North American Car of the Year Award 'Icing on the Cake' for 2005 Chrysler 300

DETROIT and AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Jan. 9, 2005 -- The vehicle that marked the return of the great American car in 2004 once again took top honors as media named it the North American Car of the Year (NACOTY) at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit today. Fifty of the top automotive journalists in North America considered seventeen new cars before casting their winning votes for the 2005 Chrysler 300.

"The Chrysler Group is honored and proud of this award, and we want to thank our employees and customers as well as the journalists who voted on the award," said Eric Ridenour, Executive Vice President -- Product Development. "We believe the Chrysler 300 fully represents our operating philosophy of disciplined pizzazz."

The NACOTY award was developed to honor vehicles that set a new standard in their segments in areas such as ride and handling, features, innovation, safety, value for the dollar and affordability. The nominees compete against all the vehicles in their segments, not just other nominees. Seventeen cars and 12 trucks were eligible for the 2005 NACOTY and North American Truck of the Year awards.

"The 2005 Chrysler 300 marked the Chrysler brand's return to a rear-wheel- drive, HEMI(R)-powered automobile for the first time in more than a decade. Chrysler has single-handedly reinvented the large, V-8 powered American sedan," said Matt DeLorenzo Road & Track Magazine. "With its bold looks that are uniquely American, growling HEMI power and enough attitude to cut a rap record on its own, the Chrysler 300C is a bad boy for hipsters and yet with its affordable sticker, V-6 optional engines, appeals to traditional full-size American car buyers. Quite a feat to bring two disparate market segments together with just one car."

Industry-leading design, as well as the ability to invent and reinvent product segments, have earned Chrysler Group products more than 55 awards in 2004.

  Other accolades earned by the 2005 Chrysler 300 include:
   Motor Trend - Car of the Year
   Automobile - Automobile of the Year
   Car and Driver - 10 Best Cars
   AutoWeek - Reader's Choice Award
   Detroit Free Press - Car of the Year
   Detroit News - Car of the Year
   Edmunds.com - Most Significant Vehicle of the Year
   Money - Car of the Year
   Maxim - Top 10 Cars
   Smart Money - Vehicle of the Year
   IN FOCUS - AutoFOCUS Car of the Year
   Executive Life - Top 10 Cars for CEOs
   Automotive Rhythms - Urban Elite Car of the Year
   Edmunds.com - 10 Hippest Vehicles for 2005
   Automotive Fleet - Fleet Car of the Year
   Road and Travel Magazine - International Car of the Year
   National Automotive History Collection - Collector Vehicle of the Year
   Advertising Age -10 Hottest Cars