Chrysler 300 goes back to good, ol' days
Chrysler is hoping that it can boost sales of its 300 sedan with an overhaul of its exterior design that takes the car back to its bolder 2005 styling.
The 2015 Chrysler 300 has a more aggressive, grated grille that reflects the styling of the model that hip-hop stars loved in 2005 and, the company hopes, recaptures some of the same magic that made the car stand out from competitors a decade ago.
"The realty is we are looking for sales increases off this car, we believe taking it back to what it was in 2005, with that attitude, and that bold stance, people are going to get reacquainted with this care very quickly," said Al Gardner, CEO of the Chrysler brand.
The company also overhauled the interior, which now includes a standard 7-inch full-color driver information display, the industry's only electronic rotary shifter, and Chrysler's new three-spoke steering wheel with larger vehicle controls and optional die-cast paddle shifter. However, the back end of the 300 looks the same as the outgoing 2014 model, aside from updated exhaust pipes and the front wheel flairs look the same.
The starting price also will remain unchanged at $31,395 plus $995 for shipping.
Chrysler left both the 3.6-liter V-6 Pentastar and 5.7-liter V-8 Hemi engines largely unchanged. The V-6 is rated 292 horsepower or 300 hp, depending on model. The Hemi is 363 hp.
The Chrysler 300 will get a class-leading government rating of 31 miles per gallon on the highway with the V-6 engine. The fuel economy will improve 6% with the V-8 compared to the outgoing version.
The Chrysler 300 is in need of a sales-enhancing excitement injection.
Over the first 10 months of the year Chrysler sold 44,519 full-size sedans. That's down 8.6% from the same period last year.In fact, sales of all full-size cars are down about 9% so far this year as consumers have flocked to more versatile crossovers.
Sales have declined 20.4% for the Ford Taurus, 11.3% for the Chevrolet Impala and 6.2% for Toyota Avalon.
Gardner said he is concerned about the shrinking full-size car segment but vowed Chrysler will mount a strong offensive with two full-size sedans, the 300 and mechanically similar Dodge Charger.
"We own a quarter of the entire segment, and I think we think we can do better," Gardner said. "Because we build cars that are different than anybody else."
Gardner better hope that he's right about the 300. The company's five-year plan, unveiled in May, doesn't include plans for a redesign of the 300 until after 2018.