Chrysler returns to Australian motorsport
17/3/2005 15:51 (Press Release) -
Chrysler will return to Australian motorsport taking on the lead role in the Australian V8 Supercar Championship Series after a 34-year absence.
The 250kW HEMI-powered V8 Chrysler 300C will stay one step ahead of its Holden and Ford rivals throughout the season thanks to its role as official Wright Patton Shakespeare Safety Car Program.
The association with V8 touring cars, aimed at giving Australians a preview of the award-winning Chrysler 300C ahead of its release later in the year, is the first step in Chrysler’s move into the premium saloon segment.
“With its contemporary styling and powerful HEMI performance the 300C will be right at home leading the field of V8 Supercars,” said Mr Gerry Jenkins, managing director, Chrysler Jeep Australia.
“Being in the company of the locally manufactured V8 sedans is also a nice fit for the striking sedan, given that when it goes on sale in Australia at the end of the year it will provide customers with a genuine alternative,” he said.
The 300C has captured the imagination of Americans since its release, winning a number of prestigious awards including the coveted North American Car of the Year.
The HEMI-powered 300C, which goes on sale late in 2005 in Australia, will join the popular Chrysler line-up in Australia which includes the recently released Crossfire Coupe and Roadster, PT Cruiser and Voyager.
Chrysler’s support of the V8 Supercar Championship is the first time since 1971 that a factory-backed car has been involved in Australian motorsport and the first time a Chrysler has been utilised for official Wright Patton Shakespeare Safety Car Program duties.
Featuring a long bonnet and dramatic profile and boasting a powerful 250 kW, 5.7-litre V8 HEMI® engine, the Chrysler 300C is the ideal candidate for the safety car role.
In its duties as Wright Patton Shakespeare Safety Car, the Chrysler 300C will open and close the circuit before and after each race, providing race control with vital circuit information and leading the V8 Supercar field when track conditions require.
Complete with race kit decals and sirens, the Chrysler 300C safety car will be officially unveiled at the season launch of the V8 Supercar Championship on Saturday February 19 at Telstra Stadium, Homebush in Sydney.
Official duties begin on March 17 at the season-opening Clipsal 500 race in Adelaide.
Chrysler’s involvement in Australian motorsport stretches from the 1960’s through to 1971, when official factory entries ended.
During this time Chrysler enjoyed success in various classes of racing.
One of the most notable motorsport achievements in Australia came at the hands of privateers Doug Chivas and Damon Beck, when they took their Chrysler Charger E49 to third place at Bathurst in 1972.
Release Date: 18/02/2005
AVESCO
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