1999 Chrysler 300M - Design - First Test

While the flavor may be different, styling is expected to be a major draw of the new 300M, just as it was with the 300 letter-series of four decades ago. The Chrysler 300-B was Motor Trend's all-out winner in its '55 beauty contest. "The clear number-one choice as the most beautiful of hardtops," our writers declared. The original 300 melded the front end of a New Yorker with the back side of an Imperial that, according to a 1955 issue of Motor Trend, added up to "a distinctive-looking package that's more Italian in flavor than anything else in the entire Chrysler Corp. line."

Deja vu.

Chrysler design studios, competing against each other for the 300M project, were assigned the task of creating a luxury sport sedan in the spirit of the old 300 letter-series, but to do it in a fresh way that would appeal to Europeans as well as Americans, recalled designer Michael Castiglione. In the end, Castiglione and company from Chrysler's California studio won the competition, marking the first high-volume production vehicle ever done by the West Coast studio. Pacifica typically creates concept vehicles and lists the Plymouth Prowler as the production vehicle it's produced.

The required European dimensions helped designers achieve the 300M's distinctive stance. The rear overhang was shortened by about 250 centimeters (nearly 10 inches) to accomplish the necessary 5-meter length of the car. The shortened, raised back end lent itself to a thick, squared-off rear deck, a la Audi A4 and BMW 5 Series. Wedge-shaped taillamps are positioned high on either side of the decklid. Dual exhaust tips extend from the lower fascia. From the rear, it looks wholly different from its three ChryCo siblings.

The 300M's front is less markedly distinctive from the LHS, but features a large grille with the Chrysler's new provocative winged medallion badge. The quad halogen headlamps sweep back into the edge of the front fenders, resulting in a muscular look and angular profile. The clean, chromeless body further gives the 300M the functional appearance of a serious driving machine. We like it.

Designers tried to capture the flavor of the original 300's silhouette to give it a strong signature and "a rebel attitude," said Castiglione. Beyond the attitudinal character of the car, however, the only design cue borrowed directly from the original letter-series is the 300M fender emblem, with its checkered background.

The clean, functional scheme of the 300M's exterior is carried over to its extremely roomy interior. The five-passenger inner sanctum is outfitted in leather, with heated, eight-way power front seats, and memory system for the driver's seat, mirrors, and radio presets. Four-way adjustable front head restraints and vertically adjustable rear-seat head restraints are standard fare, as are dual front and front-side airbags. A vehicle security system is also among the 300M's long list of standard features. In fact, only four options are available on the 300M-chrome wheels, sunroof, premium audio system, and a performance package. In a last-minute design change, Chrysler executives decided to add the LHS' white-faced gauges surrounded by a thin chrome bezel to the 300M's instrument panel; the original plan called for traditional white-on-black gauges as seen in these photos of a 300M prototype. Chrysler recognizes it will take more than just dynamic styling to steer Accord and Camry owners upgrading their automobiles away from such benchmarks as the Lexus ES300 and Infiniti I30 and into the 300M. In our testing at Chrysler's Arizona Proving Grounds, the 300M handed in a solid performance to match its sporty appearance. That was refreshing in light of the new Intrepid and Concorde, whose mediocre performance belied their flashy look.