival Cadillac and Lincoln...
and could be had with column- or console-mounted 727 automatics. All came with the 375 hp 440 CID 4-barrel TNT V8 engine.
Road tests clocked one at 0-60 at 7.1 seconds with the 1/4 mile in 15.9 seconds. "Not bad for a 4100 lb (1,859.7 kg) aircraft carrier
Aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
", they claimed.
In the 501 units sold, one convertible is documented having been used as a Hurst promotional car and another is believed to be dealer equipped with a 426 CID Hemi also a convertible.
1979 300
For the 1979 model year Chrysler produced a limited edition (5,500 built) 300 based on its CordobaChrysler Cordoba
The Chrysler Cordoba was an intermediate personal luxury coupe sold by Chrysler Corporation in North America from 1975-1983. It was the company's first model produced specifically for the personal luxury market and the first Chrysler-branded vehicle that was less than full-size.-History:In the...
platform. The appearance changes to the Cordoba were the following: a cross-hair grill with a '300' emblem in the middle, front fender gills, special 7" x 15" road wheels (also with a 300 emblem in the center cap) and wide white-lettered Goodyear
Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company was founded in 1898 by Frank Seiberling. Goodyear manufactures tires for automobiles, commercial trucks, light trucks, SUVs, race cars, airplanes, farm equipment and heavy earth-mover machinery....
radial tires. Almost all the cars were Spinnaker White (though a few were built to special order and painted rallye red), with a red interior. The interiors were Corinthian red leather, a console shift automatic transmission
Automatic transmission
An automatic transmission is one type of motor vehicle transmission that can automatically change gear ratios as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually...
, and a rallye instrument cluster with a tachometer. The cars were outfitted with a strong (for the era) 195 hp, 360 cu in (5.9 litre) V8, a 3.23 axle ratio, and an extra stiff suspension set-up. It received positive reviews from the automotive press for its handling and respectable (again, for the day) acceleration. Unfortunately it came along just as the economic recession of 1979-81 set in, and many were still on the dealers lots into 1980. They are now garnering interest in the collector circles, and clean low mileage cars are beginning to fetch significant dollars.
Collectibility
All original letter series cars are considered collectible , but the early years are much more desirable. The C-300 and 300B, being less tractable as road cars, are slightly cheaper than the subsequent years. The 300C through 300G are the most desirable; the coming of the regular 300 series cars in 1962 makes the subsequent letter series seem less special and less desirable to collectors.At an auction at the Robson Estate in Gainesville, Georgia
Gainesville, Georgia
-Severe Weather:Gainesville sits on the very fringe of Tornado Alley, a region of the United States where severe weather is common. Supercell thunderstorms can sweep through any time between March and November, but are concentrated most in the spring...
on November 13, 2010, the sole 1960 300F convertible equipped with the factory 400 hp engine and the Pont-a-Mousson 4-speed sold for $437,250.
There was one concept vehicle called the Chrysler 300, created in 1991. It featured a sports car body and a Viper
Dodge Viper
The first prototype was tested in January 1989. It debuted in 1991 with two pre-production models as the pace car for the Indianapolis 500 when Dodge was forced to substitute it in place of the Japanese-built Stealth because of complaints from the United Auto Workers, and went on sale in January...
engine. It was never produced.
The 300 letter series name was resurrected in 1999 on the Chrysler 300M
Chrysler 300M
The Chrysler 300M is a sports sedan produced by Chrysler from 1999 to 2004. Chrysler Corporation revived the 300 name on the 300M. This time it was a front-wheel drive, V6 engined car using the Chrysler LH platform. While not technically part of the famous "letter series" of the 1950s and 1960s,...
; but it is the 2005 300
Chrysler 300
The Chrysler 300 is a full-size upscale car first shown at the 2003 New York Auto Show as a concept car. Sales in the U.S. began in the spring of 2004 as an early 2005 model year car. Designed by Ralph Gilles, the new 300 was built as a high-end sedan while the SRT-8 model was designed to be the...
that is closest to the original with its rear-wheel drive, and V8 engine once again bearing the "Hemi
Chrysler Hemi engine
The Chrysler Hemi engine, known by the trademark Hemi, is a series of V8 engines built by Chrysler with a hemispherical combustion chamber. Three different types of Hemi engines have been built by Chrysler for automobiles: the first from 1951–1958, the second from 1964–1971, and the third...
" name. That Hemi was actually introduced on an LH platform
Chrysler LH platform
The LH platform served as the basis for the Chrysler Concorde, Chrysler LHS, Chrysler 300M, Dodge Intrepid, Eagle Vision, and the final Chrysler New Yorker. A Plymouth to be called the "Accolade" was planned, but never saw production...
concept convertible in 2001.
See also
- Chrysler 300Chrysler 300 non-letter seriesThe Chrysler 300 was a full-size automobile produced by Chrysler from 1962 until 1971. It was the replacement for the 1961 Chrysler Windsor, which itself filled the place in Chrysler's line previously occupied by the Saratoga just the year before that .For 1970, taking a cue from Oldsmobile, a...
- Chrysler FirePower engine
- Chrysler RB engine
External links
- http://www.chrysler300.net/
- http://www.chrysler300site.com/
- http://www.300F.com/