Stretch 300

Chrysler Group confirms it has given the green light to provide coachbuilders with de-contented versions of its Chrysler 300C to facilitate production of long-wheelbase (LWB) versions of the sedan.

Chrysler has not set a volume target for the project, saying it will provide vehicles as it can fit them into the production mix at Brampton, Ont., Canada.

“We have approved the basic framework, but there is no volume goal set yet,” says Joe Eberhardt, Chrysler executive vice president-global sales and marketing.

“Because of the success of the LX platform, we are pretty much capacity constrained. At the same time, we have the flexibility built in that we can mix in (other variants) and where we can fit them (LWB models) in, we will.”

Chrysler began considering LWB 300s when Accubuilt Inc. and Quality Metalcraft Inc. approached the OEM with a completed version that was stretched 6 ins. (15.2 cm). The vehicle was displayed at the Specialty Equipment Market Assn. show late last year.

Sources inside Chrysler say the auto maker did not have enough space at the Brampton plant to manufacture the LWB models alongside the regular production 300, Dodge Magnum and Charger. Thus, it decided to provide vehicles to outside coachbuilders for them to modify and sell.