The Chrysler The brand effectively sells one model and only in a handful of markets, but is facing a product onslaught that will spawn a successor 300 Sedan and a return of high performance SRT Vehicles.
Mopar Insider reports from Chrysler brand boss Chris Feuell that the return of the Street and Racing Technology (SRT) division will also bring new products for their brand.
“I’m really excited to bring SRT back,” she said. “After meeting with my colleagues Tim Kuniskis and Matt McAlear, I can tell you that we have a truly great plan for SRT. It is a great opportunity for us to bring back the performance brands and products that have been so iconic in the past as we look to the future.”
“To put it bluntly, I think you can expect to see some SRT models under the Chrysler brand.”
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With V8 power returning to the Ram 1500 pickup lineup following a move away from the Bent-Eight format under former Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares, it seems likely that future SRT vehicles could feature this equipment.
Chrysler’s last SRT-badged vehicle was the 300 SRT, which was discontinued in the United States in 2015 but lived on in markets such as the Middle East and Australia, where it was used as a highway patrol car. Along with a tamer V6-powered 300 C Luxury, they were the last Chrysler-branded models sold here when the brand was phased out in 2021.
Since then, the now century-old Chrysler brand has limped along, currently operating exclusively in North America with the Pacifica/Voyager people-mover duo.
That’s a far cry from the 2000s, when Chrysler had not only people movers and full-size cars in its showrooms, but also sports cars (Prowler, Crossfire), subcompacts (PT Cruiser), crossovers (the original Pacifica), body-on-frame SUVs (Aspen), and midsize sedans, coupes and convertibles (Sebring, 200).
The 300 wasn’t the only Chrysler to get the SRT treatment, the Crossfire also received a hot, supercharged V6 version called the SRT-6.
While Chrysler has no plans to release another sports car, Mopar Insider reports that it will return to the sedan segment with a new model that could revive the 300 model name, which was retired in 2023.
“We are working on a car, and I can tell you that with 100 percent certainty,” she said. “I can’t tell you exactly when it will come to market, but I’ve heard from all of you that you want to see the 300 come back and that’s definitely on the table.”
This new model seems most likely to receive the SRT treatment and will likely feature the STLA Large “Multi-Energy” chassis architecture that underlies the Dodge Charger, among others.
The full-size Charger offers both electric (Daytona) and turbocharged six-cylinder engines (Six Pack).
Mopar Insider reports that a new large crossover will also ride on a “multi-energy” platform, almost certainly STLA Large, and will be joined by a smaller crossover as well as a heavily updated version of the current Pacifica gasoline and plug-in hybrid people mover.
Ms. Feuell also confirmed that Chrysler plans to launch a small car.
“One of the things that’s very important to us, though, is affordability… we’re working on a small car, or as they call it, a compact car, but something that can transact under US$30,000 (~AUD$46,000),” she said.
This could be a late replacement for the PT Cruiser. After this bizarre station wagon was abolished, the Lancia Delta and Ypsilon were renamed Chrysler, but only in Great Britain and Ireland. A small car called the “100” announced for North America in 2014 never materialized.
Meanwhile, the new large crossover is likely the latest evolution of a new model that was first introduced in 2021 with the Airflow concept, but by 2023 the brand had taken it back to the drawing board and then Mopar Insider reported that the project has been paused until further notice.
This led to further speculation about the closure of the Chrysler brand, even though its vehicles are sold alongside Dodge, Jeep and Ram vehicles at North American dealers.
Chrysler had previously announced plans under former Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares to go exclusively to electric vehicles by 2028. However, these plans have been scrapped in favor of the multi-energy strategy, which will reportedly offer petrol, hybrid and electric power.
Last year, Stellantis National Dealer Council Chairman Kevin Farrish wrote an open letter to Mr. Tavares accusing the company of being complicit in the “rapid decline of our iconic brands.”
The lack of products also led Frank B. Rhodes Jr., the great-grandson of company founder Walter P. Chrysler, to put forward the idea of purchasing both Chrysler and Dodge from parent company Stellantis.
Ms. Feuell has made it clear that there are no plans for parent company Stellantis to sell Chrysler.
“I want to dispel any thoughts, rumors or assumptions that it will be sold. That is not the case,” she said.
“As I said, Antonio Filosa is now at the helm of the company, he believes in Chrysler, he is rebuilding our portfolio and he is doubling his investments to grow in the North American market and regain leadership across all our brands.”
MORE: Explore the Chrysler showroom
