You Know The Next Chrysler 300 Will be FWD, Right?

"Wobbles the Mind" (wobblesthemind) 05/11/2016 at 20:40 • Filed to: Chrysler

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I’m just checking to make sure everyone knows this and is ok with it. I’m calling it now, the Chrysler brand will not offer any RWD vehicles (or V8s) fairly soon. This isn’t a surprise, right? We all saw this coming...didn’t we?

The first clue was the whole Chrysler becoming a mainstream brand thing. Do you happen to remember when they said Dodge could go RWD-based platforms only and that Chrysler would compete with Toyota and Chevrolet? It’s understandable if you dismissed those claims quickly since we know FCA marketing and Sergio like to promise that they’ll turn piss into champagne and charge a premium for it. However, let’s look at something much more interesting.

POP QUIZ!!! Name every hybrid and all electric vehicle offered in the complete portfolio of FCA. Go ahead and take a minute...

...

...

...

...not much coming to mind? Let’s narrow down some brands together.

Jeep? Nothing.

Ram? Nothing.

Dodge? Nothing.

Ferrari? Hell yeah, if you have $4 million in fun money on you and think 12/16mpg is efficient.

Maserati? Nothing.

Alfa Romeo? Nothing.

Lancia? ...Lancia?! ....HAS ANYONE SEEN LANCIA??!!! *saabs furiously*

Fiat? Well there is the all electric 500e which can get up to 87 miles of range. I’m sure that’s a huge seller since nothing says quality like an all electric Fiat.

Chrysler? Well, the Pacifica PHEV is coming soon! A minivan with a wall charger, how awesome is that?!

Ok, so we have three models that have propulsion technology that doesn’t involve blowing stuff up stuck in them, even if it’s as way of fixing the weight distribution rather than actually doing anything. One of those models isn’t on sale yet and the other is on Instagram. So the Fiat 500e is currently the most unique thing in FCA’s entire portfolio...NEAT!!

Come on now, we all know that hybrid and all electric technologies really aren’t that important in the grand scheme of things. There are plenty of other ways to be efficient while blowing shit up so let’s have a look at which brands people buy with explosive efficiency in mind.

Efficiency...Ferrari! Hmm, not quite.

Efficiency...Maserati! Hmm, closer. They can pull off diesels, well performance diesels which luckily are the most efficient kind of diesel engines! I could see hybrid models being great here, again the performance type. This is a high volume brand so that’s perfect!

Efficiency...Alfa Romeo! *copy/paste Maserati prose*

Efficiency...Fiat! Definitely, because we all know those shopping for effieciency don’t car about reliability, cost of ownership, residual values...

Efficiency...Jeep! Ecodiesels all day, you know it!

Efficiency...Ram! No worries here, just keep those diesels Cummins.

Efficiency...Dodge! HEMI, burnouts, old people throwing the bird...yep definitely the efficiency leader.

Efficiency...Chrysler! Well have you seen their website? Anytime the MSRP is listed the best possible fuel economy numbers are listed. The Chrysler brand is about to be leveraged as the FCA brand synonymous with great fuel economy, technology, and eco-consciousness.

* Don’t get me wrong, the Tigershark, Multi-Airs, Pentastar, and EcoDiesels are all great engines. Adequante it nearly every way, which is rare for FCA! However, do they depict the engineering prowess and batshit-crazy R&D spending that tells us this automaker isn’t making shit up as they go? Does it matter if the cars sell?

So let’s go ahead an expect all future Chrysler models to be built on the Pacifica platform and ready for hybrid and especially PHEV variants. That means the 300 matching it’s peers as a FWD based vehicle, I’m sorry. I also wouldn’t be surprised if the 300 actually becomes smaller and they make it a midsize sedan much like the Accord in sizing. Afterall, most of the Beigers out there will definitely look into a $26,000 Chrysler 300 that gets 31 mpg on the highway. Of course that means no more HEMIs in the Chrysler brand, but while the Dodge brand gets all the V8s, the Chrysler brand will have all the hybrids!

You’re having convulsions huh? Just take a deep breath and remember that the Dodge brand will only get better because of exclusive Giulia platform sedans with HEMIs. Anyways, the only vehicle in Chrysler’s lineup that bothers you is the 300, which doesn’t even get an SRT variant in the US. Plus, maybe Lancia (the name not the heritage) will live on this way!

Think about all the money FCA will save NOT having to buy EV Credits off of Tesla, Toyota, and anyone else that can provide that fix. It’ll be ok, it will ok. I for one embrace our new FWD, hybrid, eco-friendly Chrysler brand with only three models!

Thunderface > Wobbles the Mind 05/11/2016 at 20:46

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nice pun.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > Wobbles the Mind 05/11/2016 at 20:48

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The 500e is only available in CA IIRC, so I’m not sure it should count.

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > Wobbles the Mind 05/11/2016 at 20:48

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Is it just me or does anyone else see a lot of Mercedes current styling in the car in that first picture?

Steve in Manhattan > Wobbles the Mind 05/11/2016 at 20:49

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So this is your prediction? Eh - I don’t know. Chrysler has had pretty good success with a RWD 300. On the other hand, you could probably walk up to 10 owners and maybe 2 of them would know which wheels drive the car.

nermal > Wobbles the Mind 05/11/2016 at 20:50

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Chrysler is the current version of Oldsmobile. Nobody cares about it, except rental fleets who can buy them cheap. It could go away tomorrow, and that would be that.

The 200 and Dart are getting killed off already, the 300 can be sold as a Charger and won’t be missed, and the minivans can also easily be sold as their Dodge versions.

They’ll save $$$ on signs as well, since they will only need to hang one at each dealership instead of two.

Wobbles the Mind > Eric @ opposite-lock.com 05/11/2016 at 20:50

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Gotta give FCA something!

not for canada - australian in disguise > Wobbles the Mind 05/11/2016 at 20:52

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From what I’ve seen on the roads, it seems the two RWD fullsizers (The 300 and the Charger) sell WAY better than the FWD fullsizers, or at least in Canada. I don’t know if Chrysler would drop RWD on the 300, maybe make it AWD only if anything?

Wobbles the Mind > not for canada - australian in disguise 05/11/2016 at 20:54

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Do you guys get AWD versions of the Avalon, Cadenza, Impala, etc.? I know the AWD versions, size/styling, and the fact they offer more than ONE engine has been the largest advantage over here.

BigBlock440 > Wobbles the Mind 05/11/2016 at 20:55

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One of those models isn’t on sale yet and the other is on Instagram.

Assuming you mean the Pacifica, I’ve seen them at dealers 2 weeks ago when I drove by.

Birddog > Wobbles the Mind 05/11/2016 at 20:55

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I’m OK with this. I bet 80% of Chrysler buyers don’t know or don’t care which wheels are driven.

JR1 > Wobbles the Mind 05/11/2016 at 20:58

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They would be stupid to get rid of the 300/Charger platform not only does it sell well with cops but it makes a great use of entry level luxury market for someone who doesn’t want the comparable 3 series or ATS of the same price range

Wobbles the Mind > BigBlock440 05/11/2016 at 20:58

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The Hybrid shouldn’t be out until Fall, it’s just the regular models on lots right now.

Vítor > Wobbles the Mind 05/11/2016 at 21:03

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While FCA is doing a lot of things very, very wrong (the way the are handling both Maserati and Lancia are exemples), I think launching the new 300 in a FWD platform isn’t really a mistake, as long as the car is all-wheel-drive. FWD with AWD worked for Audi, Volvo and Lincoln, and it should work for Chrysler. Downgrading the brand in the other hand I think it's a mistake, since they have Dodge for mainstream American cars

Alex from Toronto > Wobbles the Mind 05/11/2016 at 21:10

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At this point Chrysler is in worse direction then Lincolin.

Racin'Jason001 > Wobbles the Mind 05/11/2016 at 21:12

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At least they aren’t going to kill it. 

not for canada - australian in disguise > Wobbles the Mind 05/11/2016 at 21:12

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Nope.

jkm7680 > Wobbles the Mind 05/11/2016 at 21:41

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Oh yeah Chrysler still makes cars under the Chrysler name.

CRider > Wobbles the Mind 05/11/2016 at 21:42

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They have a mid size FWD car, it’s called the 200. They are killing it to build more Jeeps.

BigBlock440 > Wobbles the Mind 05/11/2016 at 22:00

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Oh, ok.

BigBlock440 > Alex from Toronto 05/11/2016 at 22:04

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It is, and it’s a damn shame. They seemed to be heading in the right direction for a few years, the 300, making the lowest trim Town & Country start higher than the highest trim Caravan, etc. up until Sergio decided to turn it into Plymouth rather than starting Plymouth back up. Even after creating 2 new brands from scratch and trying to re-start 3 others.

coqui70 > Wobbles the Mind 05/11/2016 at 22:06

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Yes but will it be a cab-forward design?

dogisbadob > Wobbles the Mind 05/11/2016 at 22:21

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This would piss off all the cops with their RWD Chargers, and besides, the 300 is a more expensive Charger with more profit margin, so they’d be stupid to kill the RWD 300.

Wobbles the Mind > dogisbadob 05/11/2016 at 22:41

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Think about more lime this. The Charger gets slightly smaller/lighter and becomes Dodge’s RWD midsize muscle sedan and a larger Dodge Royal/Imperial. Dodge gets a full lineup, and Chrysler becomes a Buick brand at an even lower price than Buick.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > Wobbles the Mind 05/11/2016 at 22:54

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Remember ENVI?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Envi_(aut…

And they probably still have this car and the tech related to it buried somewhere in the company archives:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodge_Int…

Wobbles the Mind > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly 05/11/2016 at 23:16

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Hmmm, the range-extended Chrysler minivan is coming...Jeep EV could happen with the next Grand Cherokee...I would say the ENVI project happened a decade behind schedule but we all know an electric sportscar will never happen! That was really interesting, thanks for sharing those!!

Dru > Wobbles the Mind 05/12/2016 at 08:47

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I would honestly hate to see the death of the 300. V8 RWD American Luxury cars are becoming rare as hens teeth.

Wobbles the Mind > Dru 05/12/2016 at 08:52

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Name three luxury sedans/coupes on sale right now with NA V8s. Just for fun!

Dru > Wobbles the Mind 05/12/2016 at 09:02

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Assuming it needs to be American eh?

1. 300C

2. Cadillac...something?

3. ......?

Milky > Wobbles the Mind 05/12/2016 at 09:25

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Worth noting that Serg said the Pacifica plant could make a sedan. As far as I know thats all that was said.

Also I’m not okay with it. We’ll see what comes out in 2018.

Wobbles the Mind > Dru 05/12/2016 at 09:29

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The only V8 Caddy sedan/coupes is the CTS-V, but it isn’t all natty. Crazy huh?! Just the 300, and the 5.7L is just an option even on the top 300C AWD.