Chrysler is named in the Big Three American auto manufacturers, along with General Motors and Ford Motors. American car brands such as Ford, General Motors and Tesla are commonly seen vehicles in the UAE and across the globe. If you are a Chrysler fan, you must be well-aware that this American auto brand became a subsidiary of Fiat P.s.A in 2014.
Like many other automobile brands, the brand began its journey in the early 20th century and has come a long way. Here we have combined some of the interesting and unique Chrysler facts, let’s find out more about this auto brand.
CHRYSLER HISTORY AND FACTS
Chrysler takes its roots from Maxwell Motors Company which was founded in 1904. Maxwell Motors Company spent a very short time due to the post-World War-I recession. Later, Walter Chrysler bought major shares in the company and rebranded it with the name Chrysler Automobiles. The brand focused mainly on the production of affordable luxury cars with the use of innovation and technology.
Let’s go through the facts about Chrysler and know more about how the company evolved for about a century.
1. FOUNDATION OF THE COMPANY
Walter Chrysler, the former president of the General Motors Buick Division, together with the former Studebaker engineers, formed the company’s ideology to produce low-cost luxury vehicles. Although Walter Chrysler bought the major shares in the company in 1922, the brand name was changed to Chrysler Corporation in 1925.
2. THE FIRST CHRYSLER CAR
In 1924, the first-ever Chrysler car debuted with a six-cylinder engine. The first car under the Chrysler brand proved the company’s ideology with innovations. That said, the company incorporated a high-compression, light-weight and powerful engine in their first car. Moreover, this was the first-ever passenger car featuring hydraulic brakes in all the wheels.
Besides, the passenger car was equipped with replaceable oil and air filters with tubular front axles, interior lighting and shock absorbers. These standard features on a passenger car in that era were a breakthrough in the automotive industry. It is a lesser-known fact about Chrysler that they announced their first car model one year before the auto company was rebranded.
The first Chrysler car was followed by four more cars known as 50, 60, 70 and Imperial 80. That said, these cars implemented innovations and new tech. The company started giving a tough competition to Ford Motors as the company stopped producing their Model T to implement new changes for competing in the market.
3. EXPANSION OF THE COMPANY
Chrysler Corporation made some quick advancements as the company became popular with the kind of innovations they brought. In 1928, Chrysler Corporation acquired the ownership of Dodge company. Furthermore, they opened the company’s divisions in De Soto and Plymouth.
4. BIG ROLE IN WORLD WAR-II
It is a well-known fact about Chrysler and other automobile companies that they played a big role in World War II. The company earned an Army-Navy award for its major war products, such as B-29 bomber engines and anti-aircraft ammunition.
Chrysler also manufactured small arms and ammunition during the war. Their innovations, reliability and quick production process earned them a much-deserved award after the war.
5. MUSCLE CAR ERA
Post WW-II, the demand for muscle cars increased among the people. Chrysler, being one of the innovators in the automotive industry, started producing muscle cars. Chrysler manufactured a muscle car known as the C-300 in 1955 that went on to become one of the popular car models by this brand. That said, the Chrysler C-300 featured a Hemi V8 engine boasting 300 horsepower.
Alongside C-300, the auto brand manufactured other muscle cars such as Dodge Charger, 300F and Coronet. Moreover, the latest Chrysler 300 is also ranked among the popular used American sedans in the UAE.
6. INTRODUCTION OF MINIVAN
Chrysler’s innovation is well-known. Another interesting fact about Chrysler is that the American automobile manufacturer introduced a new car body type known as the minivan in the 1970s. The oil crisis in the 1970s pushed people into using normal cars with better fuel economy. Their first units of minivans, Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager, served the purpose of better fuel economy.
This innovation was later adopted by several auto brands. Today, almost every auto manufacturer across the globe has a minivan in its lineup.
6. SPACE DIVISION BY CHRYSLER
Chrysler started a space division in the 1960s. The brand was one of the major and early players in the space age. Moreover, Chrysler submitted a design of a vehicle that could carry passengers and cargo in space. That said, the vehicle looked similar to Apollo Capsule.
7. OFF-ROADING VEHICLES
Chrysler Automobiles further expanded in the 1970s and 1980s. The company was able to purchase the American Motors Company, the makers of Eagles and Jeep. Chrysler benefitted from this ownership as they started producing off-road vehicles with the Jeep brand. Besides, the American auto brand introduced a 7-year warranty system which became standard on their cars.
In the same year they bought AMC, they acquired ownership in Lamborghini, a famous Italian car brand. Although the partnership ended in 1994, it proved profitable for both the companies.
8. SMOOTH CUSTOMER SERVICES SINCE 1937
Since the company owned multiple auto brands, it started MOPAR service short term for motor and parts. Chrysler has facilitated its customers with top car services, parts and repairs of multiple auto brands since 1937. MOPAR was a centralised department which had parts, repairs and solutions for all the brands owned by Chrysler.
9. FIAT CHRYSLER RELATIONSHIP
In 2009, Chrysler faced huge losses. That said, the Italian auto brand bought a major stake in the company. The company has been known as Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) since then. The relationship between Fiat and Chrysler has benefited the Italian auto brand to gain its reputation in the American automotive market.
While Fiat bought 58.4 percent shares of Chrysler in 2009, this changed as Fiat bought complete ownership in 2014.
10. MULTIPLE AWARDS
Chrysler being an early innovator in the automotive industry, has constantly grown with technological advancements. In 2017, Chrysler Pacifica was named as one of the Best family cars. Not only that, Pacifica, 300 and 200 models have become quite popular over the years and won multiple family car awards.
11. EARLY ADOPTERS OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES
With fuel prices rising across the world, EVs are talk of the town. A little-known fact about Chrysler is that the auto company was an early adopter of electric vehicles. The company presented the Dodge EPIC minivan in 1992. Moreover, a few units of Chrysler’s TEVan were sold in 1993.
Currently, Chrysler has no EVs in its lineup, but the company has presented its goal to go complete electric by 2028.
Another interesting fact about Chrysler is that its 300 model is one of the cars featured in the Marvel Movie ‘Logan’. Its multiple models are big-sellers, and you can easily buy new vehicles of this auto brand from the Chrysler showrooms in the UAE. Moreover, if you are a fan of this brand, you can browse a list of used Chryslers in the UAE.
Apart from that, you can explore other American, European or Japanese auto brands from the list of used cars for sale in the UAE.
Keep reading the UAE’s favourite cars blog as we bring you more details and the history of various popular car makes and models.
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