Nassau: 300kW-plus hatchback, coupe or wagon?

How do you pigeonhole a huge (almost five-metre long) hatchback with a thumping 6.1-litre V8 that sends drive to the rear wheels? Answer: you can't, because there's currently no category for such a contraption.

US marque Chrysler has come up with some interesting concepts in recent years, but this one almost defies description. Dubbed the Nassau and due to make its world debut at the North American International Auto Show at Detroit this week, Chrysler calls the car a "luxury coupe", even though it has four doors. This not an unfamiliar ploy -- Mercedes-Benz has previously adopted the same approach with its tapered CLS sedan -- but in this case there's a fifth door as well!

The concept's front and rear side windows retract fully and thanks to the absence of a B-pillar helps it mimic a coupe.

The Nassau shares its underpinnings -- and its 3050mm wheelbase -- with the existing 300C sedan, but its hatchback configuration and minimal front and rear overhangs make it appear smaller than the brawny 300C.

Chrysler says the Nassau's proportions enable it to provide "SUV-like interior volume with a lower, more roadworthy physique."

The interior, incidentally, was allegedly inspired by the design of contemporary cell phones, computers, iPods and MP3 players.

Occupants can gaze upward through twin 'Picture View' skylights -- longitudinal blue-tinted glass panels that run the length of the roof panel. Those in the rear seats can enjoy a movie displayed on the flush video screens incorporated into the rear-facing portion of each of the front seat headrests.

But the best part undoubtedly nestles under the Nassau's pointy snout -- specifically, the same 6.1-litre Hemi V8 that makes the 300C SRT-8 such a hoot to drive.

Its outputs of 313kW and 569Nm make light work of the Nassau's two-tonne girth, enabling it to bolt to 100km/h in around 5sec, on its way to a top whack of over 260km/h.

All the grunt is chanelled to the rear hoops via a five-speed auto with a paddle-shift manual mode. The Nassau's wheel/tyre package comprises 22-inch rims with P245/40R22 gumballs, so traction (or lack of) shouldn't be a huge problem.

The big question remains: Will Chrysler build it, or is the Nassau a pure flight of fancy?

Well, there is a precedent because Chrysler has previously rolled out a concept wearing the same Nassau moniker in 2000, and that design study previewed the 300C's design language. Thus it's possible the latest version may also be a precursor to a showroom model.

Even if this isn't the case, expect many of the Nassau's design cues to filter through to future Chrysler offerings.

Chrysler Nassau specifications
Engine: 6.1-litre Hemi V8 with 313kW and 569Nm
Transmission: five-speed automatic
0-60mph: (0-96km/h) 5sec (approx)
Standing 400m: 13.5sec (approx)
Top speed: 265km/h
Length: 4981mm
Wheelbase: 3050mm
Width: 1885mm
Height: 1496mm
Weight: 2050kg (estimate)
Wheels and tyres: 22-inch rims with P245/40R22 tyres