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SRT belatedly claims Plymouth Prowler as one of its own

Before Chrysler had Street and Racing Technology, it had Performance Vehicle Operations. What the two entities have in common, before SRT became its own brand, of course, is that each was created to take Chrysler and Dodge (and Plymouth, before it was unceremoniously killed off) vehicles to the next level of style and performance.
We'll leave the question of whether or not the old Plymouth (and later Chrysler) Prowler was ultimately a stylish, performance-oriented car to you, but the boys and girls currently leading the SRT charge at the Pentastar headquarters are keen to accept the retro-rod into the fold.
According to the automaker, all of SRT's current high-performance models owe a debt of gratitude to the old Prowler, due mostly to that car's use of lightweight bits and pieces and innovative construction techniques. If nothing else, the fact that the Prowler's frame is "the largest machined automotive part in history" is pretty cool. Read all the details here.

Detroit automakers gain market share simultaneously for first time in 20 years

While monthly sales figures might be an easy way of tracking the progression of the auto industry and individual automakers, looking at market share might be more indicative of how each company is actually standing up against its competitors. For the Detroit Three automakers, they have collectively lost almost 30 percent of the market over the last 20 years, but now, for the first time since 1993, Ford, General Motors and Chrysler have each posted market share gains at the same time.
According to Automotive News, Ford's share increased the most by 0.7 percent, GM was up 0.5 percent and Chrysler rose marginally by 0.2 percent, giving the Detroit automakers a total market share of 45.6 percent. As for the Japan's Big Three, the article reports that Toyota is up by 0.7 percent, Nissan is down the same amount and Honda has seen "little change."

The 2017 Pacifica Hybrid is finally heading to dealers after delays

Did you order a Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid some time ago? Chances are you might be getting it soon-ish. Production of the hybrid Pacificas started way back in December, but for an undisclosed reason FCA chose not to ship the finished cars to dealers. It hints of a hitch somewhere in the production, but perhaps it's best for the manufacturer to get the cars right the first time rather than face customer wrath. Detroit Free Press says the minivans started shipping to dealers on Monday, after months of delays, and that there have been 700 orders for the Pacifica Hybrid by April 7th. As a FCA representative said to DFP: "As with all launches, but particularly in the case of this technically advanced vehicle, we are taking great care to ensure that the Pacifica Hybrid comes off the line with the highest quality possible. We will only introduce a vehicle when we are fully satisfied the vehicle meets or exceeds customer expectations." FCA hasn't disclosed how many of the delayed hybrids have been shipped. Any customer who has ordered a Pacifica Hybrid before March 30 th is eligible for either a Visa gift card worth $500 or a 240-volt Level 2 charger, which should charge the van's li-ion batteries in two hours. The Pacifica Hybrid is the first plug-in hybrid vehicle in its class, and it reportedly has a range of 566 miles, returning 84 mpg. Related Video: News Source: Detroit Free PressImage Credit: FCA Chrysler Minivan/Van