Chrysler “Letter Cars”
Even before muscle cars were a thing, Chrysler produced a series of high-performance luxury coupes and convertibles that delivered unbelievable performance and unmistakable style. They called the model the 300, followed by letters of the alphabet with the C300 being the first model in 1955. Known as the Letter Series, those upscale cruisers were some of the fastest, most powerful models between 1955 and 1965 when they discontinued the series.
The first models came with early Hemi engines that could produce 300 horses; hence, the name. Those early Chrysler “Letter Series” models were the first American-made cars with 300 HP ratings. With the introduction of advanced intake setups, different engine power levels rose. Those big and heavy cars achieved some impressive acceleration times.
However, the “Letter Series” models were always expensive, so they produced them in limited numbers. Throughout the years, Chrysler’s “Letter cars” combined luxury and limited availability. Add their fantastic performance and style, and they were one of the best examples of the personal luxury class.
During its 10-year production run, Chrysler made few of these cars, often less than 1,000 examples per model year. This means that 300 Letter Series cars are expensive and highly sought after. They are also quite hard to restore since the parts are scarce. Chrysler struggles with difficult times, so maybe is a series of prestigious coupes is what the company needs to get back on track.