BUSINESS : Chrysler Looks Again at Rear Wheel

Chrysler Corp., which based its recovery from near-bankruptcy on a series of front-wheel-drive products, said today it is considering a return to rear-wheel drive in some car models because of American consumers’ changing tastes.

Chrysler’s vice president for engineering, Francois Castaing, said the auto maker cannot ignore the trend back to buyers’ preference for rear-wheel drive in sporty and large cars. Castaing said no decision has been on when it will reintroduce the rear-wheel drive, but he said the cost of changing cars from front- to rear-wheel drive will not be significant.