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:

• 

  Great so Far....... - 2000 Chrysler 300M
  By Pauls - January 18 - 2:00 am

  I just bought the 2000 300M a month ago. So far it has been great. Road noise a little loud but it is a Chrysler. Power, comfort, and style all in one package. Fun to drive!

• 

  Dont Buy a 95 Sebring - 1995 Chrysler Sebring
  By Pekao - January 17 - 2:00 am

  This car looks great from the outside, maybe even the inside, but once you drive with it for more than a week, you begin to realize the true colors of the vehicle. The first thing that went wrong, was the heat. Then after i was told it would be over a thousand dollars to fix, the car wouldnt start half the time. And eventually cut out on me in the middle of the highway. If I were you i wouldnt buy a 95 sebring, sure its aestheticly pleasing, but the motor is a piece of crap.

• 

  Good Car terrible service - 2003 Chrysler 300M
  By clpurnell - January 17 - 2:00 am

  I think the 300 is a great riding and driving car. The car is reliable and has never left me stranded but the little things that annoyed me at 10k miles are still there and unfixed at 30k miles after numerous trips to the dealership. Chrysler service is horrendous and I will not buy another ever.

• 

  Rosenthal - 2002 Chrysler Concorde
  By rosenthal - January 16 - 2:00 am

  Car is great if you are large, or tall It is not great for a small person.

• 

  FUN IN TH SUN - 1997 Chrysler Sebring
  By puttinfool - January 14 - 2:00 am

  Beautiful car, has exellent styling and is much more attractive than the 2001 and newer models. Overlooked by many critics due to lack of horsepower.

• 

  A fun car to own. - 2003 Chrysler 300M
  By David1011 - January 13 - 2:00 am

  So far I have been very pleased with the cars performance and handling. It makes long car trips much more enjoyable and comfortable.

• 

  Best family car - 2005 Chrysler Pacifica
  By Walt - January 12 - 9:50 pm

  This is the best tribe mobile I have ever owned. After a dozen years of driving Caravans as the family vehicle this is a great compromise. It rides as good as my friends caddy, has plenty of space and is fun to drive. Even after a year and a half the magic still has not warn off. My Vette is even getting jealous of the time I spend driving the Pacifica. Three the family members now own one. My father-in-law even got the same car, color and options. During a family event last weekend it was wild to see 4 of them in my driveway!

• 

  Pretty cool car - 1994 Chrysler LHS
  By Big M - January 12 - 2:00 am

  This car is roomy, luxurious, comfortable, affordable, nice design, has huge trunk, etc. etc. I very much like this car. Although I’m not a big- car kinda guy, I really like this car.

• 

  Better than average 4-dr sedan - 1997 Chrysler Concorde
  By JMK - January 12 - 2:00 am

  I bought my Concorde from a dealer with 14K on the clock. It drives great and is good for long trips. Large trunk. AC evaporator had to be replaced at 63K, but covered under special extended warranty. Only major mechanical problem was water pump replacement at 70K (expensive because its internal).

• 

  300M - 2000 Chrysler 300M
  By vector32 - January 12 - 2:00 am

  WOW! So far this car has been a blast. The auto-stick is fairly worthless however, so I just drive with the shifter in "Drive." Passing power has yet to be questioned and 0-60 mph is surprisingly snappy. This was quite a pleasant surprise for front-wheel drive I thought. The A/C and heat controls are awesome as are the heated power seats. With auto-start and XM radio, this car will be with me for some time! Its great that a domestic car with its huge interior could handle and ride so smoothly. Thanks Chrysler!!