French brands always wanted to enter the American market and be competitive there. When Stellantis was created, that was accomplished without the need to offer new brands in the U.S. It was just a matter of having a big slice of the automakers that are already there. In that sense, the new Chrysler 300 could have a lot in common with the DS 9.
This is what the images above show. Created by the rendering artist Theottle, they were based on the French luxury sedan to imagine what an electric replacement for the 300 could be. And there is no reason for this future EV not to be exactly as Theottle imagined it.
The style revealed by the Airflow concept could be there just to give the new Chrysler a design identity to follow. The American brand was never a fan of such a concept, but it is always time to change when you are still alive. Theottle was careful to add the dash-to-axle ratio that Chrysler has always adopted in its sedans.
Regarding the platform, the DS 9 uses the EMP2, which will eventually become the SLTA Medium. Both the DS 9 and the current 300 are classified as executive sedans (E-segment) and have around 5 meters (197 inches) in length. Putting the new 300 over that architecture would give the LX platform a deserved retirement: it has been around since 2004.
If Chrysler also decided to follow the profile the DS 9 presents, it would probably be a very aerodynamic machine. DS has not disclosed the drag coefficient of its flagship, but it should be relatively low. The question is that electric cars cannot fight the air because they’ll always lose. Befriending airflow (no pun intended) is their best strategy.
When Chrysler finally reveals which the electric replacement for the 300 will be, we would not be surprised if it proved that Theottle hit the nail in the head. The imposing square design that made the 300 such an iconic car has no place in a universe that demands energy efficiency.
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