Chrysler didn't quite stop the Detroit auto show with its latest concept car, but it certainly slowed it down... In the process showing its design resources aren't nearly as moribund as its coffers.
As tipped by the Carsales Network on the eve of the show's opening yesterday, Chrysler lifted the covers off its 200C EV Concept at Detroit.
One of the real highlights of the 2009 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), the 200C is more than an electric flight of fancy... Chrysler insiders -- who say the car will be built (for 2012 introduction they estimate) -- are banking much of the company's international future on the muscular flanks of the midsizer.
Details are scant on the 200C -- as is often the way with concept vehicles. The C-Class-plus sized four-door is rear-wheel drive and has been built on a cut and shut version of the existing 300C platform. The same mechanicals that also underpin the Dodge Charger and the new Challenger, the platform originally came from the W210 Mercedes E-Class.
In its EV form Chrysler says the 200C is good for around 60km on electric-only running. Total driving range is better than 600km thanks to a combined internal combustion engine/generator range extender.
But just as Mercedes' Blue ZERO is ‘hiding' the new A-Class, the 200C EV's future is more than just an enviro-friendly sedan.
Chrysler's official characterisation of the 200C is "what a next generation sports sedan could be".
"It was important to design a car that not only appealed to the Chrysler enthusiast, but also could sway the interest of a wide variety of potential customers," said Nick Malachowski, Chrysler 200C EV Lead Exterior Designer.
"The essence of the Chrysler 200C EV concept vehicle is sophisticated and fresh. It embraces a more organic design philosophy and helps to push the Chrysler brand design to the next level."
What's clear in discussions with Chrysler personnel is that the car is not a replacement for the 300C, rather, ENVI badge aside, a serious tilt at a whole new market.
The concept car features a heavy emphasis on connectivity and sports a range-extending electric drivetrain (a la GM Volt). Any production 200C would be a more conventional car -- probably with a choice of four and six-cylinder petrol and turbodiesel powerplants.
It's likely that a hybrid version would be offered, but not until after the car is established in more conventional form. Chrysler could readily leverage the Two Mode hybrid drive system it has jointly developed with Mercedes-Benz, General Motors and BMW for rear-wheel drive applications.
Before all that happens, however, the car would need to establish its bona fides in the local US market and key growth areas for the marque like the Eastern Europe, Asia and, indeed, Down Under. Aimed at the likes of Lexus IS250 and the 3/C/A4 triumvirate, the 200C would be a more logical premium model than the full-sized 300C in many such markets.
With Daimler's continuing shareholding in Chrysler, the production version of the car could even eschew the old E-Class derived platform and substitute the cheaper to manufacture W202/203 C-Class underpinnings.
Of course, little of this matters unless Chrysler's fortunes take a dramatic turn for the better. Currently still in business by the skin of its teeth and substantial US Federal Government grants, the privately owned company has been further racked by abysmal November and December retail sales in the USA.
The fillip provided by the show and shine of the 200C couldn't have come at a better time for Chrysler (and Detroit), but chances are that shine will wear off when the NAIAS closes its doors on January 25.
Chrysler 200C EV Concept Specifications
Vehicle Type: Range-extended Electric Vehicle, 4-passenger sedan
Weight and Dimensions
Length - 4879mm
Width - 1870mm
Height - 1455mm
Wheelbase - 2948mm
Track front / rear - 1600/1600mm
Turning circle - 10.1m
Powertrain and Suspension
Layout - Rear-wheel drive
Motor - 200kW with Regenerative braking
Battery - Lithium-ion battery
Suspension - Independent front and rear
Range extender - SULEV gasoline engine and electric generator. Continuous electric power: 55kW
Wheels and Tires
Tyre size front - P245 / 45R20
Tyre size rear - P245 / 45R20
Color Scheme
Exterior - Liquid Graphite Pearl
Interior - Pearl / Leaf Green accents
Key Performance Attributes
0-60mph (0-100km/h) - approximately 7 seconds
Standing ¼-mile - mid-14 seconds
Top speed - greater than 190km/h
All-electric range - Approximately 64km
Total driving range - up to 640 km