The Most and Least Popular Chrysler Vehicles of the Past

Chrysler, now FCA North America, has been one of the most enduring brand names in automobiles. Established in 1925 by Walter Chrysler from the remnants of the Maxwell Motor Company, Chrysler quickly became synonymous with value and sophistication. It is still regarded as one of the "Big Three" of the United States automobile industry, alongside Ford and General Motors. Through the years, Chrysler has gone through a myriad of changes and leadership, but one thing always has remained at the forefront of Chrysler design: Quality.

When a company has been in business for nearly a century, a car company in particular, you can expect them to deliver products that are emblematic of the brand — automobiles that have stood the test of time as exemplary models with widespread popularity and are still revered for their design, craftsmanship, and reliability.

This isn't to suggest that every car rolling off a Chrysler factory line was a credit to the brand. There were certainly some clunkers among the classics, many of which were better left as footnotes in history as they were phased out fast and never heard from again. Some were rightfully eliminated, others are still objects of cultish fascination among car collectors and aficionados who revel in vehicular oddities of yore.

So let's take a look back at the highlights (and lowlights) of the most and least popular Chrysler branded automobiles to ever hit the market. This discussion is simply a conversation starter for those who want to take a stroll down memory lane.

Most Popular Chrysler Cars

This list is in no particular order, as these autos are all regarded as some of the hallmark vehicles that epitomized Chrysler manufacturing since its inception to the present.

Chrysler Town and Country

You can still buy a Chrysler Town and Country today but the one you'd be getting is part of the company's line of minivans. Back in 1941, the Town and Country was a very different beast, a barrel-back woodie wagon that became an iconic image associated with surfing and beach parties. The Classic Car Club of America has heralded it a "classic" and the vehicle got its name because the front of the vehicle looked "town" while the back half, adorned with wood elements, looked "country."

Dodge Coronet 

What started out as a two-door coupe back in 1949 evolved through six generations of automobiles from the late '40s until it was finally retired in the 1980s as the Dodge Diplomat, sold only in the Colombian market. During those 40 years, this model under the Dodge name was among the first cars to come in 1953 with Chrysler's HEMI engine, that set more than one hundred land speed records before giving way in the '60s and '70s when the Coronet was considered one of the more popular American muscle cars.

Dodge Charger

Bullitt. The Dukes of Hazzard. Vanishing Point. What do they all have in common? The Dodge Charger. The Steve McQueen classic has long been considered one of the best car chases ever filmed and word has it that the Charger was too fast for the Mustang to catch up, so they had to change out the tires on it to keep it from outrunning its pursuer from the rival Ford. The car caught on almost immediately as Chrysler's first official foray into producing muscle cars back in 1968. The Charger was best known for having the company's renowned 426 Hemi V8 under the hood. The model enjoyed consistent popularity for Chrysler, seeing seven generations of the vehicle from the 1960s to the late 1980s. It was phased out for nineteen years until a new version was manufactured again in 2006. The Charger currently exists today as a much more modern version of the iconic automobile of the '60s.

Chrysler 300

First introduced as the C-300 in 1955, the model was produced for about 10 years with very little fanfare, even though it was considered the most powerful American car on the road at the time. It featured a 331 CI Hemi V8 and became Chrysler's representative in NASCAR, winning 27 races in its initial production year. This kind of dominance on the track proved it had power where it counted, but that kind of muscle never took off with the buying public. The C-300 was phased out by 1965, but the company reintroduced the 300 in 2004 as part of the Chrysler's luxury series of automobiles. With its sophisticated aesthetic look and powerful 6.1 Hemi V8, it still is one of the most powerful cars on the road today. Some critics consider the new version of the 3

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