Chrysler planning 2011 300 facelift, sticking with RWD

Posted Thu Feb 14 2008 8:02 PM by James Martinez

New CAFE fuel-economy regulations has led GM to axe much of its future RWD large car program, and if the new rules are having that much of an impact on a company the size of GM imagine how it may affect financial stricken Chrysler. It appears the RWD Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger are safe for now as the Auburn Hills-based carmaker doesn’t have the budget to radically change its large car platform.

At the moment, most of Chrysler’s focus is on developing a new midsize platform. For the next update of its iconic 300 sedan, Chrysler will simply give the car a radical facelift and leave the drivetrain unchanged. A switch to a FWD would improve the fuel economy of the sedan but there’s no money set aside for it, reports TheCarConnection. The Canadian plant where the 300 and Charger is manufactured was set-up to build RWD cars and swapping to FWD would require major upgrades and retooling.

As for the new model, the source claims the car will continue with its bold styling but its low roofline will change in order to give it a fresh new look. The engine lineup will likely remain unchanged, however Chrysler has stated that its legendary HEMI V8 isn’t part of its future powertrain plans. The new 300, due in 2011, could possibly be the last RWD Chrysler sedan powered by a V8 HEMI.

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