Another Manufacturer Bites the Dust

November 27th, 2021

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Australia has seen a few high-profile names depart from the local car market over recent years, and sadly, another name has joined the fold. After a long and admired time down under, Chrysler has followed the lead of Holden, pulling up stumps. It comes as the brand’s US parent company makes a decisive move to exit right-hand-drive production.

Chrysler’s time in Australia

The company first began producing vehicles in Australia back in 1951, which seems like an eternity ago in this day and age. At one stage, in the 1970s, buoyed by the popularity of the Valiant, Chrysler managed to rise to third on the charts among local manufacturers, producing upwards of 50,000 vehicles a year, and only trailing the two mainstays in Holden and Ford at the time.

Although the brand has seen sales dwindling for some time now, Chrysler was one of the few V8 sedan options sold in Australia over recent years. When Ford and Holden both put an end to their V8 plans, Chrysler was the sole remaining affordable V8 on the market. That means the final of its two-dozen Chrysler 300 sedans will not be replaced, and are the last options for new car buyers eyeing a new and affordable V8 in Australia.

Some observers may be wondering if the Chrysler 300 was even for sale after being withdrawn from Australian showrooms at the start of this year. However, new car buyers have been able to buy the car on special order, even though supply constraints have hampered the process – a force felt by a number of other dealers as well.

What does the decision mean looking forward?

While Chrysler hinted the decision may be short-term, as it moves to ramp up its capacity and capabilities to develop electric vehicles, it is highly unlikely there would be a resurgence for right-hand drive vehicles across the company. After all, its home market has long been the US.

In the meantime, other brands tied to Chrysler’s parent company remain unaffected. The likes of Fiat, Alfa Romeo and Jeep have not announced any plans to wind-back production of right-hand drive vehicles. Whether that decision stands the test of time remains to be seen, but the likes of Fiat would certainly be vulnerable given low-volume sales across the nation.

For existing owners, fortunately Chrysler will continue to support repairs and service into the foreseeable future. And with that, Chrysler sadly goes out with a whimper, managing less than 2000 sales across the last five years in Australia. Nonetheless, the brand will be an icon to remember for many who bought their first car some 50 years ago.