Chrysler May Finally Get the Attention It Deserves
Despite being one of the most historic car brands around, Chrysler has been going through it lately. The storied American automaker currently only sells two minivan models, but parent company Stellantis hasn’t given up on the Chrysler name just yet. Design boss Ralph Gilles said Chrysler is “ripe for a new chapter,” noting that it will be revamped to draw in “brand-new conquest customers.”
Gilles told Automotive News, “I think it’s time for us to pivot. We’re going to try. We’re going to experiment with the brand. There is an unserved part of our portfolio in our showroom that our dealers have identified that we can maybe serve with Chrysler, so we’re in the process of experimenting.”
Chrysler was initially targeted to become an all-electric brand by 2028, but that is no longer in the cards. Gilles said new Chrysler models would rely on Stellantis’ STLA Medium and Large platforms, which can support a range of propulsion options, including gas and electric. The automaker also recently got a new design studio to help push it forward, and executives have confirmed that an early model from the studio will be an updated version of the now-decade-old Pacifica minivan.
All of this is a slight reversal from former Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares’ statement before his resignation, in which he said the brand had just a few years to right the ship. New Chrysler models could arrive with Stellantis’ newer Hurricane six-cylinder engines or the venerable Hemi V8, as Ram is reviving the engine in 2026, which could trickle down to other Stellantis brands soon.
[Images: Chrysler]
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Chris grew up in, under, and around cars, but took the long way around to becoming an automotive writer. After a career in technology consulting and a trip through business school, Chris began writing about the automotive industry as a way to reconnect with his passion and get behind the wheel of a new car every week. He focuses on taking complex industry stories and making them digestible by any reader. Just don’t expect him to stay away from high-mileage Porsches.
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Bow down before the one you serve,
You're going to get what you deserve.
I would love to see Chrysler come back but this is starting to sound like Infiniti where a new product is always just around the corner. But Infiniti's two remaining vehicles are 1 and 4 years old, Chrysler's is almost 10! (though it still sells better).
The only real option is probably going upmarket in a 4-1 light truck vs car market and with Jeep where do you go? As Car Wars said we may already be at peak crossover. So they may have to bet on a new 300, the van and maybe like a full-size upscale crossover?