Final 6.4-litre V8 Chrysler 300 built
The last Chrysler 300 sedan powered by the 6.4-litre V8 fitted to Australian models until the end in 2021 has been built ahead of a switch to electric cars.
The last Chrysler 300C – a US special edition built to be the last with the 6.4-litre Hemi V8 – has rolled off the production line ahead of the final V6 and 5.7-litre V8 versions before the end of this year.
The Ontario, Canada factory where the Chrysler 300 sedan is built – alongside its V8 Dodge Challenger coupe and Charger sedan twins – will switch to producing electric muscle cars for Dodge next year.
The Chrysler 300 was discontinued in Australia in 2021 – when production of right-hand-drive examples ended – but the final example did not sell from dealer stock until 2022.
The death of the 300 – sold only in SRT V8 form in its final days – marks the end of the sub-$100,000 V8 muscle sedan era in Australia after the demise of the V8 Holden Commodore in 2017 and Ford Falcon in 2016.
The 300 remained on sale in left-hand-drive US and Canadian showrooms, where it has been farewelled with the 300C special edition limited to 2200 examples – all of which sold out in 12 hours.
It brought the 6.4-litre V8 – which has been fitted to Australian examples for close to a decade – back to the US line-up after an absence of nine years, with 362kW and 644Nm.
The final 300C rolled off the production line on 8 December 2023, though the final 300 of any sort – with 3.6-litre V6 and 5.7-litre V8 engines – is not due to be built until later this month.
Production of the Dodge Challenger and Charger twins is also due to conclude in the coming months.
They will be replaced by electric cars due sometime next year, while Drive has previously reported a successor to the Chrysler 300 is also planned with battery power.