Chrysler Turns 100 and Plots Its Electrified Future
As Chrysler hits its 100th birthday, it isn’t just celebrating history; it’s rewriting its future with bold electric ambitions and a return to engineering-first thinking.
Why does this milestone matter right now?
Most car companies celebrate 100 years with a glossy coffee table book and a museum exhibit. Chrysler, in contrast, is using its centennial to send a message: we’re not done, far from it. This is a brand that helped define the American automobile, and now it wants back in the conversation, not just as a nostalgic badge, but as a forward-facing nameplate.
Chrysler at 100 is a reminder that innovation used to be the default. It was the first to offer four-wheel hydraulic brakes. The first to wind-tunnel test production vehicles. The first to deliver a unit-body car, and—lest we forget, the first to make minivans not only practical, but desirable.
And while other brands have sprinted ahead into EVs, plug-in hybrids, and crossovers that think they’re spaceships, Chrysler has spent the last few years quietly resetting. Now, it’s poised to reenter the fray with a tech-forward lineup and a design direction previewed by its latest concept ,Halcyson.
How does Chrysler’s legacy still matter in 2025?
Chrysler wasn’t built on marketing fluff or badge engineering. It was built on clever design and mechanical nerve. Walter P. Chrysler launched the company in 1924 with the Chrysler Six, which offered high-compression power, full-pressure lubrication, and hydraulic brakes, all at a price under $1,600.
By the 1930s, Chrysler had become Detroit’s “engineering company,” earning that title by putting innovation ahead of fashion. From the revolutionary Airflow, tested with the help of Orville Wright, to the screaming HEMIs of the 1950s and the turbine-powered experiments of the 1960s, this was a company that did weird, wonderful things with metal.
Even during the rough patches, the oil shocks, the malaise era, the Daimler divorce, Chrysler found ways to disrupt. They gave us the first modern minivan. They brought back convertibles with the LeBaron. They made tailfins and push-button transmissions iconic. They put a sedan with a gangster grin, the 300C, back in American driveways.
Who does Chrysler serve today, and why should we care?
Right now, Chrysler has one vehicle: the Pacifica. But that’s not the problem most people think it is. Because the Pacifica isn’t just a minivan, it’s a rolling reminder of what Chrysler does, combining innovation, utility, and contrarian flair.
But this next chapter isn’t about surviving. It’s about reimagining. Stellantis has already teased the outlines of Chrysler’s next wave, and it’s electric, modular, and elegant in a way that feels more Scandinavian than Midwestern. Chrysler’s designers are clearly thinking less about nostalgia and more about creating something functional that feels like the future.
Expect a new flagship EV to debut soon, likely a crossover with strong plug-in hybrid or full electric credentials. Expect the return of rear-wheel-drive proportions, but this time with motors instead of V8s. Expect interiors that feel more like lounge spaces than cockpits.
In short: don’t count Chrysler out. Not yet.
What does the next 100 years look like?
Chrysler’s 100th anniversary isn’t a retirement party. It’s a reboot. The brand that helped make American engineering a global force is repositioning itself to compete in a world of AI, autonomy, and electrification.
The design language is shifting. The tech stack is evolving. And perhaps most importantly, the mindset is changing. Chrysler doesn’t want to chase Tesla. It wants to leapfrog the past decade of gadget-forward, soul-light vehicles and build something elegant, efficient, and human-focused.
Can it succeed? That depends on how well it remembers its roots: innovation that improves real life. Less gimmick, more genius. That’s the promise Chrysler once made. And it’s the one it seems ready to make again.
