Born of NASCAR

          You see the television spots all the time, the luxurious Chrysler 300 gliding down the street, oozing class and dignity. What Chrysler isn't saying is that the car, when first introduced in 1955, was done in order to meet homologation requirements with NASCAR. The C-300 was intended to be Chrysler's powerhouse in the growing oval track circuit.

          The 300 designated the 300 horse power generated by Chrysler's most powerful engine, a 331 cubic inch "Fire Power" V 8 Hemi. The power plant had twin four barrel carburetors, solid valve lifters, a stiff racing suspension and a race tweaked camshaft among other goodies. And that was just for starters. The following year Chrysler rolled out a 355 horse power version making it the most powerful street legal car in the United States.
          While more than impressive, this wasn't all just muscle, either. This machine wore a very forward thinking body, thanks to legendary designer Virgil Exner who basically went fishing through the parts bins to find pieces that would make the car look as good as it ran.

          All of this power proved itself on the track as well. By 1956 the car was topping 125 miles per hour (officially 127.58) and was tearing up the tracks on the NASCAR circuit.
          By 1957 a 390 horse power engine was available (though only 18 were built) along with, for the first time, such accessories as air conditioning. Prior to this the car was offered as is, take it or leave it. People were taking it. And Chrysler was seeing the potential to expand the market for this car, even as it was hitting 156 miles per hour at the Bonneville Salt Flats in 1958.

          Come 1960, while still pushing plenty of power including an offering of a 413 cubic inch engine, the styling was becoming more main stream, including some very fashionable fins. The fins may have only lasted a couple of years but the movement toward being a more refined luxury car was underway. Through the 1960s and into the 1970s the car relied more on it's amenities to sell than on brute strength, even as it was being pushed around by a 440 cubic inch engine. Chrysler still wanted performance but they had simply outgrown NASCAR.
          Though Chrysler put the 300 series on hiatus through the 1980s, it roared back to life in 1999 and is now the flagship luxury sedan of the marque's line. The 300 C shown here is a Concourse quality unrestored 1955 that has only been repainted one time, in 1985. This is what Chrysler used to be.