Our spies in America have papped the new Chrysler 300C undisguised while on a photoshoot. And the general reception in the office was mixed: the styling seems edgy and spot-on from some angles, but blander than the original 300C from many others.
It’s a neat enough aesthetic, but seems to lack some of the magic of the 2004 original, which used Mercedes running gear wrapped in a dramatic gangster outfit. This photoshoot suggests that an LA show debut this month could be on the cards, or Detroit’s NAIAS in January 2011 if not.
The new 2011 Chrysler 300C takes the generic family grille and plain lights, plus lashings of chrome detailing to freshen up the design. Thankfully some of the wedgy style of the original remains in the silhouette.
A 3.6-litre V6 and 5.7-litre V8 Hemi will be offered, and Chrysler will offer four-wheel drive this time round. Eight-speed gearboxes will help boost economy nearer 30mpg.
Chrysler 300C: a delay for UK sales
Sadly there are no plans to bring the new 300C to the UK in 2011; it’s currently slated for a 2012 launch. It’s a typical wait for a Chrysler/Jeep, which normally lag a year or so behind their Stateside launches. Chrysler know which side its bread is buttered and meets demand in its biggest markets before making the switch to right-hand drive.
The 300C is the most popular Chrysler in the UK after the Voyager people carrier. They sold 1700 here in 2009.
Chrysler is still selling both saloon and wagon 300Cs here and will continue to do so until stocks run out in 2011.