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Friday, October 29, 2010

The Chrysler 300C, A Celebrity Car!




I remember when the Chrysler 300C came out. I was a sophomore in community college, and would transfer out in a year. I can’t remember where I saw it though, I can’t recollect if it was in a newspaper advertisement, in some automotive magazine, or on the internet. But what I do remember was that it was hot! It was stunning! And lastly, I couldn’t believe it was American. But then I was like wow! This is American? This is an American car? I was hella proud though, caz I'm like, “Wow! America is finally making some really cool cars. (All I ever was a fan of before were Japanese cars - primarily Toyota). I kept every article and every picture of the Chrysler 300C, anywhere and everywhere that I could find it. I came became a Chrysler 300C addict. The Chrysler 300C looked just looked so cool, so hip, and just so just right. I just couldn’t take my eyes off it wherever I saw it.

Now a little history on the Chrysler 300C. The 300 is not a brand new car in the Chrysler portfolio. Rather this Chryser 300C is of "the 10th generation", coming from a line of on and off production models beginning in 1953. That first Chrysler 300 was birthed when Robert Mac Gregor Rodger, the chief engineer of the Chrysler division, was convinced that a standard 331-cubic-inch (5.4 liter) Hemi running one of Cunningham’s cams with solid lifters, dual four-barrel carbs and an 8.5-to-1 compression ratio could produce 300 reliable and civilized horsepower. The problem was that Chrysler didn’t really have a production car that seemed like an appropriate showcase for such performance. Therefore, Rodger decided to build a 2-door hardtop for the Hemi. That in a snapshot, is how the first Chrysler 300 was born.

Now jumping back into the fray of things, the new generation Chrysler 300C is a classic, and will go down in automotive history as such. Infact, according to one source, Chrysler still boasts that the Chrysler 300C is the “most award-winning car in history". It has won all sorts of awards from Motor Trend Car of the Year to a slew more. The styling of the Chrysler 300C is the main reason for its tremendous success. The styling is bold, in your face, and aggressive – call it a lil bit bulldog-ish.

The first recognition of the Chrysler 300C is when you see its front fascia. Here, is that heavy, powerful, vigorous fighter-stance styling. It’s like it’s saying, “Now what?” You got problems? Just look at me, uh huh, keep it moving!” Now lets get to the other area of impressive styling on the Chrysler 300C. This is the side view. Over here is a boxy-chunky muscular styling. This in essence, is a lead up to the front. Like how a mean, ferocious face of a bulldog is backed up by powerful, muscular stocky legs! The windows are short, and lends a cozy, want-to-look-in further, and gangster type demeanor. To precisely describe it, its almost like a gangster in his 1930’s long coat,with  the hat pulled tilted over the eyes. In this dress, he has a sort of closed-up look. And coming up on that person, you will look more at the person, because you want to see who this person his - "just a lil bit". Could I say out of fear? Hahaha. But this is the aura given off on the side view of the Chrysler 300C. Now coming around to the rear of the vehicle, the body of  is on a mild slope. this concludes the whole styling perfectly. Because, now the car is a still motion expression, one of a subtle, leaping expression. Can I call it ready-to-fight? Hahaha.

Now, the innovative styling aside, here is how the Chrysler 300C really leaped into popularity and became sort of a celebrity car. It is said that legendary rapper Snoop Dogg, left a message for the chairman of Chrysler asking, “What I gotta do to get that brand-new C outta you?” This is when the Chrysler really took off! Anything featured in a hip-hop video is gold for any auto maker as hip-hop and the hip-hop culture has gone multi-racial and is the biggest trend in America right now. In addition to that, Chrysler had been capitalizing on just that in its shrewd marketing strategy - courting the popular hip-hop market. It featured the 300C prominently in several hip-hop videos, and the gleaming, bold, brash, (hip-hop) look was recognized by car lovers. Furthermore, with the "pristine look and  Chrysler 300C custom grills", the Chrysler 300C was a natural for the hip hop world. To finish it off the Chrysler is a baby Bentley (by design intention), with its grille design and headlamp arrangement. It has the look of “expensive” but is inexpensive. This is what put the extra drop in the bucket for Chrysler. Chrysler now had a hot single! The Chrysler 300C became a celebrity car! And took off on the charts. I say, "Way to go Chrysler". I love you Chrysler! LOL

P.S I’m looking forward to blog about the new 2011 Chrysler 300C soon. I do hope that it keeps the most important winning aspects of the previous Chrysler 300C, and doesn’t do anything stupid (bending down on my knees and praying LOL).



 This is Ralph Giles! The designer of the Chrysler 300C! (takes off my hat and bows head) :)

- Gebre Mesquitta

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