The Chrysler 300 series has rolled off the assembly line for the final time in its storied history.
Like its corporate siblings the Dodge Charger and Challenger, the Chrysler 300 is being discontinued after the 2023 model year. Moving forward, Chrysler and its parent company Stellantis made the decision to focus their efforts on their continued evolution towards total electrification.
Although the Charger and Challenger have the potential to return with new electric variants, every indication from Chrysler is that the 300 series may have indeed reached the end of its journey. Courtesy of Savage 61, here’s a look back at the history of the 300 series and why it’s ending now.
The History of the 300
Chrysler’s 300 line dates back to 1955, with the launch of the C-300 (which can retroactively be considered the 300A). In its first decade of existence, the 300 was known as the “letter series,” as each new model was followed by a letter. The 300B was updated into the 300C, which was redesigned into the 300D, and so forth.
That first generation of 300 vehicles was powered by a 5.4-liter Hemi engine with 300 horsepower, making it the most powerful American vehicle on the road at the time. The letter series concluded in 1965 with the 300L, which boasted 360 horsepower.
Another high-performance variant of the luxury 300, the Hurst 300, would follow five years later in 1970, though only 485 units were produced. The true rebirth of the 300 would come decades later.
In 1999, Chrysler launched the 300M, named after an abandoned 1966 redesign. The new 300M was a V6-equipped, full-size luxury car that would continue to be produced until 2004. Then in 2005, the 300 as we know it today fully arrived in the form of a four-door sedan. The first generation of this revamped 300 line lasted from 2005-2010, and the second generation that launched in 2011 leads us to the present day.
One Last Ride
The final special edition of the 300, the 300C, was released in 2022. Although production on the current-gen 300 officially suspends on December 31, 2023, the final 300C rolled off the line on December 8th at Chrysler’s Brampton Ontario Assembly Plant.
The last vehicle to come off the line was a Velvet Red 2023 Chrysler 300C with the iconic 6.4-liter Hemi engine. It’s a fitting final tribute to the strength and swagger of the 300C line, as the powertrain sported 485 horsepower and 475 pound-feet of torque. However, Chrysler and Stellantis have been moving away from eight-cylinder engines consistently over the past several years. Instead, they continue to march towards electric exclusivity and increased sustainability efforts.
“As we celebrate the last Hemi-powered 300C off the line with our Brampton team members,” said Chrysler CEO Chris Feuell, “we’re also excited to work together as Chrysler brand moves forward to a sustainable all-electric future as part of the Stellantis Dare Forward 2030 strategic plan.”
The Future is Electric
For those keeping track at home, Chrysler is now down to a sole remaining vehicle: the plug-in hybrid Pacifica minivan. However, when the successor to the 300 is eventually revealed, we fully expect that to be an electric vehicle as well. Clearly, the company is all-in on a green tomorrow.
You can become part of that electric future when you make the change to an EV today. Come in to Savage 61 today and see for yourself why you belong behind the wheel of a Pacifica. The 300 series may now be in the rearview, but with Savage 61, your future is full of possibilities.
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