DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler Group has taken the wraps off a tough but elegant four-passenger concept car that likely is a glimpse into the next generation of the company's blockbuster 300 sedan.

Chrysler will not say if the Nassau (top), revealed Monday at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, is the next generation of the car, but the company said it often tests reception to new designs at the show.

The company also unveiled the Jeep Trailhawk concept, a sleek new cross between the Wrangler and Grand Cherokee.

Both cars were rolled onto a stage with the backdrop of a little fog and the music of an African-style drum group. The company handed out small wooden drums to its executives and some journalists to play along.

Company officials would not say when or if the cars would come to market.

The Nassau, with a futuristic interior and a 6.1-liter, 425-horsepower Hemi V-8 engine, shares the same underpinnings as the 300. Like many new designs unveiled at the show, its hood and side have creases to break up large horizontal surfaces, said Tom Tremont, vice president of advanced design.

The car has a wide stance with its tires pushed to the edge of its fenders and Chrysler's distinctive grille.

Designers at the show would not say when the 300 is to be redesigned, but Tremont said concepts often are hints at future cars. "Our concept cars are always pretty authentic and have a big influence," he said.

"We'll see which ones play out," said Chief Executive Tom LaSorda.

The four-passenger Nassau might also turn into a new model that's smaller than the 300, said Sam Locricchio, a company spokesman.

It is another effort by Chrysler to push the design envelope in an effort to build another big hit, he said.

"We're willing to take that risk," he said. "There's folks out there that want that."

The concept also has a video screens in the back of both front-seat headrests.

Sales of the 300, introduced in March 2004, have recently started to slump. Chrysler sold 143,647 of the cars last year, down 0.3 percent from the previous year.