DETROIT — Chrysler will bid farewell to its once-prominent 300 sedan by resurrecting a limited edition performance version of the car for its last year of production.
The 2023 Chrysler 300C will be powered by a 6.4-liter V-8 Hemi engine that produces 485 horsepower and 475 foot-pounds of torque, according to the company. It’s expected to have a top speed of 160 mph and achieve 0-60 mph in about 4.3 seconds.
The carmaker said it will only produce 2,000 of the cars for the U.S. and 200 for Canada. The starting price will be $55,000. Ordering reservations are available at reservation.chrysler.com, following the company unveiling of the car Tuesday night during the Detroit auto show.
While crossovers and SUVs are in vogue with U.S. consumers, Chrysler was applauded for resurrecting the 300 — first introduced in 1955 — as a new model in 2005. Due to its strong design and road presence, including a large, checkered grill, it was dubbed a “mini-Bentley.”
Sales topped 100,000 units annually but have gradually declined to less than 17,000 units the past two years. It last offered a 300C model for the 2020 model year. The current top performance model of the 300 offers a 5.7-liter V-8 Hemi engine capable of 363 horsepower and 394 foot-pounds of torque.
Production of the 300 will end next year after the 2023 model year, according to Stellantis, Chrysler’s parent company. The car is produced in Ontario, Canada, alongside the Dodge Charger and Dodge Challenger cars, which also are ending production next year.
Both Dodge vehicles also are ending with special edition performance variants. The muscle cars are expected to be replaced by an all-electric performance car, which the company recently previewed as a concept.
Chrysler declined to speculate on what, if anything, is expected to replace the 300 sedan, which is one of only two vehicles sold under the brand alongside the Pacifica minivan. The car could be replaced by the electric Chrysler Airflow that was unveiled as a concept earlier this year for the CES consumer technology show.
Chrysler has said its first battery-powered electric vehicle would come in 2025, followed by an all-electric lineup in 2028.