Fiat – Chrysler is in the midst of re-shuffling its sizable portfolio of companies, and a recent report indicates the brawny, 470-horsepower Chrysler 300 SRT could be deep-sixed as a result of the automaker’s new policies.
Speaking to Motor Trend, Chrysler CEO Al Gardner revealed the company sells approximately 75 examples of the 300 SRT every month in the United States. That number pales in comparison to the roughly 4,300 standard 300s that Chrysler sells each month, and it makes it difficult to justify keeping the model around.
Chrysler’s top brass is currently evaluating whether or not to axe the 300 SRT. A final decision will be made in the coming months and announced next November at the Los Angeles Motor Show when a facelifted version of the 300 is presented to the public.
If phased out, the 300 SRT will be the last SRT-badged Chrysler in the foreseeable future. Gardner confirmed that Chrysler will gradually shift its positioning on the market to chase mainstream brands like Toyota and Ford, leaving more expensive performance-focused models to sister company Dodge.
While 2014 might be the 300 SRT’s last model year in the United States, the sedan could live on for a few more years abroad. Interestingly, the hot-rodded 300 is fairly popular in a number of global markets – including the Middle East – so Chrysler hasn’t ruled out building the car exclusively for overseas regions where demand remains high.
