Special Report: Chrysler Century of Innovation

On April 2, 1875, Walter Percy Chrysler was born in Wamego, Kansas. Son of a locomotive engineer, Chrysler was connected to the transportation industries throughout his life. His love of machinery prompted him to forsake a college education for a machinist’s apprenticeship, and his early career comprised numerous mechanical jobs in the railroad industry.

In 1912, Chrysler joined General Motors as manager of its Buick manufacturing plant, becoming president of the Buick division four years later. After parting ways with GM in 1919, Chrysler began a second career as a “doctor of ailing automakers,” strengthening first Willys-Overland, then the Maxwell Motor Corporation.

Between 1920 and 1924, Chrysler teamed up with three ex-Studebaker engineers, Fred Zeder, Owen Skelton and Carl Breer, to design a revolutionary new car. They defined what the products of the Chrysler brand would be – affordable “luxury” vehicles known for innovative, top-flight engineering.

The first was the 1924 Chrysler Six, an all-new car priced at $1,565 that featured two significant innovations – a light, powerful, high-compression six-cylinder engine and the first use of four-wheel hydraulic brakes in a moderately priced vehicle. The well-equipped Chrysler Six also featured aluminum pistons, replaceable oil and air filters, full-pressure lubrication, tubular front axles, shock absorbers and indirect interior lighting.

In 1925, after securing a $5,000,000 loan to start production, Chrysler sold more than 32,000 units of the Chrysler Six in its first year. The Maxwell company soon had a new name: Chrysler Corporation. In 1925, the firm boasted more than 3,800 dealers, sold more than 100,000 cars and ranked fifth in the industry.

From 1925 through 1930, some of Chrysler’s early high-performance, high-style cars startled industry observers and customers alike, but mid-range pricing added value and assured the success of the brand. Model numbers told customers how fast each Chrysler would go; the Chrysler 72, for example, featured an optional "Red-Head" engine for better pickup and hill climbing.

Chrysler vehicles would also perform commendably in other period racing venues, winning the 1925 1,000-mile Stock Car Speed Trial at Los Angeles and placing second, third and sixth at the Belgian Twenty-Four Hour Grand Prix of 1928. They also did well in endurance competition, completing a 1926 Kansas City-Denver test at an average speed of 51.8 mph and a 1927 New York-Los Angeles round-trip speed run at an average speed of 40.2 mph.

The 1928 acquisition of Dodge Brothers made Chrysler the third of Detroit’s Big Three automakers — and Walter P. Chrysler one of the most successful industrialists of his generation.

Between 1930 and 1935, within a decade of its founding, Chrysler Corporation’s leadership in innovation had earned the label of Detroit’s “engineering company.” Chrysler’s list of early automotive “firsts” included Floating Power (a new method of mounting engines to isolate vibration), replaceable oil filters, downdraft carburetors and one-piece curved windshields.

Chrysler entered a higher level of competition with its richly appointed Imperial series. With a custom-built body from LeBaron or Briggs, a 145-inch-wheelbase chassis, a 125-horsepower engine and a price tag of $3,145, a typical Imperial of the early 1930s rivaled a Duesenberg in style, but cost only about a third as much.

In 1934, Chrysler, with advice from Orville Wright, built a wind tunnel to test body shapes that led to the first unit-body, aerodynamic car — the Airflow. The idea came from Carl Breer after he tested conventional car shapes in a wind tunnel and found they registered much less drag “tail first.”

Chrysler’s Airflow "streamliner" was dramatic and ahead of its time — the fluid design and pioneering unit-body construction offered improved handing and passenger comfort in a vehicle unlike any seen before.

The Chrysler Airflow also featured recessed headlights, a low step-up height, a standard in-line eight-cylinder engine, automatic overdrive and good gas mileage (posting 21.4 miles per gallon on a coast-to-coast test trip). Unfortunately for Chrysler, the Airflow was a bit too different for most. Even though its design was soon widely copied, this first truly streamlined car was not a sales success.

In 1936 and 1937, less-than-spectacular sales led to stronger promotion of cars like the $925 DeLuxe Eight over the slow-selling, $1,400 Airflow — and to more conservative Chrysler styling.

Between 1938 and 1941, a new brand-defining model appeared: the New York Special, soon recast as the richly appointed Chrysler New Yorker. Its longstanding popularity would eventually make it America’s longest-running automobile nameplate (1938-1996).

"Fluid Drive" became known as another of Chrysler’s significant engineering innovations — it was an "almost automatic" transmission that virtually eliminated shifting. Others included Superfinish to reduce wear on contacting metal surfaces and Oilite self-lubricating bearings.

Gaining widespread notice in 1940, the Chrysler Thunderbolt show car was a huge two-seater with a retractable steel roof and streamlined cladding front to rear. Chrysler turned even more heads on Memorial Day that year when its exotic Newport Phaeton, one of only five built by LeBaron, served as pace car at the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race.

The most striking production-model Chrysler of the prewar years was the 1941-42 Town & Country, a “barrelback” sedan expanded into an aerodynamic station wagon and trimmed with ash-and-mahogany side panels – the company’s elegant entry into autobuilding’s “woody” era.

From 1942 to 1945, all civilian car production stopped for the duration of World War II. Chrysler was eighth among all manufacturers in producing materials for the war effort.

From 1946 to 1954, when peacetime returned, Chrysler and other automakers rushed back into production with new cars retaining many of the solid, reassuring features of the prewar models, such as the ash-and-mahogany trim of the new 1946 Chrysler Town & Country sedans and convertibles that succeed the prewar Town & Country station wagons.

While many customers, especially Hollywood stars, loved those postwar “woodies,” many others were ready for a change, not just from the style of Town & Country, but from a/ll "high-and-wide" models that harkened back to prewar styles. But Chrysler stood steadfastly by its tall, stolid cars. Through the early '50s, it built "comforting" large cars; when Chryslers did eventually get a bit longer and lower, styling visibly trailed most rivals in the market.

The first indication of changing times at Chrysler came with the 1951 development, and enthusiastic reception, of the authoritative, hemispheric-head V-8 engine. The soon-to-be legendary HEMI® combined better combustion, higher compression and lower heat loss to create much more horsepower than previous V-8s. Close behind was the fully automatic Powerflite transmission.

Chrysler then reaffirmed its engineering reputation by commissioning a revolutionary gas turbine engine program. This 20-year campaign to apply an aircraft engine turbine's smooth power and low maintenance requirements to automobiles became part of the Chrysler brand's folklore.

In 1949, Chrysler hired Studebaker designer Virgil Exner to head an advanced styling section, a first step toward realigning the company’s design priorities. Exner enlisted the aid of Italian coachbuilder Carrozzeria Ghia to began building a remarkable series of so-called "idea cars," like the 1951 Chrysler K-310 five-passenger sport coupe, the 1952 C-200, which featured the "gunsight" taillight design later used on Imperials, and the 1953 Chrysler D'Elegance, a three-passenger sport coupe with hand-sewn, black-and-yellow leather upholstery and matching luggage.

The most extraordinary car in this series was the Chrysler Norseman, featuring cantilevered arches to support a roof without “A” pillars, all-aluminum body panels and a power-operated, 12-square-foot panel of glass that slid forward to expose the rear seat to the sky. Shipped to America by Ghia, the Norseman sank to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean on the ill-fated Italian steamship Andrea Doria.

Between 1955 and 1962, Exner revived Chrysler production car design with the sleek, sculptured Forward Look designs of 1955 that transformed the product line overnight. The Forward Look flagship was the 1955 Chrysler 300, a striking automobile that combined smooth styling with brawny HEMI power. The 300, arguably the first muscle car, became a legend on and off the race track and set records throughout the 1950s, including a 143-mph performance at Daytona Beach.

As the 1950s progressed, Chrysler products began to sprout distinctive tailfins, ostensibly to improve handling and stability above 70 mph. The 1957 Chrysler brand standard-bearer, the 300C, was equipped with a standard 392-cubic-inch, 375-horsepower HEMI, two four-barrel carburetors, a high-output camshaft, Torsion-Aire suspension and the new Torqueflite transmission, making it the fastest, most powerful production car built in America that year and earning it the appellation “beautiful brute.”

Throughout the postwar years, Chrysler engineering leadership paced new styling advances. The company's engineering "firsts" from that era include the first "safety cushion dashboard,” the famous Chrysler push-button transmission, which became an icon of the '50s, power steering, torsion-bar suspension and the first practical alternator (introduced in 1960, it proved so successful it became standard equipment just one year later).

From 1963 to 1970, Chrysler entered the second phase of its gas turbine project, completing 50 smartly styled, Ghia-designed prototypes for testing by 200 customers. With its whooshing jet-aircraft sound, distinctive exterior and a space-age interior filled with a massive console, the Chrysler Turbine Car would not be confused with any other vehicle. But the realities of poor mileage, 11.5 mpg, and high production costs brought the project to a quiet close.

Chrysler products evolved gracefully through the 1960s — fins disappeared, large cars became more refined — and ads for the 1963 New Yorker promised that there were "no junior editions to compromise your investment." The 1963 Chrysler 300-J maintained the brand’s style-plus-speed image with standard leather interiors, heavy-duty torsion bars and Ram induction manifolds; a special-edition Pace Setter convertible version started the Indianapolis 500.

By 1965, Chrysler sales had increased 65% and the brand moved from 11th to ninth place in national rankings. Models ranged from the "affordable luxury" of the Newport line (with no fewer than 376 trim and color combinations), through the high-line New Yorker to the sporty 300 with its 440-cubic-inch V-8 engine.

From 1971 through 1979, following a decade of considerable success, Chrysler made an ill-fated, $450 million investment in new large cars just before the 1973 oil embargo. Public demand quickly turned from traditional large cars to midsize and smaller vehicles, forcing Chrysler and its competitors to make expensive changes to their product lineups.

One design highlight in Chrysler's rapidly evolving 1970s lineup was the Cordoba — a 115-inch-wheelbase coupe billed as "Chrysler's new small car." With its Jaguar-like front end, formal roofline and one-of-a-kind rectangular taillamps, it became one of the era’s most memorable cars – along with the TV commercials featuring actor Ricardo Montalban extolling the virtues of its “rich Corinthian leather” interior. Cordobas sold better than all other Chrysler models combined, inspiring other new, "smaller" Chrysler designs, like the LeBaron Medallion coupe.

In 1980, Chrysler — deep in its greatest financial crisis — turned to the all-new K-Car for salvation. While some called it "the metal brick," in many ways the functional, compact, front-wheel-drive K-Car was just the right car for the times.

This automotive "back to basics" era peaked with the 1984 introduction of the minivan. Chrysler Corporation's most practical vehicle proved to be its most popular and eventually led to the revival of the Chrysler Town & Country nameplate on an upmarket version.

The design highlight for the Chrysler brand during this period was unquestionably the LeBaron convertible, which reintroduced the convertible to the American market and enjoyed a nine-year run as it brought style and excitement back to the brand.

In the late 1980s, new leadership at Chrysler, determined to return the brand to its roots of engineering and design excellence, decided to create an entirely new line of "Euro-Japanese-ethic" cars — and developed platform teams to get the job done quickly and affordably. The new product philosophy was reflected in the development of concept cars like the 1988 Portofino and the 1989 Millenium.

Chrysler's renaissance began in earnest with the midsize 1993 Concorde sedan, which was quickly followed by the full-size LHS and Chrysler 300M, the smaller Cirrus sedan, the companion Sebring luxury sports coupe, the separate Sebring convertible and the next-generation Town & Country minivan.

Since the DaimlerChrysler merger in 1998, the Fiat merger in 2014 and the creation of Stellantis in 2021, still more outstanding Chrysler vehicles have been developed.

Now, 100 years after the creation of the company, each of these vehicles continues to personify Walter P. Chrysler’s original vision for the brand bearing his name: superb engineering, standout design and fun-to-drive performance — all at an affordable price.

Detailed Chrysler Heritage Timeline

1875: Walter P. Chrysler is born in Wamego, Kansas, on April 2, 1875.

1892: Starts work as an ‘oil wiper’ at the Union Pacific Railroad Shops in Ellis, Kansas.

1901: Chrysler marries Della V. Forker and over the years has four children, Thelma, Bernice, Walter Jr. and Jack.

1908: Walter P. Chrysler, while working for the Chicago and Great Western Railroad, buys his first car, the Locomobile Phaeton. He does not know how to drive and disassembles and reassembles the car several times to learn how it functions.

1911: A varied railroad career reaches a peak as Chrysler is made works manager of the American Locomotive Company in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

1912: Walter P. Chrysler becomes works manager for Buick Motor Company in Flint, Michigan. He takes a pay cut to be part of what he believes will be a growth industry for him. He works for Charles Nash, who later leaves GM to form his own car company.

1917: Buick names Walter P. Chrysler president and general manager.

1919: Chrysler becomes first vice president of General Motors Corporation in charge of all manufacturing, in addition to his responsibilities with Buick. In December, Walter P. Chrysler retires from General Motors at age 45.

1920: In February, Willys-Overland Company woos Chrysler out of retirement to become executive vice president of the company, and he saves it from bankruptcy.

1921: Walter P. Chrysler also assumes control over Maxwell Motors to save it from bankruptcy.

1924: Walter P. Chrysler introduces his new car, the Chrysler Six, at the New York Auto Show.

1925: Maxwell Motors becomes Chrysler Corporation with Walter P. Chrysler as president on June 6, 1925. On June 6, the Maxwell Motor Company, whose shares are now worth $400 million, is transferred with all rights and obligations to the new Chrysler Corporation, which at the end of the year can already post a net profit of more than $4 million. Later that month, Chrysler Canada is established. K.T. Keller, who worked with Walter P. Chrysler at Buick as head of manufacturing, joins Walter at the new Chrysler Corporation. Chrysler presents the new 1926 Model Four, Series 58, one of the first automobiles to use rubber mounts as part of a system to dampen engine vibrations. A Chrysler Six enters the Le Mans 24 Hours and reaches the finish, although it does not place. At the end of the year, there are 3,800 Chrysler dealers in America. Chrysler is the first U.S. automaker to introduce crankshaft vibration dampers.

1928: Walter P. Chrysler negotiates the purchase of Dodge Brothers Inc. and begins production of the DeSoto and Plymouth cars. The purchase of Dodge effectively triples the size of Chrysler Corporation.

1929: Chrysler is the first American car manufacturer to use a downdraft carburetor in a production vehicle.

1930: Walter P. Chrysler builds the 77-story Chrysler Building in New York City. The Chrysler Building and Chrysler Corporation are separate ventures of Walter P. Chrysler. All Chrysler models get steel bodies and fuel pumps (replacing gravity-feed gasoline tanks).

1931: The first Chrysler eight-cylinder premiers in the Chrysler Eight and Imperial. An eight-cylinder Chrysler wins the over-three-liter category at the 24-hour SPA race in Belgium.

1932: Chrysler engineers develop "Oilite," a revolutionary new kind of large-pore metal material for leaf springs and joints. Oilite is able to absorb 30% of its own weight in oil in its pores, release additional greasing volume under pressure and reabsorb it when the pressure declines again.

1933: Chrysler Corporation grows to become second of the Big Three automotive companies and remains in second place from 1936 to 1949. Chrysler introduces safety glass that crumbles instead of splinters. 

1934: Chrysler launches the revolutionary streamlined automobiles, Chrysler Airflow and DeSoto Airflow. The Airflow Imperial is the first American car with a curved, single-part windshield. Airflow models are also offered for the first time with the optional Chrysler automatic overdrive transmission.

1935: On June 22, Walter P. Chrysler resigns from the Chrysler Corporation presidency, but remains chairman of the board. The Airstream is introduced. This vehicle is more conventionally styled than the Airflow.

1936: A new automatic overdrive is available as an option.

1937: All Chrysler models are restyled with a rounded theme, sporting barrel-shaped grilles.

1938: The New Yorker Special is introduced. The name New Yorker will be used on all top-of-the-line Chrysler models until 1996.

1939: Chrysler presents the first semi-automatic transmissions with fluid coupling (Fluid Drive). The Chrysler line is now comprised of the New Yorker, Windsor and Saratoga series.

1940: Walter P. Chrysler dies on August 18. Chrysler builds its first two "idea cars." These vehicles were built for both show and experimental use. The Chrysler Thunderbolt and the Chrysler Newport dual cowl phaeton. Six Thunderbolts and six Newports were constructed.

1941: Chrysler launches the Town & Country, the company's first highly styled station wagon, with a wood and steel body and visible wood ribbing. Chrysler combines its fluid coupling transmission (Fluid Drive) with the semi-automatic "Vacamatic." Vacamatic is a four-speed transmission that automatically shifts itself between the two lower gears or between the two higher gears when the driver lifts off the accelerator pedal. The transmission would have to be shifted with a clutch when moving between the low and high gears, however. A Chrysler Newport idea car paces the Indianapolis 500.

1942: Chrysler stops civilian vehicle production in favor of war production in late February. 

1942-45: At Chrysler’s Jefferson Avenue Plant in Detroit, Chrysler builds 10 different defense-related products using its six cylinder passenger car engine. These items included marine engines, air raid sirens, fire-fighting equipment and smoke screen apparatus. The Highland Park Plant would produce almost 330,000 rockets for the military.

1946: Chrysler resumes vehicle production, producing slightly modified prewar models. There are new sedan, coupe and convertible versions of the Chrysler Town & Country.

1947: The new Travel long-wheelbase sedan makes its debut. This stylish model sported a factory roof rack and was favored by the travel industry.

1948: Town & Country models now wear Di-Noc decals rather than genuine mahogany veneer.

1949: The first all-new Chrysler models since the war are presented. Chrysler invests $90 million in new tools and equipment. Chrysler introduces padded dashboards for safety reasons. Chrysler is the first American automaker to use combined ignition-starter locks. Famed car designer Virgil Exner departs Studebaker and joins Chrysler.

1950: Chrysler introduces four-wheel self-energizing hydraulic disc brakes and becomes the first American manufacturer to offer electric windows.

1951: Chrysler engineers design the famous HEMI V-8 engine with hemispherical combustion chambers, which established American high-performance standards in the '50s and '60s. The HEMI, which took six years to develop, is Chrysler's first V-8 engine. With its 180 horsepower, it is immediately recognized as the peak of American automotive achievement. Chrysler offers "Hydraglide" full-time power steering. Briggs Cunningham purchases Chrysler HEMI engines for use in his C-2 race cars, designed to race at LeMans. One of three cars finishes in 18th place. The Town & Country once again becomes a wagon, minus the wood sides. The Chrysler New Yorker paces the Indianapolis 500 race.

1952: The Chrysler C-200 concept car is unveiled.

1953: The innovative PowerFlite two-gear automatic transmission premieres at Chrysler. First widely available automotive air conditioner offered in the 1953 Chrysler New Yorker.

1954: Chrysler opens its test track in Chelsea, Michigan, near Ann Arbor. To honor the new proving grounds, Chrysler test drivers set a new American 24-hour speed record of an average of 118.18 mph (just under 190 km/h) for 2,836 miles. Chrysler begins testing a revolutionary gas turbine engine. Lee Petty drives a HEMI-powered Chrysler to seven wins and an additional 17 top-five finishes in NASCAR racing.

1955: Chrysler debuts the "forward look" styling of Virgil Exner. Chrysler ushers in the performance car era with the introduction of the C-300, the first in a long line of Chrysler "letter series" cars. A Chrysler C-300 wins a NASCAR Grand National race for the first time with an average speed of 92 mph (just under 150 km/h). Carl Kiekaefer of Mercury Outboard Marine Company forms a racing team using Chrysler C-300 HEMI-powered cars. The team wins an amazing 20 out of 40 NASCAR races. Chrysler introduces fully transistorized radios in passenger cars.

1956: Chrysler introduces a push-button fully automatic transmission, Magic Touch. A Highway Hi-Fi record player is offered as an option.

1957: Chrysler offers a newly designed automatic transmission as series standard, the legendary TorqueFlite. The Chrysler product range comprises four model lines: Windsor, Saratoga, New Yorker and 300C.

1958: Chrysler introduces automatic speed control, an industry first.

1959: Chrysler introduces cruise control and power locks as options.

1960: Chrysler becomes the first American automaker to offer a car record player for 45 rpm discs, with a capacity of 19 small records.

1961: This is the last year for fins on Chrysler models.

1962: Production begins on 55 turbine-powered cars.

1963: Chrysler introduces a new guarantee: five years or 50,000 miles on the drivetrain. A Chrysler 300J paces the Indianapolis 500. Chrysler Turbine cars are loaned to 200 families throughout the country for real world evaluation. Chrysler begins a 30-year partnership with the PGA by being the primary sponsor.

1964: The Walter P. Chrysler Freeway opens in Detroit. Tools from Chrysler’s original toolbox are used to cut the ribbon.

1965: The Chrysler 300L is the final Letter Series model.

1966: Sales soar for the non-letter 300 series. The 300X show car with lever-operated steering is introduced.

1967: Innovations include a reversable front seatback on the passenger side and a combination front center armrest and writing table.

1968: Chrysler models receive a light makeover with new grilles.

1969: The all-new “fuselage-styled” Chrysler vehicles are available.

1970: A Hurst Performance Chrysler 300H is introduced.

1971: Chrysler introduces a brake-slip control system, Four-Wheel Sure-Brake, optional on the Imperial model.

1972: A new solid state ignition system is offered on all Chrysler models.

1973: The entire Chrysler line is redesigned and grows in length.

1974: For the third year in a row, the Chrysler line is completely redesigned.

1975: The new Cordoba personal-luxury coupe is introduced and is the smallest postwar Chrysler ever.

1976: An electric Lean Burn System is fitted to Chrysler’s V-8 engines for cleaner exhaust.

1977: The luxury midsize LeBaron is introduced. The new model is available in two- and four-door versions.

1978: A station wagon is added to the LeBaron lineup. The Town & Country features faux woodgrain like the Town & Country models of the early 1940s.

1979: Based on the Cordoba, Chrysler offers a 300, which is introduced mid-year. The vehicle features a cross-bar grille with a 300 emblem in the center.

1980: The second-generation Cordoba is introduced.

1981: The Imperial name is revived. This new version’s wheelbase is nearly a foot shorter than previous Imperials.

1982: The front-wheel-drive LeBaron is introduced. It is significantly smaller than its predecessor and is based on the K-Car platform. A LeBaron convertible is now offered. This is the first convertible to be offered in the North American automotive market since 1976.

1983: The E-Class is introduced. Based on the K platform, this vehicle has a longer wheelbase than any other vehicle on the platform. First minivan rolls off the line at Windsor Assembly Plant on November 2, 1983, as a 1984 model, the first of more than 15 million minivans sold by the company to date. Stellantis minivans are the first mass-produced vehicles with modern cupholders

1984: The front-wheel-drive Chrysler Laser sport coupe is introduced. The rear-wheel-drive Fifth Avenue replaces the New Yorker, which has switched to front-wheel drive. The Chrysler Executive Sedan and Limousine are introduced.

1985: A stretched K platform LeBaron GTS becomes available. With a turbocharged 2.2L engine, firmer suspension and gas-pressurized struts/shocks, the GTS is aimed at performance enthusiasts. 

1986: Chrysler introduces the seven-year/70,000-mile warranty for the drivetrain of Chrysler automobiles and a seven-year/100,000-mile warranty against corrosion. A new 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine using counter balanced shafts is introduced.

1987: Chrysler Corporation acquires American Motors Corporation (AMC), which includes the Jeep® brand. After a nine-year interruption, Chrysler resumes exports to Europe with the Chrysler LeBaron Convertible, Chrysler Voyager and Chrysler Daytona models. The Portofino Concept is unveiled. Designed by an international design team that includes Lamborghini employees, the vehicle features doors that pivot upward and no B pillar. This vehicle inspires the “cab-forward” design featured on production cars in the 1990s.

1988: A redesigned New Yorker is now available with a new 3.0-liter V-6.

1989: Chrysler becomes the first American automaker to offer airbags as standard equipment. The last rear-wheel-drive Fifth Avenue is produced. All Chrysler products are now front-wheel drive.

1990: Town & Country once again becomes a standalone nameplate as Chrysler introduces the first luxury minivan. Driver's-side airbags become standard equipment.

1991: Chrysler begins the process of moving its corporate headquarters from its 1925 founding location in Highland Park, Michigan, to nearby Auburn Hills. The move is complete by 1993. The Town & Country is redesigned and now offers standard driver's-side airbags.

1992: Anti-lock brakes are a new and popular item.

1993: Chrysler introduces a new line of family cars built on the new LH platform, with an innovative and ergonomically favorable cab-forward design, the Chrysler Concorde. The LH cars feature longitudinally mounted V-6 engines with a front-wheel-drive drivetrain.

1994: Introduced in May 1993 for the 1994 model year, the Chrysler LHS is the top-of-the-line model for the division, as well as the most expensive of the Chrysler LH platform cars.

1995: The four-door notchback midsize sedan Chrysler Cirrus is introduced. The vehicle is based on the JA platform. The first-generation Sebring coupe was introduced in April 1995, built on a Mitsubishi Motors platform shared by the Eagle Talon, Mitsubishi Eclipse, Mitsubishi Galant and Dodge Avenger. Chrysler's hybrid-electric car, the Patriot, wins the Discover Award for technological innovation. The Chrysler Atlantic, a retro concept car created by Chrysler and fabricated by Gaffoglio Family Metalcrafters in California, makes its debut. The Atlantic is designed by Bob Hubbach and inspired by the Bugatti Atlantique. The idea for this car begins as a sketch on a napkin by Chrysler's president Bob Lutz in early 1993 and also involves the automaker's chief designer Tom Gale.

1996: A new Sebring convertible replaces the LeBaron ragtop.

1997: Drawing much of its inspiration from the 1941 Chrysler Newport, the Phaeton concept has a four-door hardtop.

1998: Chrysler and Mercedes-Benz form DaimlerChrysler. Chrysler introduces the 1999 Chrysler LHS and Chrysler 300M sedans. The 300M continues the legacy of the famous "letter series" cars made from 1955 to 1965. The Chronos Concept is introduced, inspired by the timeless 1950 designs of Virgil Exner. Powered by a Viper V-10 engine, the Chronos has the power to match its style.

1999: The 300 nameplate returns to the Chrysler brand with the introduction of the 300M. This full-size luxury car was based on the LH platform.

2000: Chrysler reveals the Chrysler 300 HEMI C concept vehicle at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

2001: Chrysler introduces the power-sliding door obstacle system for opening and closing the doors on the minivan. Chrysler introduces the Chrysler Crossfire concept car. Chrysler unveils the PT Cruiser. Inspired by designs from the ‘30s and ‘40s, this retro-styled small vehicle is available at launch as a five-door hatchback with a modern, highly functional interior with a high roof and flexible cargo area. Chrysler introduces the new Sebring sedan, which is built on the JR platform.

2002: With the end of the Plymouth brand the previous year, the Prowler is now sold as a Chrysler for one year. Chrysler Pacifica three-row crossover is introduced at the 2002 New York International Auto Show for the 2003 model year. It is among the first crossover vehicles in the U.S. market.

2003: First introduced at the 2003 Geneva Auto Show, the Chrysler Airflite concept is a combination of sporty design, stylish looks and some of the design cues from the Chrysler Crossfire.

2004: Chrysler exhibits its engineering and design prowess with the release of the Chrysler ME-412 concept vehicle at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The introduction of the 2005 Chrysler 300 marks the return of the great American sedan. The Chrysler 300 is named Car of the Year by Motor Trend Magazine. The rear-wheel-drive 2005 Chrysler 300C and Dodge Magnum R/T become the first modern volume-production vehicles produced in North America to feature the 5.7-liter HEMI engine with cylinder deactivation. Chrysler Crossfire rear-wheel-drive, two-seat sports coupé and roadster, based on a Mercedes SLK Platform, are introduced. Chrysler brand’s groundbreaking Stow ‘n Go seating and storage system debuts for 2005 model-year Chrysler minivans, giving families all the space they need to load up for fun and adventure.

2005: Chrysler 300 is named North American Car of the Year. Chrysler launches a two-door convertible version of the popular PT Cruiser for the 2005 model year. The Firepower grand tourer concept car, which made its debut at the 2005 North American International Auto Show, exudes Chrysler brand attributes of elegance and performance with high customer value.

2006: 300C earns a spot on Car and Driver's 10Best Cars list for both 2005 and 2006. 

2007: Chrysler unveils the all-new 2008 Chrysler Town & Country minivan at the North American International Auto Show. Using new Chrysler design language and many styling cues from the 2003 Chrysler Airflite concept. Chrysler introduces the Sebring sedan on the new JS platform. The Chrysler Aspen SUV is launched. The Aspen is the first truck-based SUV commercialized under the Chrysler brand. Chrysler introduces the new 2008 Chrysler Sebring Convertible at the 2007 Los Angeles Auto Show. The new convertible offers both a soft-top and a retractable hardtop.

2008: The company launches its first hybrids, the Chrysler Aspen and Dodge Durango. Both deliver a 25% overall improvement in fuel economy without sacrificing performance or towing capabilities.

2009: The Chrysler 200C concept is introduced at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

2010: Chrysler ends production of the PT Cruiser.

2011: Chrysler 200 is introduced to replace the Chrysler Sebring. The midsize vehicle is available as a four-door or two-door convertible. The Chrysler 200 is featured in a two-minute Super Bowl ad featuring rapper Eminem. The Chrysler 300 SRT, powered by a 6.4-liter HEMI V-8, is introduced at the New York International Auto Show.

2012: Chrysler celebrates Mopar’s 75th anniversary with the Chrysler 300 Mopar ’12, featuring thin Mopar Blue stripes, black 20-inch forged aluminum wheels, black grille and front fascia inserts, black-trimmed headlights and Mopar 75 badges.

2013: Chrysler celebrates 30 years of the minivan segment it invented. Since introducing the segment in 1983, Chrysler minivans sold 13.5 million units up to that point, dominating minivan sales.

2014: In October, Fiat SpA and Chrysler Group LLC merge to form Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. (FCA). Chrysler brand debuts the all-new-from-the-ground-up Chrysler 200 midsize sedan in 2014 as a 2015 model-year vehicle, the first midsize sedan to offer a nine-speed automatic transmission as standard equipment.

2015: Company marks the 90th anniversary of Chrysler, which was founded on June 6, 1925, by Walter P. Chrysler.

2016: Chrysler introduces the Chrysler Pacifica and Pacifica Hybrid at the 2016 North American International Auto Show in Detroit., Production begins as 2017 model-year vehicles, revolutionizing the minivan segment and representing the next-gen evolution of the Chrysler brand’s minivan lineup.

2017: Chrysler introduces the Chrysler Portal concept, leveraging ideas from millennials working inside the company’s design and engineering functions to collaborate on ideas about the future of family transportation. Chrysler Pacifica is named the 2017 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year. The popular S Appearance Package debuts on Chrysler Pacifica and Pacifica Hybrid, delivering a sporty look, featuring black accents inside and out; S Appearance Package is chosen by one of every three Pacifica owners.

2018: Thousands of Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivans are used by Waymo to support the launch of the world’s first driverless ride-hailing service. Chrysler Pacifica is named Family Car of the Year by Cars.com.

2019: Chrysler celebrates 15 million minivans sold and counting since the very first minivan rolled off the line at the Windsor Assembly Plant on November 2, 1983, as the first company to introduce the minivan. Chrysler minivan lineup expands with the addition of the Chrysler Voyager, designed with budget-friendly family and fleet customers in mind.

2020: Chrysler unveils refreshed Chrysler Pacifica, with available all-wheel-drive capability, a refreshed exterior and interior design and new features, including a new FamCAM interior camera that provides a view of rear-facing child seat occupants.

2021: FCA and PSA merge to create Stellantis, a company with 14 brands, including Chrysler, with a focus on global innovation and efficiency. Chrysler Pacifica is named Car and Driver Editors’ Choice: The Best New Minivans.

2022: Chrysler Airflow concept is unveiled at CES 2022, giving a glimpse at potential fully connected customer experiences and advanced mobility features. Chrysler brand commemorates the nearly 70-year legacy of the Chrysler 300 with the 2023 Chrysler 300C, powered by a 6.4L HEMI engine with 485 horsepower; only 2,000 2023 Chrysler 300C vehicles are produced for the United States.

2023: The 100,000th Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid rolls off the production line amid a gathering of employees at the Windsor Assembly Plant to celebrate the milestone model of the first, and still the only, plug-in hybrid in the segment.

2024: Chrysler unveils the Chrysler Halcyon concept, exemplifying a fully electrified future of the Chrysler brand that embraces sustainability-driven exterior and interior design, full autonomy paired with personalized driving experiences and futuristic technology that expands on the brand’s Harmony in Motion ethos of customer-focused seamless connectivity.

2025: Chrysler marks its 100th anniversary, honoring Walter P. Chrysler's legacy of innovation, engineering excellence and beautiful, affordable designs. As the brand celebrates this milestone, the future looks bright with exciting new releases: a refreshed Chrysler Pacifica in 2026, a new crossover soon after and a third product inspired by the Halcyon concept.