Chrysler 300 Not Broke Don't Fix It

There was a interesting article in the Boston Herald about the important of design and how great the Chrysler 300C was as a blockbuster hit which has sold more than 500,000 units since 2004.
Chrysler LLC design chief Trevor Creed said the pressure is on manufacturers to come up with the next 300C, a task easier said than done in a competitive marketplace. Big hits like the 300C are a combination of design, powertrain and price, he said. "The 300C was the return of the rear-wheel-drive, all-American sedan. Bold looks at an incredibly affordable price," he said. "Pretty soon you’ve got Kia doing that and Hyundai doing that. So that’s not exclusive any more."It’s an art to come out with a car that’s cutting-edge enough but doesn’t offend buyers."
Remember that old saying if it is not broke don't fix it. It seems the message is even though the 300C is a blockbuster hit, there is need for illusion of new. Sometimes I wonder if the biggest thing corporate America could do for the environment would be, take a breath and and skip a year, the half-life of a automobile design should be longer. Remember the Thunderbird started out as a petite powerful 2 seater and eventually became a large bloated beast. That is just one example of the sad path of many a good design.
Tags: 300C Chrysler 300C