Still Standing: Chrysler’s Quiet 100-Year Milestone

Chrysler just turned 100 years old. One hundred. That’s a full century of cars, ideas, wins, fails, and everything in between. Even though the brand’s been a bit quiet lately (okay, really quiet), they’re leaning into the nostalgia and trying to remind us they were once a pretty big deal.

To start the party, they did something actually really cool: they brought the original Chrysler Six—the same car that launched the brand in 1924—back to the New York Auto Show. Like, the actual car from a hundred years ago. It’s a sweet move, honestly.

Back in the day, the Chrysler Six was kind of a beast. It sold for $1,565, which was a lot in 1924, and had a 3.3-liter straight-six engine that made about 68 horsepower. But what made it truly unique? It came with tech most cars didn’t have back then: stuff like hydraulic brakes, aluminum pistons, and even shock absorbers. 

Then in the '30s, Chrysler tried to shake things up again with the Airflow. It was one of the first cars ever designed in a wind tunnel. The problem was it came out during the Great Depression. People weren’t really in the mood for bold design when they were struggling to afford basic stuff. 

Fast forward to 1955, and the Chrysler 300 came in. It had a 300-horsepower Hemi V8 and looked like it meant business. For many people, that car was Chrysler at its best—bold, fast, and stylish. 

Chrysler’s had some pretty clever ideas over the years. They came up with the minivan in the ’80s, gave us automatic speed control way back in 1958, and even tried putting a record player in cars during the ’50s—not exactly practical, but definitely fun. More recently, their Stow ‘n Go seats in the Pacifica are still one of the best features out there for road trip families.

However, let’s be real: things have been rough lately. Sales are way down. The lineup’s gotten thin. It’s been a while since Chrysler really wowed anybody.

That said, there might be hope. Chrysler’s CEO, Chris Feuell, says there’s new stuff coming, starting with a refreshed Pacifica in 2026, a brand-new crossover after that, and a third model inspired by this sleek concept they showed off called Halcyon. The new Pacifica’s supposed to get a better plug-in hybrid setup, and there’ll be a fully electric version too. The crossover is also expected to come in both hybrid and electric options.