By Chris Chase; photos by
Greg Wilson, Autos.ca

Chrysler, it seems, is perpetually in financial trouble, a strange thing for a company that has been capable of producing successful vehicles. Take the ubiquitous Grand Caravan minivan, or the LH sedans (Intrepid, Concorde, New Yorker, 300 M, Eagle Vision and LHS, sold at various times from 1993 through 2004), both vehicles that brought something new to their respective market segments (or were instrumental in creating them, in the case of the original Caravan).

2008 Chrysler 300

In 2005, Chrysler took advantage of its alliance with Mercedes-Benz (during which the company was known as DaimlerChrysler) to once again bring something a bit different to its showrooms. The car was the Chrysler 300, a full-size rear-drive sedan built on a platform based on Mercedes-Benz technology. Its front-engine, rear-drive layout was unique as rear-wheel drive had become rare in mid-priced cars, being limited largely to performance-oriented vehicles and trucks. The 300 shared its architecture with the Dodge Charger and Magnum sedan and wagon, introduced in 2006, and later, the Challenger coupe.

At first glance though, the 300′s biggest drawing card was its ostentatious styling, with a huge grille and chunky styling that brought to mind a Bentley or Rolls-Royce more than an upscale domestic family car. (more…)