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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  Whats not to like - 2002 Chrysler Concorde
  By masterquan - March 21 - 2:00 am

  This car is AWESOME! I have 1300 miles on it now..The ride is great, soft,and takes bumps easy...The interior..What can I say....Soft seats, great stereo, room,room room.....The looks of this car is great...Under 28,500 loaded...i mean loaded....What more can i say

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  Brilliant car - 2002 Chrysler 300M
  By jcraig - March 20 - 2:00 am

  I love the car -- BUT...I have had one problem that was pretty serious. I was pulled over by a cop, who told me that my brake light had been illuminated for a lengthy period. A few days later, I couldnt get the brake light to go out after I parked the car!! I took the car to a Toronto dealer, who discovered that a connection to the brake light had shorted out. It took them 13 days to get a replacement part, even though the car is built in Toronto. As the car was too dangerous for me to drive, they provided me with a replacement car -- a KIA (!!). Go figure.

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  Fun to Drive - 1998 Chrysler Cirrus
  By discodav1 - March 19 - 2:00 am

  I love this car I had the car for one year with out any problems I currently have 45K miles.

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  REVIEW FROM MIAMI - 2000 Chrysler Concorde
  By MIAMI RRT - March 19 - 2:00 am

  Very pleased with this car, excellent ride, looks, very dependable. Will purchase another Chrysler product for my next car.

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  LXi a pleasure all around - 1996 Chrysler Concorde
  By rclueso - March 18 - 12:23 pm

  I was not sure I was ready for a pleasure vehicle at my age, now I wish I had bought this vehicle long ago. The vehicle has pick-up and the best economy overall of any vehicle I have owned. 30.33MPg round trip driving summertime, through the mountains, interstate, and a little over 2 hours waiting in a traffice jam. The trip was over 1400 miles for that average. The car had 67000 miles on it when I took this trip, and it was not a slow 55mph trip! The only thing I wish was different about the car is-a performance quicker steering. This is a great car!

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  dream car - 2000 Chrysler Sebring
  By LoneArtist418 - March 18 - 2:00 am

  Ive only driven my friends sebring, but Im getting one soon...my all time dream car!

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  FINE WITHOUT TURBO - 2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By PlanoGuy - March 17 - 2:00 am

  Weve had our LTD for almost 4 months, 2270 mi, and do not regret taking a pass on the GT model. The LTD rides a little nicer than the GT, and I have no problem getting up to 80mph on the Tollway when its my turn to drive for our 4 person call pool. No rattles or problems so far. MPG is lower than I expected, hovering around 20mpg. Acceleration is no problem in town, and its just a matter of kicking it in if you have to have a surge of power. Passengers rave about the comfort, and ease of access. Cargo space is great. The LTD is a great value. Save purchase costs and the costs of premium fuel and lower gas milage by taking a pass on the GT.

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  PT call home - 2002 Chrysler PT Cruiser
  By partagas5 - March 17 - 2:00 am

  Just absolutely love this vehicle. I traded in a Lincoln Mark VIII for it (which I also loved) and thought I might find the PT too confining- not at all so. About the only improvement I would make is slightly larger front seats (the bottom- and Im only 510, 180lbs)that are more adjustable. Thats it! You do also have to be aware of the low ground clearance of the front end. It goes great in snow, can carry almost anything and I like it more each day.

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  Sporty Sedan - 1999 Chrysler 300M
  By redalert - March 16 - 1:36 am

  Purchased this car new and have enjoyed it for nearly three years now. It has been reliable and comfortable--great road car.

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  GREAT 300M - 2002 Chrysler 300M
  By grease - March 15 - 4:35 pm

  REFLECTION ON WINDSHIELD FROM TAN (LIGHT) DASHBOARD MAKES VISION DIFFICULT. THE BLACK PART OF THE DASHBOARD PERMITS GOOD VISION, WHILE THE LIGHTER TRIM COLOR LIMITS VISION WHEN DRIVING IN TO THE SUN