What is it?
The Imperial concept is a large luxury sedan that uses design elements from Chrysler Imperials of the 1930s and 1950s. This concept car is 17 inches longer and six inches taller than the Chrysler 300 sedan it is based on. Power comes from a 340-hp, 5.7-liter Hemi V8 mated to a five-speed automatic transmission. The front styling is bold, echoing the current 300. The rear doors are hinged at the trailing edge; when both are opened, the lack of a B-pillar is easily seen. The cabin is trimmed in luxurious leather and wood. It features four individual seats, with a console running from the dash to the rear of the cabin. The two rear seats can independently recline. A touch screen on the center control console integrates the navigation, climate, and audio systems.
What is new or notable?
A unique fixed-center hub on the steering wheel keeps the air bag, radio switches, and cruise controls in one position as the outer rim of the steering wheel rotates around them.
CR's take:
While many observers think the 300C looks like a Bentley, this Imperial concept resembles a Rolls Royce Phantom. The design seems to work better in person than in photos. The interior is very well finished. This may be the only version of this platform that has decent glass area for visibility; one of our criticisms of the Chrysler 300 that we tested is its limited outward visibility.
