1996 Chrysler Sebring Jxi Convertible 2-door 2.5l on 2040-cars

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2020 Chrysler Pacifica Red S Edition demands plenty of green

Chrysler has added a Red S Edition package to the Pacifica range for the 2020 model year. The equipment group is available on the gasoline-powered and hybrid variants of the minivan, and the package punts Chrysler's family-hauler into luxury-car territory. On sale now, the Pacifica Red S Edition commands a $3,995 premium over the Limited trim it's based on. In other words, buyers need to spend at least $49,935 once a mandatory $1,495 destination charge enters the equation, while selecting the hybrid powertrain likely pushes the bottom line beyond the $50,000 threshold (the package has not yet been priced for the hybrid model). This figure makes the Pacifica Red S Edition one of the most expensive minivans available in the United States. Chrysler rewards buyers willing to spend luxury-car money on one of its minivans with two-tone, Rodeo Red and black Nappa leather upholstery with Light Diesel Grey contrast stitching and piping (diesel fuel is not grey, if you're wondering), S logos stitched into the seat backs, and silver trim on the dashboard and the door panels. Outside, the Red S Edition builds on the S Appearance package with black and red emblems, a red S logo on the tailgate, and 20-inch alloy wheels finished in black, though note the Pacifica Hybrid settles for 18-inchers in the name of maximizing fuel economy. Buyers have six colors to choose from, including one called Ceramic Grey Clear Coat that joins the range for 2020. The Red S-spec Pacifica also comes standard with a Harman Kardon sound system that plays through 20 speakers, KeySense (which is essentially a teen driver key), and Advanced SafetyTec, which includes features such as a 360-degree-view camera, adaptive cruise control with stop and go, automatic high beams, park assist, and rain-sensing wipers, among other items. There are no mechanical changes to report, nor does the Pacifica Red S channel its inner Testarossa with a red valve cover. It carries on with Chrysler's venerable 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 rated at a stout 287 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. The six spins the front wheels via a nine-speed automatic transmission.

Chrysler honors Arsenal of Democracy's 75th anniversary

The Allied victory in World War II wouldn't have been possible without the Arsenal of Democracy. This phrase, originally coined by President Franklin D. Roosevelt 75 years ago today, described the war-time transformation of US manufacturing, especially the auto industry, to produce tanks and planes instead of cars and trucks. One of the earliest purpose-built facilities was the Albert Kahn-designed Detroit Arsenal, located in suburban Warren, MI, literally across the street from the future site of the General Motors Technical Center. Built by Uncle Sam, the plant churned out M3 Grant and M4 Sherman tanks with frightening speed, but it wouldn't have been possible without Chrysler. The company (which is ironically now allied to a former supplier of Nazi Germany and fascist Italy) operated the plant and applied automotive mass-production techniques to producing the government-designed tanks. The plant was so successful, according to Fiat Chrysler historian Brandt Rosenbusch, that it singlehandedly outpaced the entire Third Reich's tank production by 5,000 units over the course of the war. The Detroit Arsenal was also responsible for a quarter of all American tank production during the war. And like so many wartime factories, women formed a large percentage of the workforce, as men were drafted out of assembly work and into the armed forces. Chrysler has commemorated the 75th anniversary of the Arsenal of Democracy speech with a video on the Detroit Arsenal and its role there. And as for the site today? It built tanks up until 1997, and still serves as the home of the US Army's TACOM (Tank-automotive and Armaments Command) Life Cycle Management Command, a major site for tank research and development. News Source: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles via YouTube Chrysler Military Classics Videos FCA warren

Marchionne says electric Maserati may debut by 2019

Ask Sergio Marchionne's opinion on the prospects of making a profit on producing electric-vehicle versions of Fiats or Chryslers, and he's likely to shoot the concept down. Bring that price point up into Maserati range, though? That apparently may be in the works, according to Bloomberg News. The famously EV-averse Marchionne says the company may start work on an electric vehicle for its hoped-for Maserati Alfieri model. Additionally, a hybrid version of the Maserati Levante SUV may also be developed during the next few years. The EV may be available by 2019, while the hybrid may start sales shortly thereafter. Meanwhile, Fiat may also be working on an electric city car, which would be its first in Europe. The key, of course, is the price point. The Maserati brand means that a new EV may be a legitimate competitor to Tesla Motors because such a badge could approach the $100,000 threshold where the Tesla competes. Marchionne has long professed that it's nearly impossible to make money on electric vehicles. Earlier this month, Marchionne, speaking with UK's Car magazine, suggested that Tesla Motors is the best example of this theory, because, for all the demand for and growth of the California-based company, Tesla has never made an annual profit. And while the Fiat 500e electric vehicle has been feted for its style and performance, Marchionne has always insisted that the model was produced strictly to comply with California's zero-emissions policy, and that the company loses about $10,000 on each 500e it sells. Related Video: Green Chrysler Fiat Electric Sergio Marchionne