Since its initial unveiling in the 2005 model year, the modern Chrysler 300 series has risen through the ranks of American cars to become one of the most popular full size luxury sedans on the market. The 300 has been a part of Chrysler for much longer than that, however, and the first Chrysler 300 was released in 1955 as the 300, and the 1956 300B model was the first of the Letter Series 300’s from Chrysler. With a history that spans more than half a century, it should go without saying that there is a lot about the Chrysler 300 most people don’t know, including the following five facts.
1) Record Breaking 1955 C-300
The 1955 Chrysler 300, also known as the C-300, was the first generation release of the original 300 model nameplate, and it is famous for more than kicking off what would become one of Chrysler’s best known vehicles. Conceptualized and designed to add a “gentleman’s sport coupe” to the Chrysler family of cars, the C-300 was made to be as powerful as it was stylish. The car set two records the year it was released, for road course and flying mile, on the course in Daytona Beach, Florida.
2) The Letter Series
Prior to its reincarnation for the 2005 model year, the Chrysler 300 was primarily released in the Letter Series generations. Starting in 1956 with the 300B, the 300 Letter Series model generations were released on and off until the last of the series, the 1965 300L. Two other 300 models were released after 1965, and are often catalogued with the official Letter Series models by collectors and Chrysler experts, that did not have the signature one-letter designation. These two models were the 1970 Hurst 300 and the 1979 limited edition 300, which were built on the Chrysler Cordoba platform. The 1979 300 is considered the most collectible and valuable of the Letter Series 300 models, as only 5,500 of them were manufactured.
3) The 300M
Chrysler reintroduced a new model of the 300, the 300M, in 1999. Despite having the “300” name, which historically referred to the engine’s horsepower, the 300M’s engine was designated with the lower 255 horsepower. The 300M was also different from the previous Letter Series 300 models in that it was front wheel drive, and shorter than Chrysler’s other sedan, the Concorde, so it was eligible for export to Europe. Due to its lower horsepower, and much later model release year, the 300M is not considered to be a part of the 300 Letter Series. Its generations of releases from 1999 until 2004 are kept separate from both the original Letter Series and the new design of the 300 for the 2005 model year.
4) The New 300C
Chrysler redesigned the 300 luxury sedan again for the 2005 model year, returning to a number of the details that set the original C-300 and Letter Series 300’s apart as powerful luxury cars. Once again the 300 was made rear wheel drive and had an increased horsepower capacity of 345 hp, well above the 300 hp hinted at in the well-known model name. There were three classes of 300C’s released; the basic, touring and limited models. The basic 300C was re-designated as the LX in 2008 and that has stuck with the basic platform for each subsequent year.
5) Special Edition 300’s
The most recent special edition models of the Chrysler 300 are highly sought-after, and likely to become very collectible over the next several years. The 300 Motown Edition is a nostalgic ode to the Motown genre of music, a staple of both the era and area where the original 300’s were created. The features of the Motown special edition 300 include a catalog of Motown classic songs pre-loaded into the Beats by Dre stereo system.
The modern Chrysler 300 is the flagship model of the Chrysler name, and its timeless luxury and rich history play a large part in that flagship status. A return to its powerful engine and sleek design roots, the newest Chrysler 300 model generations are recapturing the dominant luxury for which the original Letter Series 300’s were known.
