Evolution not Revolution for Next Chrysler 300

After a car as bold and influential as the Chrysler 300, what happens next? This is one of the problems that Chrysler is facing as it prepares a follow up to its full-size, smash-hit luxury sedan, particularly in the styling department.

The 300, which was designed by Ralph Gilles (who has since moved on to head Chrysler’s Truck and Jeep studios), made an impression like few cars that have been introduced this decade, with a look that combined Detroit iron with Bentley-like swagger. According to Wards Auto, Chrysler is pleased with the car, and is not seeking to reinvent the 300, but rather they merely want to evolve it. The next 300, which is slated to arrive sometime around 2011, will be similar to the vehicle that’s on the road today, in profile and shape, with a high metal to glass ratio, low roof and menacing demeanor - it’s the details that will evolve.

In speaking with designer Lou Gasevski, Chrysler will put great emphasis on updating the car’s interior, and it won’t just be the design that’s on the table, but improving quality. Already, the 300 represents one of Chrysler’s finest interiors to date, with fit and finish as well as materials that had never been seen on a Pentastar product before, so it will be interesting to see what else Chrysler can do to move the 300 experience upmarket.

With Chrysler’s commitment to introducing new technologies on the fly, expect the next 300 to come with high-end features. Already, Chrysler has announced that a more efficient all wheel drive system is on the way, and the 300 can currently be had with such features as radar-based cruise control and a navigation system with a built-in hard drive for music storage plus iPod connectivity. In the future, expect to see a proximity sensing key with pushbutton start, and even a new dual view infotainment system that projects different images to different sides of the vehicle allowing a movie and navigation information to be played simultaneously.

Whatever the features, there’s little doubt the next generation 300 will be a step ahead for the Auburn Hills automaker, and help to keep the folks at Chrysler’s Brampton, Ontario production facility double- and maybe even triple-shifting long into the night.