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The Chrysler 300 was on hiatus in 1993, but a prototype reviving the name was built. That car is still around, and is currently listed in the Hemmings classifieds with an asking price of just $35,000.
The 300 is one of Chrysler’s most recognizable nameplates, with an original production run stretching from 1955 to 1971 (with a brief return for 1979). “Letter car” versions like the 300C and 300D built a reputation as upscale performance cars in the 1950s and 1960s, and Chrysler did eventually bring the 300 name back in 1999 as a tribute to those cars.
1993 Chrysler 300 prototype (photo via Hemmings)
This prototype predates those production cars, though. It’s based on the first-generation LH sedan platform, which underpinned the Concorde, New Yorker, and LHS, as well as the Eagle Vision and Dodge Intrepid.
The prototype has the LHS’s more formal roofline and upright taillights, but with a different front-end treatment incorporating round headlights and a new grille, plus a custom interior with Italian Bronze and Black leather upholstery.
According to an accompanying article posted on Hemmings, the car may have been built by ASC as a proposal for a full-glass roof for the LH sedans, with the company giving the car the full 300 treatment to really sell the idea.
1993 Chrysler 300 prototype (photo via Hemmings)
Power comes from a 3.5-liter V-6, likely the same engine fitted to the LHS. The ad doesn’t give other mechanical details, but the LHS’s 4-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive likely carried over as well.
Currently located in Minot, North Dakota, the car has 1,000 miles on the odometer and is in drivable condition, according to the listing. What appears to be the same car was listed for sale in 2010 with 350 miles. That ad said the car cost $145,000 (in 1993 dollars) to build.
It’s still possible to get a new 300, but not for long. The 2023 Chrysler 300C gets a 6.4-liter V-8 and limited production run of 2,200 units to mark the end of production, although the 300 will reportedly live on as an EV.