Best looking Chryslers?

I realized as soon as I typed that that SEVERAL bodies that were in
production in 75 remained so through at least 78. Newport/New Yorker (in
one of their finest incarnations), B-body 'Doba, and a few others.

So I revise it to say nothing after 83 (I'll fess up that I kinda like
the J-body Cordoba and the 81-83 J-based Imperial, too).

 

I would express shock that its really Dan who is even posting here
again... but with a list like that its GOTTA be him ;-)

 

Me either.
A few times a 300 has parked beside my '95 LH.
Oh my, what a contrast, a truck front end attached to a window squashed
car, beside a lovely looking car. No contest.

 

You're both a bunch of bone-heads. We're talking about the LH-300M, not
the Fischer Price LX-300.

The 300 Hemi-C concept was NOT a stock 300m front-end. I guess Lloyd
never bothered to look at these pics:

Front view:
http://files.conceptcarz.com/img/chrysler/chrysler_300_hemi_m_06.jpg

Rear view:
http://files.conceptcarz.com/img/chrysler/chrysler_300_hemi_m_02.jpg

And if he bothered to read the page, he'd see the following (below).
This was going to be the next evolution of the LH body style, complete
with V-8 and RWD (but naturally the FWD V6 would still be the base
option). This is what a 2-door LH car would have looked like.

Then Daimler comes along and fucks Chrysler up completely.

----------------

DaimlerChrysler today unveiled the Chrysler 300 Hemi(R) C, a
four-passenger V-8 rear-wheel drive convertible, at the 2000 North
American International Auto Show in Detroit.

The quintessential Chrysler, this concept combines contemporary
design,elegance, luxury and legendary Hemi-power.

'This vehicle explores a direction we might take if we were to return to
an all-American V-8, rear-wheel drive luxury performance car such as the
famed '57 Chrysler 300 C convertible,' said Tom Gale, Executive Vice
President -Product Development and Design.

'The epitome of motoring elegance and affordable luxury, the Chrysler
300 Hemi C concept adds the heritage only this company can offer: a
powerful V-8 Hemi engine.'

The prototype all-aluminum 353 cubic inch (5.7-liter) pushrod V-8 engine
features hemispherical combustion chambers and two spark plugs per
cylinder. Its estimated power of 353 horsepower and 353 lb.-ft. of
torque is delivered to the rear wheels via a robust four-speed automatic
transmission.

The powerful V-8 Hemi engine has improved fuel efficiency and emissions
through seamless automatic deactivation of four of the eight cylinders
during highway driving and deceleration.

A hydraulically shifted lost-motion feature deactivates the valves while
the motor management system interrupts ignition and fuel supply to those
cylinders. The system maintains full engine performance for acceleration
and overtaking.

The concept's independent suspension has modified MacPherson struts in
front and an aluminum five-link coil-over-shock rear set-up.

For increased body stiffness and crisp ride and handling
characteristics, a unique structural door latch design is being
developed for the Hemi C concept.

Fourteen-inch ventilated front and rear disc brakes with four-piston
calipers, 19-inch front wheels and tires and 20-inch rear wheels and
tires amply live up to the Chrysler 300 Hemi C's estimated performance.

Reflecting its Hemi heritage, the vehicle will sprint to 60 mph in 5.9
seconds and clock a top speed of 160 mph.

In a thoroughly modern way, the Chrysler 300 Hemi C design pays homage
to the legendary '57 300 C. Terrific proportions, a monocoque profile
with pronounced wheel flares and a seemingly endless hood are some of
its design characteristics.

Said Joe Dehner, Senior Design Manager and responsible for the exterior
design: 'It is as if we stretched the body around the V-8 Hemi engine.
The concept's rear-wheel drive set-up allowed for a minimal front
overhang, while the front fender air exhaust ports and the centrally
placed chrome twin exhaust pipes signal its performance. And similar to
the world's best-selling convertible, the Chrysler Sebring, this concept
is a true four-seat
convertible.'

Elegance and affordable luxury are reflected by the concept's clean,
sleek and athletic lines. The sculpted hood focuses attention on the
high-placed Chrysler winged badge and enlarged 300M-style chrome grille.

A center peakline runs from the front to the rear and works with the
raked chrome bodyside moldings to give the Chrysler 300 Hemi C its
chiseled appearance.

Dehner's loving attention to detail is shown in the front and rear light
units that provide a visual link to the 300M, the sculpted chrome door
handles and the center high-mounted stop light (CHMSL) wrapped around
the Chrysler winged badge.

The Chrysler 300 Hemi C interior is in harmony with its refined
exterior. Mimicking the chrome bodyside molding, a wedged California
walnut molding links the instrument panel to the hard-cover tonneau with
integrated automatic roll-over bar.

An understated monochromatic taupe-based color palette and purposeful
use of chrome enhances the elegant atmosphere in the concept car.
Adjustable pedals guarantee a comfortable seating position for short and
tall drivers.

'The design and execution of this interior emphasize craftsmanship,'
said Lance Wagner, Senior Design Manager and responsible for the
Chrysler 300 Hemi C interior.

'That is apparent in the California walnut application on the steering
wheel, the chrome details, the leather-tailored seats, the one-touch
power top and tonneau cover and the location and fabrication of the
Chrysler winged badges, the ignition in the instrument panel and the
gated gear shift.'

The concept comes equipped with a driver 'Infotronic' system. This
unique feature includes a global positioning system, a trunk-mounted
'plug-and-play' laptop computer, Internet access for real-time weather
and traffic information and e-mail.

A fingerprint scanner hooked up to a tiny camera provides added
security, important in any vehicle and especially in a soft top
convertible. The vehicle will not function if the driver's fingerprint
and picture don't match the system's information.

The Infotronic system is directed by voice commands or through its
liquid crystal display in the instrument panel. Voice commands also
control the vehicle's audio, climate control, diagnostics, phone and
security systems and the driver's home security system.

'The straight-line power of the '50s and '60s has been replaced by a
balance of crisp handling and sophisticated performance,' said Gale.
'Yet the Chrysler 300 Hemi C still reflects the same philosophy and
pedigree of those early letter series cars.'

The Chrysler 300 Hemi C concept is custom painted with a Frosted Mocha
Pearlcoat finish and rolls on custom Goodyear tires.

Source - Chrysler Press
In 1955, Chrysler introduced the C300. The 'C' stood for coupe and the
300 was the horsepower rating of the original Hemi engine equipped with
, two four barrel carbs, solid lifters, special manifolds, and enlarged
dual exhausts. This vehicle gave the Chrysler Corporation a performance
and sporty image, a much needed persona in this post World War II era.
Many European manufacturers, such as Jaguar and MG, had introduced high
powered, small, responsive sports cars. American manufacturers countered
with the Chevrolet Corvette and the Ford Thunderbird. The Chrysler 300
was a performance car with a contemporary 'Forward Look' designed by
ex-Studebaker stylist Virgil Exner. The design was void of the popular
chrome sides which was prevalent during this era. It was simple but
aggressive gentleman's car.
The Chrysler 300 was outfitted with a hemispherical (Hemi) combustion
chamber 5.4 litre V-8 that produced 300 horsepower and matted to a
performance modified two-speed 'PowerFlite' automatic gearbox. The body
came from the New Yorker; rear quarter moldings were compliments of the
Windsor. The two piece grille came from the Imperial. An improved
suspension was implemented to provided sporty and responsive handling.
The base price was $4,055.

Sales of the C300 were fueled by its success on the stock car circuit.
The C300 dominated the sands of Daytona Beach, Florida where it won the
stock production class and took home the Tom McCahill trophy. From 1955
through 1957 it was the fastest American car.

In 1959, a 300D driven at Utah's Bonneville Salt Flats by Norm Thatcher
set a new Class E speed record of 156.387 mph. During the same year,
Brewster Shaw achieved a quarter-mile time of 16 seconds with a trap
speed of 94 mph at Daytona Beach, Florida.

For 1956, Chrysler increased the displacement of its Hemi engine to 5.8
liters and changed the name to 300B. With 355 horsepower, the V8 engine
had one horsepower per cubic inch, an achievement that very few
manufacturers were able to claim.

The letters continued to climb the alphabet annually until the 300L of
1965 (the letter I was skipped). They became known as the 'letter cars'.
In 1959, the 392 hemi was replaced with the 413 cubic-inch Golden Lion
wedge-head design engine. In 1962, the 300 Sport series became available
along side the 300H. The 300, without a letter designation was continued
until 1971. In 1970, the 300 Hurst was produced, built by Chrysler and
modified by the Hurst Company. The modifications included two-tone
paint, special striping, spoiler on the deck lid, and wheels. The 300
name was again revived in 1979 as the 300 Special Edition, but endured a
short life span. It was based on the Cordoba platform and available only
in white with red leather interior.

Even with eleven years of production, less than 17,000 were produced.
The bodystyle's available were either a two door hardtop or convertible.
The convertible was not available during 1955, 1956, and 1963.

In the early 2000's, Chrysler revived the model name with the 300M. For
most 300 enthusiasts, it is a good attempt, but far from the original
300's. The original 300's, as argued by some MOPAR enthusiast, is
considered to be the first muscle cars. Although they were fast, they
were also large and luxurious, qualities that muscle cars did not
typically process. The 300 did get American moving on the fast track to
the horsepower and performance revolution, and looked good while doing
it.

2000 Chrysler 300 Hemi C
Year 2000
Make Chrysler
Model 300 Hemi C
Engine Location Front
Drive Type Rear Wheel
Production Years for Series 1999 - 2004
Combined MPG 0.00
Introduced At 2000 Detroit, MI

Performance
0-60 mph 5.9 seconds.
Top Speed 160 mph | 257.4 km/h Similar top speeds

Engine
Engine Configuration V
Cylinders 8
Engine Hemi
Aspiration/Induction Normal
Displacement 5.70 L | 347.8 cu in. | 5700.4 cc.
Horsepower 350.00 HP (257.6 KW)
Torque 353.00 Ft-Lbs (478.7 NM)
HP / Liter 61.4 BHP / Liter

Transmission Information
Gears 4
Transmission Automatic

 

Since you love the 300 why don't you see your Chrysler dealer and get a
deal.
I was just in to my Chrysler dealer today and saw piles of 300 & 300Cs
waiting for someone to love them.
Unfortunately no buyers in sight.

 

You are a Dummy, aren't you?

The 300 Hemi-C concept shown at several auto shows in the year 2000 was
never made as a production car.

For christ sake people, have a look at these pics before you confuse
that 300 Hemi-C concept with the rolling abortion that is the current
production model 300:

http://files.conceptcarz.com/img/chrysler/chrysler_300_hemi_m_06.jpg
http://files.conceptcarz.com/img/chrysler/chrysler_300_hemi_m_02.jpg

 

I've always liked the M. great use of the LH bodies.
http://pub13.bravenet.com/photocenter/viewimg.php?usernum=1105210250&show=736F4B4682.jpg

http://pub13.bravenet.com/photocenter/viewimg.php?usernum=1105210250&show=07E4DA4D21.jpg


here's a stock photo of the 2000 concept.
http://pub13.bravenet.com/photocenter/viewimg.php?usernum=1105210250&show=052B14CF4D.jpg


isee some of the Current LX body 300 in this thing.....
http://pub13.bravenet.com/photocenter/viewimg.php?usernum=1105210250&show=AA482424F6.jpg

 

No, I think they're talking about the 300M

The 300M is just as fugly the 300 HemiC (LX), but in different ways. My
main problem with the 300M is that it was unnaturally shortened from the
other LH vehicles. The bobbed trunk looked like someone cut the clay
model of a Concorde off with a wire, slapped some bland taillamps on it,
and then said "go to production! The front end was only a little less
appalling- hood pinched too short, weirdly compressed grille opening,
bug-eyed headlamps (projectors like the LHS/Concorde LXI had would have
been better), etc.

At least with the LX 300, you can get a v8 and rear drive.

 

Tell me THAT isin't a gorgeous car...

Speak up Lloyd - I can't hear you.

I'm pretty sure I saw that concept car at the '99 Detoit auto show -
along with a great-looking Charger concept car:

http://www.supercars.net/cars/425.html
http://www.supercars.net/Pics?v=y&s=c&id=425&p=1999_Dodge_ChargerRTConcept1.jpg

 

Lloyd is (but he's knocking the Hemi-C concept as looking TOO similar to
the 300m, which it doesn't).

"A truck front end attached to a window squshed car"

That's the description of the current LX-body 300's.

You need glasses.

The 300M had a design target of 5 meters in length because that was seen
as the largest realistic car length for UK and European export market
(except Daimler didn't have the balls to market the 300m in Europe,
since they were running Chrysler at the time. I do remember seeing the
odd 300m in several European countries back in the 2001 - 2004 time
frame though. They were used in the Netherlands as taxis.) If you
wanted a full-size vehicle, then you could still buy the LHS
(practically an identical car back in '99 to the 300m - except longer).

I personally have no issues with the length of the 300m - I simply don't
need the extra length and it makes it easier to garage. Besides, the
seats fold down so you can put long items in it if you really have to
(like 8-foot poles or 2 x 4's).

It's got the best-looking rear end of any V-6 car made in the last 8
years.

The front end is distinctive, clean and sharp compared to every other
sub-32k car made in the last 8 years.

And a few hundred extra pounds of dead weight.

Both of which are largely irrelevant if not disadvantageous to a
significant segment of the market. That said, you will notice that the
Hemi-C concept had RWD and a V8.

I own a '67 Dodge Monaco and '73 Satellite (both V8-RWD, both in
storage). When I bought my '00 300m (the first FWD car I've EVER owned)
there were few V-8, RWD cars being sold (the Lincoln LS being one
example). After driving the 300m for the past 8.75 years, I probably
would not replace it with a RWD car as my daily driver for all 4
seasons. Because I have to contend with at least 4 solid months of
snow, there is no way I would go back to a RWD car - and I'd never buy
an AWD car either. If I didn't have to contend with snow, I'd happily
buy a RWD car.

 

yeah i remember that charger concept. wasn't there rumors of that being
hydrogen fuel cell or something??

 

No, my OPINION differs from your OPINION. I would never own a 300M, but
I would gladly own a same-year LHS or Concorde LXi. The bobbed
hamster-tail trunk on the 300M just galls my senses. Sorry.

I know that, and if it worked for them fine. But I think it fuglifies
the car.
..

Hah! No, it doesn't. ALL of the first-gen LHs looked better (Concorde,
Vision, Intrepid, LHS). ALL of the non-300 2nd-gen LHs looked better
(Concorde, Intrepid, LHS). Even the JAs looked better.

I think we've been around this tree before: I own a '66 Polara (daily
driver), '73 Satellite (stored), and '93 Vision TSi (wife's car), '99
Cherokee, and a couple of others. The '93 Vision has been an outstanding
vehicle, with 250,000+ very reliable miles. Not quite in the 370,000+
range that my 73 has, but very close. Its also one of the most
comfortable cars I've ever ridden in, apart from too much wind noise.
Despite all its good qualities I still don't like a lot of things about
front-drive.... namely the god-awful handling under hard acceleration
for the 99% of those days every year when the roads are ice-free. If
there had been a rear-drive choice in '93, I'd have bought it instead in
a heartbeat. For the rare days I have to deal with ice or snow, I'll
take the 4x4 Cherokee.

 

Huh? I assume you mean American, as BMW, Mercedes, Lexus, Infiniti,
Mercedes, Jaguar, etc., have been selling them for decades.

For large cars, and for cars with lots of hp, and for cars with the
best handling, makers are going to rwd. Witness Cadillac (CTS, STS,
XLR). Witness Pontiac (G8). Note no fwd Corvette, Ferrari, Maserati,
Aston, etc. Witness BMW. Witness Mercedes. Bentley. Note Audi's
performance cars all come with awd.

If you drive in a lot of snow, most of the above which are not pure
sports cars offer awd. And a rwd with traction control and snow tires
will often beat a fwd car w/o snow tires in the snow.

 

If I had a 3 (or 4) car garage, I'd definately have a RWD car to drive
spring / summer / fall.

But I don't, so I have a FWD car (300m) as a daily driver.

And I don't feel that the tradeoff in the extra costs and weight of AWD
is justified as far as what it can deliver over FWD.

State your sources.

And why handicap the FWD by not giving it snow tires too?

 

It's curious how relatively often such a discussion crops up in this NG, and
how many people wallow in the past...

Does this mean that Chrysler has produced nothing attractive for most people
in this NG in the past 30 years...?...

DAS

To send an e-mail directly replace "spam" with "schmetterling"
---

 

I put the second-gen Intrepid, Concorde, and LHS on my "honorable
mention" list.

 

It's curious how relatively often such a discussion crops up in this NG, and
You say "wallow" in the past, I say GLORY in the past. Cars used to be
works of art, but the wind tunnel makes everything look pretty much the
same... and pretty bland.


In my case, it means NOBODY has produced a truly attractive car in that
time, apart from certain niche cars like the Viper. Compared to all the
others mainstream automakers, I like Chrysler products of the last 20
years a lot (especially the LH series, the Magnum, PT Cruiser, and the
Challenger). But none of them compare to, say, a '71 Plymouth GTX.

 

I disagree. Look at Jaguars. Maseratis. Aston-Martins. Mercedes
coupes and roadsters. Too expensive? Look at the Mazda RX-8 and the
new 6. Cadillac CTS.

 

Bland, bland, bland. Look at 70s Jaguars for styling.

Nice, but fall in the same category as the Viper and for all the same
reasons.

Blander than an 85 Ford Taurus. Mercedes have always been blandly
styled, and the wind tunnel just makes it worse.

A little better than average, clever pickup-truck inspired rear doors,
but not a great looker that will endure the test of time.

Everything bad about modern styling in one convenient package. Put that
drivetrain in something pretty, and I'd be ALL over it.

 

all the owners i talk to tell me the rx8 doesn't get that great of mileage
either, for a little 1.3 L