Chrysler 200 set for Detroit

Chrysler's new 200 mid-size sedan will be unveiled at next month's North American International Auto Show in Detroit, but there is no clear timeline for it to come Down Under.

Built on a new platform derived from existing Fiat Chrysler Group architecture, the new 200 is a key car for Chrysler in the USA.

Spotted testing in and around Chrysler's Auburn Hills headquarters during motoring.com.au's visit last week, the car will compete against mass-market models like the Toyota Camry, Ford Fusion (Mondeo) and Honda's Accord in the USA.

This makes it, in US terms, at least, a must-have for the brand's future growth, but it's not clear when the 200 might come Down Under.

The first-generation 200 (pictured) didn't come to Australia. A mildly facelifted version of the unloved Sebring, it was not built in right-hand drive -- although it did gain some notoriety around the globe as it launched the Eminem-voiced US-market 'Imported from Detroit' advertising campaign for Chrysler.

The new 200 appears to be larger than the previous Sebring/200 generation and sports more aggressive and less polarising styling. It remains front-drive and is likely to offer a choice of four-cylinder and Pentastar V6 powertrains. An all-wheel drive version has also been mooted.

Chrysler Group's head of international product planning, Steve Bartoli, would not comment directly on plans to expand the 200's footprint into markets like Australia, but did speak to the segment's impact internationally.

"The D [medium car] segment is the biggest in the world in terms of revenue return -- not necessarily volume... This makes it easier for it to be available in other markets," Bartoli told motoring.com.au.

"So that [revenue strength] is something that is very attractive to us [for Australia]," he stated.

Read the latest news and reviews on your mobile, iPhone or PDA at carsales' mobile site...

Don't forget to register to comment on this article.