Chrysler is celebrating its 100-year anniversary.
‘Chrysler 100’ will be a bittersweet birthday, though.
There’s so much in its past, but the future looks uncertain.
It’s a shame because, looking back, this is a brand that made history.
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From forgotten icons to a supercar we sometimes forget was a Chrysler
Founded in Detroit in 1925 and, over the past 100 years, the company has given us a bit of everything.
We’ve seen some wild concepts, such as the iconic turbine car unveiled in the 1950s.
We’ve also had some fascinating rare cars, such as the Wayfarer, and some cars that were so aesthetically different that they ended up becoming icons.
Very few people would call the PT Cruiser ‘pretty’, and yet so many people love it.
Also, it’s worth remembering that, for a few years, the mythological Viper supercars were sold as a Chrysler, not as a Dodge.
Chrysler also produced the 2005 Crossfire – a 3.2-liter V6 convertible.
With 18-inch front wheels and 19-inch rear wheels, the Crossfire had a boat-tail style back and looked pretty good.
What’s going to happen to the brand?
The problem is that the future is looking particularly uncertain.
The beautiful Halcyon concept was unveiled just a year ago, but the problem is this was just a concept, and automakers need sales, not prototypes.
Chrysler is now part of Stellantis, a global group that comprises 14 brands.
At the time of writing, the American automaker only sells two cars, the Pacifica and the Voyager, two minivans sold only in certain markets.
Maybe Chrysler and other Stellantis brands will take the current transition to EV as an opportunity to rebrand into something else, like other manufacturers did.
EV technology is giving some of these brands a blank canvas, an opportunity to totally reinvent themselves.
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