Overview & Reviews

Chrysler is generally considered part of the Big Three, a title that refers to the traditional triumvirate of domestic automakers. The current accuracy of this classification is open for debate, but there's no debating the fact that Chrysler has experienced a revival of sorts over the past few years.

Chrysler Corporation was founded in 1925 by Walter P. Chrysler, a noted machinist; he'd purchased the Maxwell Motor Corporation of Detroit and used it as the foundation for his new company. The automaker quickly earned a reputation for advanced engineering. In 1928, Chrysler Corporation expanded with the purchase of Dodge and the creation of the DeSoto and Plymouth divisions.

The 1930s saw Chrysler boldly looking toward the future with the introduction of its revolutionary Airflow. Powered by a front-mounted inline-8, the car was one of the first to be designed with aerodynamics in mind, and featured swooping lines and a prominent grille. Perhaps a bit too ahead of its time, the Airflow was a flop with the public. Chrysler was able to survive the lean years of the Depression thanks to strong sales of its entry-level Dodge and Plymouth brands, whose vehicles boasted more traditional designs and much lower price tags.

Chrysler shined postwar. For a period in the late 1940s, it even surpassed Ford as the No. 2 U.S. automaker. The company's storied "Hemi" V8 engine debuted in 1951. Offering 180 horsepower, it was a significant improvement over Chrysler's previous 135-hp V8. The Hemi engine was meant to trounce the V8 offered by Cadillac, Chrysler's rival, and it kick-started Detroit's horsepower race of the 1950s and '60s. The '50s also saw the debut of treasured Chrysler classics like the handsome Town and Country and the sleek 300C.

By 1961, Chrysler had trimmed its line of brands by dropping the DeSoto nameplate. New technologies were also afoot, such as unibody construction (Chrysler was the first of the Big Three to introduce it) and the replacement of generators with alternators for a car's charging system. In the latter half of the '60s, Chrysler was heavily involved with NASCAR and producing performance-oriented cars.

At the same time, however, dark clouds were gathering. As with other domestic automakers, the 1970s proved to be a difficult decade due to the oil crisis, new government regulations and changing consumer tastes. A costly and ineffective overseas expansion further hurt the company's bottom line. By the late '70s, the company was in such financial disarray that it petitioned the government for $1.5 billion in loan guarantees to save it from bankruptcy.

Thanks to impressive public campaigning by then-chairman Lee Iacocca, the debut of the well-received K-car platform and the creation of the modern minivan, sales had improved dramatically by the mid-'80s. The government's loan was paid off seven years early. The picture further brightened in the late 1980s with Chrysler's purchase of American Motors Corporation (which netted the company the Jeep brand) and a joint venture with Mitsubishi known as Diamond Star Motors.

Success continued through the early 1990s. In 1998, German-based Daimler-Benz merged with Chrysler to form DaimlerChrysler. At the time, this deal was presented as a merger of equals. But it quickly became apparent that it was more of a purchase, with Daimler being the dominant partner.

Less than a decade later, that merger was no longer, as Daimler sold Chrysler (and Dodge) to a private equity firm in 2007. However, that merger had borne some worthwhile fruit, most notably in the form of the Chrysler 300 full-size sedan. The latter shared some chassis components with an older Mercedes-Benz E-Class platform.

As such, the 300 was a highlight for Chrysler that had a pleasingly solid feel to its driving dynamics that was further sweetened via an available powerful V8 engine. But soon after the split, America's economy slid into recession. Due to poor sales and debt, Chrysler had to declare bankruptcy and the federal government intervened with bailout loans. Eventually Chrysler came under control of Italy's Fiat.

Today, the lineup has been pared down to a pair of sedans, a convertible and a minivan. However, after years of having lackluster entries in the very important midsize car category, Chrysler made major improvements in the performance, design and quality of its midsize sedan entry, the 200. The latest 300 also stands as a prime choice for a premium full-size sedan. Still, it remains to be seen as to whether this and future product releases will be enough to restore the company to its former glory.

User Reviews:

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  looks are deceiving - 2008 Chrysler Pacifica
  By D - October 5 - 3:34 pm

  Nice looking car, but its only skin deep, interior is cheaply made, gas mileage is poor, lots of things missing that should be there like a glovebox light, ipod input, switches to shut of dome lights. The absolute worst car I ever bought. Tranny shifts hard, car starts roughly and stalls sometimes.

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  Well done, Chrysler - 2005 Chrysler Pacifica
  By Jeff Stevens - October 5 - 4:06 am

  This car screams luxury. Comfort and driveability is top notch, second to none. Versatility is key with this vehicle.

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  Best car ever - 2004 Chrysler 300M
  By Ro - October 5 - 12:05 am

  Clean design, smooth ride, great car! My 300 is a fun car to drive and I havent had any complaints so far. It handles well on the road with the powerful engine, and the Autostick feature is fun to use.

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  In love! 300 touring rwd ltd pkg - 2006 Chrysler 300
  By 300 MANIAC - October 4 - 9:34 pm

  Best automobile I have ever owned! Had showroom new cars before, but this one is what Ive been looking for all these years. Awesome styling inside and out. Room galore, great gauges, too many pluses to tell here. I dont want to put too many miles on the silver lady, but I cannot wait to get in and enjoy the experience! 3.5 L, 5 speed auto stick German tranny, loves to keep pulling on out to jail time speeds in city driving without even trying. Turns on a dime. Only car I ever wanted to keep til Im dead and Im a younger boomer. Pulled in to a major fast food rest stop on I-75, a guy comes up to me, says "I thought for sure there was a Bentley pulling in, beautiful car". 1 more look at bedtime-in love!

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  Best car for the money - 2007 Chrysler Crossfire
  By Len - October 3 - 7:33 pm

  I bought my 07 limited for $19k with 2000 miles in April 2008. I like it because it is a great balance between comfort and performance, and for the money I didnt consider anything else. It is fun to drive, good on gas, maneuverable and relatively quick. I am 62" and fit comfortably in it, the seats are supportive yet the matte orangy-brown leather is soft on the back. I drove the car on a 4 hour trip through NYC traffic and was comfortable the whole time. I could not imagine having the car automatic, but dont get along with the shifter sometimes.

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  Breakdown - 2005 Chrysler Pacifica
  By PAUL - October 2 - 7:16 pm

  I started my trip from texas and brokedown in ind., With a grinding in the right front wheel. The dealer said that i should not be driving the car, with 3000 miles on it. They gave me a rental but was without the car for three days because they had to order the whole front wheel. We also had water dripping on my wifes foot from the air. Cond. They replaced the filter and filter door. It is still leaking with 9,000 miles and the dealer said that i should change the temp. In the car to correct the problem? We also had an emissions pump go bad with 8,000 miles and had to spend four hours at the dealers waiting for them to get the part from some other dealer.

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  Nice car - 2000 Chrysler 300M
  By Ken - October 2 - 2:06 pm

  I have owned this car about a year. It is comfortable, sporty and fun to drive. I like the auto-stick. However, some flaws are present. I had to replace the evaporator($700+) and there is a clunk in the front end that no one seems to be able to identify and fix.

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  I Love My Car But....... - 2005 Chrysler Pacifica
  By Surgtechbri - September 29 - 2:35 am

  It will be a year this Jan. that i have had my pacifica. I love this car but it is really getting expensive. All the consumer reports are saying the same thing. We should not all have the same problems with these cars. In the past 4 months i have had to spend over $1700.00 in that car. Both of the fuel pumps died (yes i said both pumps). The dealerships know that there is something wrong with these cars. They are really nice to look at but Im starting to believe they are lemons.

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  All about power! - 2006 Chrysler 300
  By dan - September 27 - 2:43 am

  The SRT 8 is one wild ride....loads of power and torque. Not for everyone but if you like raw power, you will love one of these Mopar SRT 8s.

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  Sebring Hard Top Convertible - 2008 Chrysler Sebring
  By Carnut - September 26 - 7:35 pm

  Great vehicle! With current incentives it is a great value and lots of fun to drive. Great new features with the MyGig system and navigation. I typically own and drive BMW, MBenz and Porsche, but this car gets me more compliments. If you dont need the high-end performance of the MB CLK, then you can get all of the fun and features at half the price!