01 Mar 06
Chrysler Imperial
We saw this, the 'poor man's Rolls-Royce', for the first time at the Detroit Motor Show in January and noted that it could be a feasible prospect for production, as it was based on existing DaimlerChrysler mechanicals.
The word is now that, rather than being built on a lengthened version of the 300C platform, these mechanicals could be shared with the Mercedes-Benz R-Class - the next-generation model rather than the recently launched version currently in production - and thus the Imperial could appear on forecourts at the same time as R-Class Mk2, scheduled for late 2010 or early 2011.
Chrysler Imperial
Larger than the Chrysler 300C/Dodge Magnum (themselves sharing some of their components with the Mercedes E-Class), the Imperial has a Phantom-style upright grille and rear-hinged 'clamshell' doors. This show car's fitted out with a full old-school wood and leather cabin, 22" wheels and the 340bhp/390lb ft HEMI 5.7-litre V8 engine.
Encouraged by the success of the 300C, sought-after by celebrities and executives alike in the US, Chrysler is keen to see just how far it can pitch upmarket: the Imperial is a striking way to test the water. We'd put money on it making production, though the finished version may not have the clamshell doors or the more intricate detailing.
