Jump to content
Create New...
  • William Maley
    William Maley

    Spying: Chrysler Takes The 200 For A Drive In The Nighttime

    William Maley

    Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

    December 13, 2013

    Chrysler thought it would be a good idea to drive an uncovered 200 for a late-night photoshoot. What they weren't expecting is spy photographer crashing their photoshoot and bringing us our first good look at the next 200.

    The new 200 is a massive improvement over the current model. There is a four-door coupe roofline that appears to have been lifted from the Audi A7 or Volkswagen CC. The front is quite different from recent Chrysler designs with a narrow grille and slim headlights. The back end is very reminiscent of the A7.

    We also get a peek into the interior which looks somewhat familiar to the Dodge Dart with an oversized gauge cluster and similar center stack layout. There is a rotary knob which could be connected to a nine-speed transmission that has been rumored.

    Luckily, we don't have to wait long for Chrysler to spill the beans on the 200 as its expected to debut at the Detroit Auto Show next month.

    Source: Autoblog

    William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.


    User Feedback

    Recommended Comments

    I would have to say I think this is one of the nicest looking 200's they have ever done. Interior is interesting, not a huge fan but what looks like a nice and great improvement over past versions.

    I do have to say what gives with the dinky screen on the nav/radio. That is a joke.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Chrysler often gives 2 screen size options. This could be the smaller one.

    I have to say, I like the look. It moves the car up a lot in the looks department and it's finally not a gaping mouth design.

    • Agree 1
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    I like the new front end design, nice to see not everyone is going for massive headlights and grills. The roof shape has gone from squished roof line to much more graceful A7/CC roof line. This looks to be a massive step up from the current car and a return to handsome midsize Chryslers.

    I like the interior from what I can see, that unit is obviously either for a base model 200 or a placeholder. It'll get the 8.4 inch unit, at least higher trim models.

    • Agree 2
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    The Verano and lower end Regal (maybe even higher end Regal) are going to be the natural competition for this car. I see people online comparing it to the Fusion... but I get the impression that this is a smaller vehicle.... not Fusion sized. Chrysler may be taking a "content over size" tack with this car. It doesn't need to be the largest in the segment, but it needs to be posher inside than a normal mid-size.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    I suppose they may have been trying to look like an A7 knockoff but the side glass really just looks like a current gen Avalon or a 2010 Mazda6 (which is better looking than this). There's some M45 in there also.

    The front end and greenhouse don't flow together totally. Front end design doesn't quite mesh to the rest of the car IMO. It's like they are trying to make an early 000's 300M front end to the rest of the car that is not the same.

    Overall it's still an improvement over what is there now.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    I agree... the nicest 200 ever... but it looks too much like a shrunken A7. Too much copying and emulating today.

    Give us with something bold and original. Lets start with an LED taillight that is distinct... maybe incorporates a Chrysler Pentastar or part of the Chrysler "Wing" on each side.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    It looks good, but in a Hyundai way, feels like a bunch of other design elements from other cars are combined.

    Way better than the current offering, but it is a very crowded segment to attempt to become a sales leader in. Look what happened to the Dart.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    It looks good, but in a Hyundai way, feels like a bunch of other design elements from other cars are combined. Way better than the current offering, but it is a very crowded segment to attempt to become a sales leader in. Look what happened to the Dart.

    The 200 shouldn't be a sales leader. I'm guessing (and hoping) that Chrysler is not aiming for Camry or even Fusion like sales volumes for this car... that is Dodge's job. Let it be the smaller, posher, mid-size car that sells on content rather than cheap subsidized leasing. They'll sell fewer of them, but at a higher transaction price and a higher margin.

    • Agree 1
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    It looks good, but in a Hyundai way, feels like a bunch of other design elements from other cars are combined. Way better than the current offering, but it is a very crowded segment to attempt to become a sales leader in. Look what happened to the Dart.

    The 200 shouldn't be a sales leader. I'm guessing (and hoping) that Chrysler is not aiming for Camry or even Fusion like sales volumes for this car... that is Dodge's job. Let it be the smaller, posher, mid-size car that sells on content rather than cheap subsidized leasing. They'll sell fewer of them, but at a higher transaction price and a higher margin.

    With the Avenger being a dead end fleet model as it is now, they are going to have to do a lot of work at Dodge if they hope to compete with the midsize Big 3 (Altima, Accord, Camry) and Ford..

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Well yea, the replacement for the avenger has to be a Grand Cherokee level of good.

    From a couple sources I've read the Avenger replacement could be a RWD model, but I can't see that happening...to achieve mass market midsize mediocrity in NA it has to be FWD.

    Edited by Cubical-aka-Moltar
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Well, historically, Chrysler hasn't stuck with any set of cues for any long period of time. BMW, Rolls-Royce, Mercedes-Benz, and GM are the only makers I can think of that have adhered to any kind of longterm, recognizable feature set.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    I do think Jeep tends to hold some continuity.

    Dodge Dart is sort of like Neon II.

    I think Dodge and Chrysler had sort of charted a new boat when they moved into bed with Mercedes, and then that fell apart. They had big success with cab forward. Chrysler's problem I think is not really having a lot of memorable blockbuster models.

    GM you know has several, Ford even has a few. A VW Golf is a VW Golf.

    I think a good question here is do people prefer this in the spy photos or the last 200 concept? Both are alright, but I can see why Chrysler moved to the longer greenhouse as it is trendy right now.

    chrysler-200c-ev-01.jpg

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    My understanding is that (1) Dodge isn't getting a version of this 200 and (2) the RWD Avenger replacement depends upon the new RWD platform Marchionne wants to develop for Alfa Romeo. However, it remains to be seen if Fiat can get the financing for that new platform as it currently can't access Chrysler funds.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites



    Join the conversation

    You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
    Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

    Guest
    Add a comment...

    ×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

      Only 75 emoji are allowed.

    ×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

    ×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

    ×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


  • google-news-icon.png



  • google-news-icon.png

  • Subscribe to Cheers & Gears

    Cheers and Gears Logo

    Since 2001 we've brought you real content and honest opinions, not AI-generated stuff with no feeling or opinions influenced by the manufacturers.

    Please consider subscribing. Subscriptions can be as little as $1.75 a month, and a paid subscription drops most ads.*
     

    You can view subscription options here.

    *a very limited number of ads contain special coupon deals for our members and will show

  • Similar Content

  • Posts

    • ^^^  I think the last pic is an AI generated picture.    YUCK!!! I mean, if it is one, its a GREAT image, the technology is both awesome and scary. Very real. But fake...and that is the yuck part of it all.  The fakeness.  I like REALITY.  
    • I became a hater when I realized Toyota is just another same ole same ole corporate greed company like any other and when I realized that they had sheeple followers that they had brainwashed thinking that Toyota can never do any harm.  It wasnt a right away hatred either.  It took time. I first noticed something was off about Toyota with the aforementioned engine sludge thing.  And it took years after that when I started questioning folk that drove Toyotas and then incident after incident happened and yet nobody ever was pissed about Toyota's failures.  It all came to a boiling point with me with the unintended acceleration debacle and had it NOT for Toyota settling out of court of billions of dollars, I myself would have chucked it to stupid drivers, but Toyota plead guilty quietly and paid that tremendous fine.  And it peeved me more to see that AMERICAN media kept that quiet also, but also downplyed the WHOLE thing by them ALSO blaming the American driver coming up with excuse after excuse defending Toyota.  And then I read (call it a consipracy theory if you want to) a report (not on the internet) that Japanese automakers convinced the American buyer to perform their regular maintenance at the dealerships and when their was a problem akin to catastrophic failure with the vehicle, the dealership would repair the problem without the owner knowing about the problem and all that was also subsidized by the Japanese government and the WORST offenders of this were Nissan, Toyota, Mitsubishi and Subaru in the 1980s.  Another reason why I dont like this company is that they stopped producing cars for the enthusiast for a little while.  Boring appliance after boring appliance made especially for dumb people that would be better off using public transportation. And in more recent times, better calling an Uber.   I like some cars of theirs. I have pointed this out plenty of times.  No need for me to justify what cars and trucks I like from them.  But you did mention the Lexus LC500 and yeah!  THAT would be one awesome creation.  Id take mine in coupe form though. But if I was doing this car MY way, Id LS/LT swap it.  Nothing crazy done to the engine, just with enough HP and torque to best Lexus' original efforts.  500HP and 500ft/lbs.  In HP, its not much more than what Lexus done, but its the torque figures that make the difference in my make belief dream LC 500. 
    • I actually like the look but at near 9,000 lbs., holy smokes! Instant pot hole maker lol..
    • The LC500 is just a damn fine looking car, regardless of who makes it. Lexus mucks up a lot of exteriors (and not just with the "predator" grill) but the LC500 is not one of them.   I feel you on that. A year ago, it was my right hip (post surgery) and I was doing the same thing as you for a few weeks lol. Rest and recover.
  • Who's Online (See full list)

    • There are no registered users currently online
  • My Clubs

×
×
  • Create New...

Hey there, we noticed you're using an ad-blocker. We're a small site that is supported by ads or subscriptions. We rely on these to pay for server costs and vehicle reviews.  Please consider whitelisting us in your ad-blocker, or if you really like what you see, you can pick up one of our subscriptions for just $1.75 a month or $15 a year. It may not seem like a lot, but it goes a long way to help support real, honest content, that isn't generated by an AI bot.

See you out there.

Drew
Editor-in-Chief

Write what you are looking for and press enter or click the search icon to begin your search