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Motor Trend Magazine Names Chrysler 300M as '99 Car of the Year

16 November 1998

MOTOR TREND Magazine Names the Chrysler 300M as '99 Car of the Year

    AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Nov. 16 -- MOTOR TREND magazine today
announced the selection of the Chrysler 300M as the publication's 1999 Car of
the Year.  In choosing the 300M, MOTOR TREND cited the car's eye-catching
styling, spirited performance, fun-to-drive nature, expansive roominess, and
attractive value.
    MOTOR TREND's annual Car of the Year program, dating back to 1949, is
widely recognized as the most coveted award in the automotive industry.  This
is the 47th time the honor has been presented by the magazine.  In choosing
the winner, MOTOR TREND editors considered all new or significantly changed
'99 domestic cars and minivans, weighing such factors as performance, value,
livability, technological sophistication and overall impact on the automotive
market to identify the most significant vehicle of the '99 model year.
    The '99 Chrysler 300M -- named after the company's popular 300-series
sedans from the '50s and '60s -- is the latest iteration of the company's
popular LH-series.  It blends head-turning, retro-influenced styling with a
"Euro-tuned" suspension setup that gives the car sporty, driver-oriented
handling characteristics.  The car is powered by a sophisticated 24-valve SOHC
3.5-liter/253-horsepower aluminum V-6 that combines V-8-like performance with
attractive fuel economy.  Plus, its four-speed automatic transmission is
equipped with Chrysler's AutoStick feature, which allows the driver to shift
manually during more aggressive driving.  Adding to its appeal, the 300M's
well-equipped interior provides an outstanding combination of comfort, luxury,
spaciousness, and cargo-carrying capacity.  With a base price starting at
$28,895, it's also one of the most attractive values in its class.
    MOTOR TREND's editors say, "The '99 Chrysler 300M is one of the freshest
statements to come out of Detroit in years.  It's a solid testament that
America really can build a machine that masterfully blends performance,
luxury, styling, and value into a five-passenger sedan shape," and add, "It's
a car, quite simply, we have long awaited."  In describing the 300M's styling,
they state that, "It perhaps hasn't been since the Viper that a domestic maker
rendered a more boldly beautiful and unique-looking automobile."  Addressing
the car's performance, the editors note, "Chrysler has pulled a ride/handling
hat-trick of monumental proportions by providing a big, smooth-riding, agile
sedan that carves bends like a smaller, lighter, tighter coupe."  Finally,
they sum up their praise by saying, "Chrysler's brilliant new 300M challenges
the great road cars of Europe and Asia with strong power, good fuel economy,
excellent handling, and accurate steering, while trumping most of them with
its outstanding roominess and stunning looks."
    The complete report on the 1999 Car of the Year can be found in the
January 1999 issue of MOTOR TREND, on sale December 1, 1998, or on MOTOR
TREND's internet site at http://www.motortrend.com.  MOTOR TREND magazine is
published monthly in Los Angeles, California, by The Petersen Companies,
Incorporated.