Chrysler Celebrates 100 Years in Motion

On June 6, 1925, Walter P. Chrysler officially founded the Chrysler Corporation by reorganizing the struggling Maxwell Motor Company. Exactly 100 years later, I found myself celebrating that milestone with the brand itself — right where it all began, in the heart of Detroit. Chrysler marked the occasion with a private event on Belle Isle, and I was fortunate enough to be invited to take part in the celebration at the historic Detroit Yacht Club.

This wasn’t your typical media event. Chrysler pulled out all the stops, showcasing a fleet of some of their most iconic and historically significant vehicles from the Chrysler Historical Collection — and they actually let us drive them. Yes, drive them around Belle Isle. It was a surreal experience, to say the least.

Why the Detroit Yacht Club? Besides offering a beautiful backdrop just across from downtown, it turns out Walter P. Chrysler himself was once a member. The location added a special layer of meaning to the event, connecting the brand’s past and present in a uniquely Detroit way.

The lineup of vehicles on hand was incredible. I had the opportunity to drive or take a ride in a number of models spanning Chrysler’s history, starting with the 1924 Chrysler Six Prototype, the company’s very first car. From there, we moved through decades of innovation: the aerodynamic 1934 Airflow, the stylish 1948 Town & Country, the elegant 1951 New Yorker Convertible, and the powerful 1955 C-300. The list went on — the finned and fantastic 1958 300D, the futuristic 1963 Turbine Car, and even a 1976 Chrysler Cordoba show car once loaned to actor Ricardo Montalbán, who made “Corinthian leather” a household phrase — although this particular example featured a vinyl interior.

The experience only got more surreal as I got behind the wheel of the 1986 Town & Country Convertible once driven by Lee Iacocca himself, followed by a 1996 Town & Country LXi, and then the 2006 Chrysler 300C SRT-8 — a reminder of when Chrysler was redefining modern American muscle in the early 2000s.

Now, picking a favorite from that list feels almost impossible. But if I had to choose a personal Top 5, they’d be the 1963 Turbine Car — just for that wild jet-engine whine alone — followed by the Montalbán Cordoba, the 300D, the ’51 New Yorker Convertible, and the 300C SRT-8. That combination of styling, performance, and cultural impact is tough to beat.

Throughout the event, Chrysler Historian Brandt Rosenbusch provided background and context for each vehicle on display. His knowledge added a deeper appreciation for what we were experiencing, from early engineering breakthroughs to design choices that helped define American cars for generations.

The celebration wasn’t just about looking back, either. Chrysler also used the event to debut the 2026 Chrysler Pacifica 100th Anniversary Edition, a limited-edition model that blends the company’s rich heritage with its focus on innovation. It was a strong reminder that while the brand is proud of its past, it’s just as invested in its future.

“How often do you get to sit behind the wheel of history and feel what it was like when Chrysler revolutionized the road?” said Chrysler Brand CEO Christine Feuell. “Because Chrysler isn’t just a name — it’s a symbol of progress and a century of innovation.”

As someone who’s been a Mopar fanatic since I was three years old, this day was nothing short of a dream come true. To be part of Chrysler’s 100th anniversary, to drive the very vehicles that built its legacy, and to celebrate the brand’s future — that’s something I’ll remember for the rest of my life.

Chrysler 100th Anniversary Celebration Image Gallery: