Wednesday, December 9, 2009

The History of Chrysler cars

Chrysler Cars

The Chrysler Corporation was an American car manufacturer that produced cars from 1925-1998. In 1998, the Chrysler Corporation merged with Daimler-Benz and became DaimlerChrysler AG.

The original Chrysler Company was founded by Walter P. Chrysler in 1925. In 1924 Walter Chrysler introduced the Chrysler automobile, and in 1926 Walter Chrysler became president of the company under the Chrysler name.

In 1928, Chrysler developed the Plymouth brand and in the years to come the company would acquire the Dodge Brother’s automobile company. The Chrysler Company was able to feature five brands representing various economic sectors of the car market. The line-up featured Plymouth, Dodge, DeSoto, Chrysler, and Imperial.

By 1966 Chrysler had become prosperous enough to expand to Europe. Chrysler acquired two British car manufacturing companies and created Chrysler Europe. The British companies had serious problems that carried over to the Chrysler Europe Company, and in 1978, the company was sold to PSA Peugeot Citroen.

In the late 1960s Chrysler was a major contributor in helping to create the Unite States muscle car market. Chrysler introduced models such as the Plymouth GTX, Plymouth Road Runner, and the Dodge Charger.

During the 1970s Chrysler’s older, smaller car line up flourished while their newly introduced larger line struggled. This was due mainly to the 1973 fuel crisis. The company’s financial woes were just beginning however, and in 1977 Chrysler Europe was going under financially and was sold off completely to Peugeot in 1978.

Destitute, desperate, and facing bankruptcy the Chrysler Corporation turned to the United States government for help. The government was reluctant to intervene, but in 1979 the United States Congress passed the “Chrysler Corporation Loan Guarantee Act of 1979”. Chrysler was able to continue production, and spent the next few years restructuring the company; including new leadership and management. The company regained profitability and was then able to pay off the government loan and move forward.

Chrysler then began to focus on cars that used the K-car platform. Chrysler manufactured minivans very successfully and in 1987 purchased AMC. Growing stronger as a company and gaining buyers’ confidence in the United States, the company set its sights on the European market once more.

In 1993, Jeep models were being produced for the UK market including the Dodge Ram, Dodge Viper, and the Plymouth Prowler. In 1998, Chrysler merged with the Daimler-Benz Corporation to form Daimler Chrysler AG. Chrysler immediately began having difficulties financially and with the merged company itself. The Daimler-Benz company began to suffer as well and by 2001 the Plymouth brand had completely been phased out.

In 2004 the two merged companies found themselves in court as DaimlerChrysler sued the merged company for planning a complete takeover of the DaimlerChrysler Company rather than a partnership. After a long legal battle the courts found in favor of Daimler Chrysler.

Today, Chrysler produces several popular cars for the UK market including the Crossfire, Grand Voyager, PT Cruiser, Voyager, and the 300C.

The Chrysler Crossfire is a sportscar with rear-wheel drive. The Crossfire replaced the Plymouth Prowler, and the car is available in two forms, a two-door convertible and a two-door coupe. The car comes standard with a manual six-speed transmission; a five-speed automatic transmission is optional. Production of the Crossfire began in 2004 and continues to date.

The Voyager is a minivan that comes with either a three-speed automatic or a four-speed automatic transmission and several engine choices depending on regional requirements. The Voyager was produced in the United States from 2000 to 2003 and was discontinued in America after the Plymouth brand was phased out. The Voyager was first produced in Europe in 1988. Production of the Voyager continues to date in Europe. The Voyager has been produced for the UK market since 1996 and production for the UK region continues to date.

The Chrysler PT Cruiser is a retro car that can be purchased in two forms, two-door convertible and four-door station wagon. The PT Cruiser is front-wheel drive and comfortably seats five passengers. The American version offers a 2.4-litre petrol engine while the European version also offers a 2.2-litre diesel option. The car’s production began in 2001 and continues to date. The PT Cruiser is available in several models including the Classic Edition, Limited Edition, the Touring Edition, the Dream Cruiser, the Street Cruiser, the Pacific Coast Highway Edition, and the GT Cruiser.

The Chrysler 300C is a luxury sport sedan. The 300C provides high-performance in rear-wheel drive form. In Europe the car is offered in both sedan and station wagon form. The current 300 comes in five trim levels and is offered with either a 2.7-litre V6 engine, a 3.5-litre V6, or a 5.7-litre V8 engine. The car was first introduced in 2005 and production continues to date.

Despite Chrysler’s past troubles, the company has managed to overcome many obstacles and develop into a stable corporation that is capable of manufacturing a wide range of high-quality, desirable automobiles.


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