New Lancia Thema: Chrysler 300's European Alter Ego Officially Revealed

You may find it hard to believe, but what you're looking at here is not one of Carscoop's photoshops but the first official photo of the new Chrysler 300-based Lancia Thema saloon, which will receive its grand premiere at the Geneva Motor Show on March 1. The new Thema marks the beginning of consolidation of the product portfolios of the Lancia and Chrysler brands, and will continue with models in other segments.

Here's how Lancia describes the Thema: "The first global flagship that combines the best of two worlds, the new rear-drive vehicle was created based on the Chrysler 300 and is ready, like the first Thema back in 1984, to take on the toughest, but also the most prestigious segment, striving to offer, at long last, a genuine alternative."

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Toyota Prius blossoms into...Chrysler 300 with Custom Makeover

From our 2011 Tokyo Auto Salon "Strange But True" files comes this custom creation of what appears to be a second generation (judging by the interior door panels) Toyota Prius hybrid wearing a...Chrysler 300 front end. The show car also features sliding rear doors, lowered suspension, larger five-spoke alloy wheels, Chrysler 300-style tail lights and a high-end audio-visual system that replaces the rear seats. More pictures after the break.

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VIDEO: New Chrysler Ad Emphasizes the Importance of Style

In its latest commercial, Chrysler takes a trip down memory lane, showcasing some of its vintage models and wonders what ever happened to the glamour and style that these cars represented. And you guessed it; according to Chrysler, good 'ol American style is making a comeback on the firm's new models like the recently launched 300 sedan. Video available after the jump.

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New Chrysler 300 and its Lancia Thema Counterpart to get Hybrid Variant in 2013

On the sidelines of the 2011 Detroit Auto Show, Fiat Group CEO Sergio Marchionne confirmed that hybrids will make a comeback to Chrysler’s line-up, with one such model being a gasoline-electric version of the Chrysler 300 sedan. “We will offer a hybrid variant of the 300 equipped with an eight-speed automatic in 2013”, Marchionne said last week.

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Lancia to Unveil Chrysler 200-based Model at Geneva Show, may name it Flavia

*The above image is a Carscoop illustration

It appears that all those the rumors regarding future Lancia models are true as the Italian automaker is gearing up for this year’s Geneva Auto Show with several new additions to its line-up.

At the Detroit Motor Show, Fiat Group execs revealed that along with the Chrysler 300-based Thema flagship, Lancia will also unveil its own version of the Chrysler 200. The mid-size model will be offered in both sedan and convertible body styles, and is destined to replace the Sebring in the European market.

“The new Chrysler 200 will come – cabriolet included – to Europe as a Lancia, and Flavia is a very good hint as its possible name,” Fiat Group CEO Sergio Marchionne said on the sidelines of the 2011 Detroit Auto Show.

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New Chrysler 300 gets its Public Debut at NAIAS 2011 [with Video]

To say the new 300 sedan is an important model for the future of the Chrysler Group is an understatement. This was more than evident at the firm's press conference at the Detroit motor show today, segments of which you can watch in the video after the jump.

The overhauled for the 2011 model year full-size sedan boasts new sheetmetal as well as a significantly improved interior and a modern 3.6-liter V6 engine with 292HP that joins the 363HP-strong 5.7-liter V8 Hemi. Last week, Chrysler announced pricing information for the 300, which starts at $27,995 for the entry-level V6 model and tops out at $41,145 for the V8 version with AWD (click here for more details).

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VIDEO: On the Road Footage of 2011 Chrysler 300

As well as revealing pricing information on the 2011 model year 300 earlier today, Chrysler has also unleashed a new video with driving footage of its redesigned saloon. We'll remind you that the 300 will get its world premiere at the Detroit Auto Show in just a few days, with sales to follow shortly after. In the U.S., Chrysler's full size sedan will offer buyers a choice of two engines, a 292HP 3.6-liter V6 and a 363HP 5.7-liter Hemi V8, the latter with the option of all-wheel drive. Video follows after the jump.

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2011 Chrysler 300 Pricing Announced, V6 Starts from $27,995, Hemi V8 from $38,995

The redesigned 2011 Chrysler 300 will get its first public outing at the Detroit Motor Show next week, but the U.S. automaker has already released pricing information on the full-size sedan model that will be offered in the States in four trim flavors and two engine options. In particular, buyers can choose between the V6-powered 300 and 300 Limited models, and the Hemi V8-motivated 300C and 300C AWD.

Priced at $27,995 (all prices include a $825 destination charge), the entry-level 2011 Chrysler 300 comes with the firm's all-new 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine with 292HP, 260 ft.-lb. (353 Nm) of torque, E-85 flex-fuel capability and a five-speed automatic transmission with Auto Stick.

Among other standard features, the base model gets a full set of airbags, electronic stability control (ESC), Hill-start Assist (HSA), 17-inch alloys with P215/65R17 tires, Uconnect Touch 8.4, USB port with iPod Control, SIRIUS Satellite Radio, leather steering-wheel with audio controls, six-speaker audio, keyless start, dual-zone automatic climate control, 12-way power driver’s seats, cruise control, auto-dimming rear-view mirror and 60-40 split-fold rear seat.

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2011 Chrysler 300: More Photos, Including Interior and Official Press Release

We've already had the chance to share with you a first batch of photos of the redesigned for the 2011 model year (and not 2012MY as originally speculated) 300, but today, the Chrysler Group continues its media assault with additional photography, which includes pictures of the interior, and a rather uninformative press release on the firm's full-size sedan.

The press announcement, which you can read after the jump, focuses exclusively on the design content and the quality upgrades of the interior, leaving out the mechanical details. Apparently, Chrysler plans to bombard us with press releases on revamped 300 until it world premiere at next month's Detroit Motor Show.

However, as we've noted before, the 2011MY 300 will be offered at launch with a standard 3.6-liter V6 producing around 290-ponies and an optional 5.7-liter V8 Hemi. Sales of the new 300 will start in the first quarter of 2011.

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2011 Chrysler 300: New Gallery with 23 High Res Photos

It's taken a while, but we finally got our hands on a collection of photos of the 2011 Chrysler 300 sedan that we can share with you. Set to have its world premiere at next month's Detroit Motor Show, Chrysler's flagship sedan is expected to go on sale in the States around spring of 2011, while there has also been talk about a Lancia-badged version named Thema, which could be revealed in Europe towards the end of next year.

Chrysler has yet to release official info on the redesigned 300, however, the powertrain lineup is expected to be similar to its Dodge Charger twin, offering buyers the option of a new 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 or the 5.7-liter V8 Hemi, as well as the choice of rear- or all-wheel drive.

In terms of the exterior design, out goes the bad boy / gangster look of the first generation model, and in comes a more elegant, almost Buick / Lincoln-like styling approach with far more softer lines and heaps of chrome trim.

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Lancia's 2011 New Year Greeting Card Teases 2012 Ypsilon, Announces Two More New Models

In a surprise move, Lancia literally outlined its forthcoming 2012 Ypsilon supermini through an animated New Year's greeting card posted on a special minisite. And if that's not enough news for you, the chalk-like drawings were accompanied by a teaser message that reads, "A new horizon, three new Lancia models".

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BREAKING: Early Reveal for 2012 Chrysler 300 Sedan, Full Gallery Hits the Web

Knowing that we live in a world of reciprocity and "you scratch my back, and I'll scratch yours", we're not at all surprised by the early reveal of Chrysler's redesign 2012 model year 300 Sedan, courtesy of Motor Trend. For the record, the firm's new model was supposed to break cover at the Detroit Motor Show in January.

In any case and until the higher-ups over at the Chrysler Group decide that the rest of the world is worthy enough of some pictures, you can gaze at MT's gallery by clicking the link here. Check them out and tell us what you think about the 300's new styling direction in the comments below.

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2012 Chrysler 300 Sedan Teaser Site Launched, First Pictures Released

Just like they did with the redesigned Sebring, which now carries the name 200, Chrysler's marketing team is preparing us for the launch of the 2012MY 300 with a special dedicated website that includes numerous cropped images of the firm's most important new model.

The pictures appear to confirm Chrysler's styling turn to softer and less muscular shapes and design elements on the outside combined with more elegant and upscale interiors, as first seen on the Sebring's replacement.

Along with the design makeover, the 300 will benefit from a reworked chassis and of course, the addition of the company's new Pentastar V6 with a displacement of 3.6-liters. A 5.7-liter V8 Hemi with rear- or optionally all-wheel drive will complete the initial offerings with a more potent SRT8 model expected to be introduced down the line.

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Phantom of the Chrysler: Rolls Royce Makeover for 300 Sedan

Adding to very long list of Chrysler 300 models turned into Rolls Royce or Bentley clones that we've shown you over the past few years is this two-tone burgundy-goldish example, which is said to have been snagged in the city of Tangier in Morocco by a reader of the Autogespot forums. Follow the jump to check out one more picture of the car and to leave your thoughts in the comments section.

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2012 Chrysler 300 Scooped Undisguised During Video Shoot

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Having the luck to be at the right place on the right time, KGP's spy photographers managed to capture the yet-be-revealed 2012 Chrysler 300 running around without a single trace of camouflage, during what appears to be a promotional video shoot.

The photos reveal a much softer and less muscular design with a 200C-inspired front end and tons of decorative chrome trim at the back.

There are no spy pics of the interior, but expect to see a major overhaul inside both in terms of styling and materials. Underneath the hood, the 2012 300 will benefit from the introduction of the Chrysler Group's 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 producing somewhere in the range of 280-300HP, plus a 5.7-liter V8 Hemi. All-wheel drive will be offered on certain versions.

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Chrysler Magnum and Dodge 300C in Face-Off...

Spotted outside the SEMA Show in Las Vegas was this odd creation pictured above; a hotted-up and lowered-down Chrysler 300C with a Dodge Magnum fascia - talk about family ties... And just in case you wondering what the opposite face-transplant would look like, we checked around out the tuner's website -that would be USWheel- and, not surprisingly, we discovered a Chrysler 300-snouted Magnum. More photos after the break.

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Viper-powered 300 SRT10 was one man's garage job (and Chrysler should be ashamed they didn't do it first)

It looks like the Viper-powered Chrysler 300 teased on the group's Dodge Youtube channel is nothing more than the dream of one man: David Ekins. The 300 SRT10, it turns out, started as an unsuspecting 2006 Chrysler 300 Touring (which initially came with a V6); now it's got four more cylinders and puts down a claimed 525-550 horsepower.

Mr. Ekins is said to have built the project himself (except for some specialty work), having sourced the 10-cylinder 8.3-liter engine and T-56 Tremec transmission from a wrecked donor car. Other than the power train, a slew of other systems obviously had to be upgraded in order for the car to become a 300 SRT10 and not just a 300 Touring with a massive engine.

This homemade project now rides on Eibach coilovers and gets a new sway bar kit, as well as a little bit of extra cooling up front in the form of a 3-inch thick radiator and "custom" oil filter. Other additions include a new fuel tank mounted in the trunk and the little styling tweaks found throughout.

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Chrysler and Dodge to Recall More than 26,000 Vehicles in the U.S.

A new recall announced by the Chrysler Group will affect 26,397 owners of Chrysler and Dodge brand vehicles in the USA. The recall includes certain 2010MY Chrysler 300 and Sebring, and Dodge Charger, Avenger, Challenger and Journey, and some 2011MY Ram pickup trucks, because a power steering pressure hose may leak fluid onto a hot engine and cause a fire.

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Hell Yeah; Dodge Teases Viper V10-Powered Chrysler 300 SRT10 on Video

Dodge has published a video of a current generation Chrysler 300 badged as the SRT10 and fitted with a Viper-sourced 8.4-liter V10 powerhouse on its official Youtube channel. The company did not provide any intel on the car, but it did ask the question, "What happens when you put a Viper engine into a Chrysler 300?". Feel free to post your answers in the comments section below.

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Research Firms Says Chrysler May Build Lancia Thesis Replacement and Challenger-Based Alfa Romeo in Canada

After last week's [official] announcement that the Fiat Group will drop the Chrysler nameplate in Europe as its models will be rebadged integrated into the Lancia brand, a forecasting firm now says that the automaker will begin building Lancias and possibly Alfa Romeos at its Brampton plant in Canada beginning from 2012.

U.S.-based industry research company AutomotiveCompass said that Chrysler will produce a Lancia Thesis replacement based on the soon-to-revealed 2011 300 sedan, which will continue to make use of the previous generation Mercedes architecture .

Doug Shepard, forecasting manager for the research firm said that the Lancia version of the redesigned Chrysler 300 won't differ radically in appearance from the American sedan.

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