Start with what the Chrysler Atlantic is: a car with 4.0 L I8 based on 2x 2.0 L Chrysler Neon engines, built from 1995, when airbags, anti-lock brakes and Japanese build quality became the world standard. What it meant takes a little longer. The shape is credited to Tom Gale / Bob Hubbach.
Where it came from
The Chrysler Atlantic was a retro concept car created by Chrysler and fabricated by Gaffoglio Family Metalcrafters in California. It was first shown in 1995. The Atlantic was designed by Bob Hubbach and inspired by the Bugatti Atlantique. The idea for this car began as a sketch on a napkin by Chrysler's president Bob Lutz in early 1993 and also involved the automaker's chief designer, Tom Gale. The Atlantic has several similarities to the opulent vehicles of the 1930s such as the aforementioned Bugatti Type 57S Atlantique (or Atlantic). Its styling is also more than a little inspired by the Talbot-Lago T150 SS Coupe that was constructed in 1938, such as the shape of the side windows and the curved boot.
Some of the retro details include a straight-8-engine that was actually constructed from two 4-cylinder Dodge Neon engines with an S configuration 4.0 L., which is rarely used in modern cars. Other retro touches to the car's look include the interior that is replete with Art Deco-style gauges. The Atlantic Concept has around 360 horsepower (268.5 kW) and uses Chrysler's 42LE transaxle transmission lifted from the Chrysler LHS mounted to the rear subframe. Power is sent from the engine to the transaxle through a long torque tube hidden under a large tunnel in the interior. Riding on a 128-inch (3,251 mm) wheelbase, its front wheels measure 21 inches and 22 inches in the rear — large at that time. It was one of Chrysler's most popular concept vehicles and has proven popular enough to still make the occasional public appearance. The Atlantic's popularity has also allowed its ov
Under the skin
The engine is 4.0 L I8 based on 2x 2.0 L Chrysler Neon engines. Drive goes through a 4-speed transaxle 42LE. The layout matters: a front engine drives the rear wheels, the classic proportion — long bonnet, cabin set back — that most people picture when they picture a sports saloon or a grand tourer. The wheelbase is 128 in (3251 mm). These are manufacturer figures carried by Wikipedia and Wikidata, not road-test measurements.
In context
The cars a buyer would have weighed it against include the Honda CR-V, the BMW Z3, the Toyota Tacoma. Nearby in the Chrysler catalogue sit the Chrysler Falcon and the Chrysler Chronos.