All-new Chrysler 300 Takes Top Spot in the 2005 MOTOR TREND Car of the Year Competition
Striking Design and Legendary HEMI? Key Attributes in Securing the Coveted Honor



Auburn Hills, Mich., Nov 18, 2004 - The 2005 Chrysler 300 has returned the great American car to the podium, winning the 2005 MOTOR TREND Car of the Year award.

"We're excited about the all-new 2005 Chrysler 300 taking its rightful place as the winner of this prestigious award," said Dieter Zetsche, President and CEO of the Chrysler Group. "It acknowledges all of our employees' hard work in bringing a new standard for American large cars to reality and serves as further inspiration to those who have re-invented high-performance, contemporary sedans."

The 2005 Chrysler 300 faced intense competition from other cars in this year's competition, but emerged as the clear-cut winner for its unique combination of contemporary styling and powerful performance, delivered by its available 340-horsepower 5.7-liter V-8 HEMI? engine with our industry-leading Multi-Displacement System (MDS).

In the January 2005 issue of MOTOR TREND, editors herald the car as, "the rejuvenation of the great American full-size sedan," and say the Chrysler 300 "evokes the vibrant American sedans of yesteryear - and steals the show in a highly competitive Car of the Year field."

Like the letter series cars of the '50s for which it was named, the all-new Chrysler 300C features a HEMI engine, but with a thoroughly modern interpretation of the legendary powerplant.



"Chrysler's industry-only MDS seamlessly turns off fuel consumption in four cylinders of the 300C's HEMI engine, which combines world-class performance with 10 to 20 percent better fuel economy," said Craig Love, Vice President - Rear-wheel-drive Product Team. "By combining technologies such as an Electronic Stability Program (ESP), all-speed traction control and an Anti-lock Brake System (ABS), our engineers were able to develop a rear-wheel-drive vehicle that provides the best balance, handling and driving experience without compromises in performance or luxury."

Comparing the Chrysler 300's combination of performance and styling with others in the running for the award, MOTOR TREND editors said the car, "far exceeds its competitors in style, fit and finish and daring," calling it an "extremely compelling combo of power, responsiveness, room and refinement." They also noted that, "When design chiefs at rival automakers are overheard saying things like, 'You're going to start seeing cars like the 300 from us soon,' well, you know you're not just looking at a new automobile, you're witnessing the onset of a paradigm shift."

"We're extremely pleased that MOTOR TREND magazine agrees with America and has singled out the Chrysler 300 as its top car for 2005," said Jeff Bell, Vice President - Chrysler Brand Marketing. "The Chrysler 300 has captured America's imagination and desires, as seen by sales of more than 87,000 Chrysler 300s in the first six months of this year in the United States alone. This translates into six consecutive months of sales topping 10,000 units."



The 2005 Chrysler 300 is available in both rear-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive versions.

Rear-wheel-drive models are available with the following powertrain options: Chrysler 300 - 2.7-liter DOHC V-6 engine with four-speed automatic transmission; Chrysler 300 Touring and 300 Limited - 3.5-liter High Output V-6 engine with four-speed automatic transmission; and Chrysler 300C - 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 engine with five-speed automatic transmission with AutoStick?.

All-wheel-drive models feature the following powertrain choices: Chrysler 300 Touring and 300 Limited - 3.5-liter High Output V-6 engine with five-speed automatic transmission with AutoStick; and Chrysler 300C - 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 engine with five-speed automatic transmission with AutoStick.

The Chrysler 300 is assembled at the Brampton Assembly Plant in Brampton, Ontario, Canada.

Details of the 2005 MOTOR TREND Car of the Year competition will appear in the January 2005 edition of the magazine.

DaimlerChrysler Media

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