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The mad genius of killing the Dodge Dart and Chrysler 200

Sergio Marchionne isn't crazy. At least not with respect to the recent announcement that Fiat Chrysler Automobiles will cease production of the Dodge Dart and Chrysler 200. Instead of crazy I'd call this CEO ruthlessly pragmatic, and perhaps short-sighted. The latest revisions to FCA's most recent five-year plan tell some truths about the company's finances. In other words, it can't afford to build mainstream sedans. With only 87,392 units sold in 2015, the Dart is an also-ran in the segment. The axe falls easily there - Chrysler hasn't had a compact-car hit since the second-generation Neon. The 200 isn't so cut and dried: Last year sales increased 52 percent, and the 177,889 total for 2015 is more than those for the Subaru Legacy and Kia Optima. But looking at the overall FCA picture the Chrysler 200 has to go, at least from a short-term perspective. The vehicles that make big money – Ram trucks; Jeep's Cherokee, Grand Cherokee, and Wrangler – can't be made fast enough. FCA can't afford to idle the 200's Sterling Heights, MI, assembly plant to cut back on inventory when other plants are running flat out. It seems crazy to throw away 265,000 sales, but FCA is leaving money on the table by not building more profitable vehicles. The Wirecutter's Senior Autos Editor (and former Autoblogger) John Neff agrees. "As bold as it looks from the outside, he's really making a safe bet that their money is better spent on designing better and building more crossovers and trucks. He's probably right about that." But according to Jessica Caldwell, Executive Director of Strategic Analytics at Edmunds, "FCA's strategy of eliminating the Dart and 200 might be short-sighted if gas prices were to rise and Americans, once again, flocked to small vehicles. FCA must have plans to expand the lineup of small SUVs and position them as small-car alternatives in terms of price and fuel efficiency for this strategy to make sense." FCA's latest announcement focuses mainly on the profitable brands and nameplates. There's hardly a mention of Chrysler, Dodge, or Fiat. And future planning is where the plot holes appear. This realignment cuts dead weight from the product portfolio, but FCA's latest announcement focuses mainly on the profitable brands and nameplates. There's hardly a mention of Chrysler, Dodge, or Fiat. So what's Sergio up to? David Sullivan of AutoPacific thinks Marchionne is still looking for another CEO to hug.

2017 Chrysler Pacifica isn't your parents' Town & Country [w/video]

I'm sick of people hating on minivans. There's something about two incredibly functional sliding doors that give people this idea that they've given up, and given in to family life. But if the van you see here had two fixed rear doors, and maybe an extra inch of ride height, it'd be gobbled up like mad as part of the growing crossover craze. So yes, the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica – that's right, Pacifica – is a minivan. But it's so packed full of features, technology, and functionality, that you really ought to look past those sliding doors. There promises to be an incredibly rewarding vehicle within. The 2017 Pacifica rides on an all-new platform, but dimensionally, it's similar to the outgoing Town & Country. That whole "ugh, minivans" thing is one of the reasons why Chrysler decided to axe the Town & Country name for 2017. Simply put, the target customers for the new minivan (young parents) would have grown up in their parents' Town & Country vans (or Caravans, or Voyagers...) in the 1980s. Three decades later, FCA wants to make it absolutely clear that this isn't just your parents' minivan. Why it chose to bring back the name of a lackluster part of its mid-2000s history, though, is anyone's guess. The 2017 Pacifica rides on an all-new platform, but dimensionally, it's similar to the outgoing Town & Country. It's a tenth of an inch shorter in length, about an inch wider, and roughly half an inch taller. The body itself looks great – influence from the 200 sedan is obvious up front, and around back in the taillights, and top-trim models can be had with 20-inch wheels – a big change from the old van, which topped out with 17-inch rolling stock. There's big weight-savings here, too – the Pacifica tips the scales at 4,330 pounds in base spec, which is over 300 pounds less than the Town & Country. Inside, it's more of the same from Chrysler. The interior design uses language brought up from the 200, and the different color and material choices look really rich, especially in Limited Premium trim. Of course, I'll wait to make final judgments on the cabin until I see it in base cloth spec, rife with kid fingerprints and french fries ground into the carpets. Up front, the Uconnect 8.4-inch touchscreen houses familiar infotainment functionality, and for backseat passengers, there's a new Uconnect Theater system, with a pair of 10-inch touchscreen displays.

2020 Chrysler Pacifica pricing set: Here's how Voyager and Pacifica lineups compare

Fiat-Chrysler shooed the irritant Dodge Grand Caravan out of the product mix for cannibalizing Pacifica sales, then created the Voyager to lure minivan buyers who need an inexpensive minivan fix across the lot. The 2020 Voyager L and LX, which replace the entry-level Pacifica L and Pacifica LX, costs $250 less than the respective 2019 Pacifica models. Chrysler's held the line on the starter Pacifica pricing while revamping the trim arrangement. For 2020, the Pacifica Touring becomes the base retail Pacifica model, and the Touring Plus goes away. Cars Direct has found that the 2020 minivan in base Touring trim will cost $34,990 after a $1,495 destination fee. That's the same price as the 2019 Touring Plus. Let's explain the trims before we get to the rest of the pricing, because it's a little funky. In 2019, the trim steps went Pacifica L, LX, fleet-only Touring, Touring Plus, Touring L, Touring L Plus, and Limited. Those first three iterations have become Voyagers L, LX, and LXi — the fleet-only 2019 Pacifica Touring has been replaced by the fleet-only 2020 Voyager LXi. So we'll recap the entire price lineup to make it clearer: Voyager L, $28,480 ($250 less than the 2019 Pacifica L) Voyager LX, $31,290 ($250 less than the 2019 Pacifica LX) Voyager LXi (fleet), $34,490 ($500 less than the now-retired, fleet-only 2019 Pacifica Touring) Pacifica Touring, $34,990 (Same price as the now-retired 2019 Pacifica Plus) Pacifica Touring L, $38,240 ($50 less than in 2019) Pacifica Touring L 35th Anniversary, $40,230 ($75 less than in 2019) Pacifica Touring L Plus, $41,040 ($100 less than in 2019) Pacifica Touring L Plus 35th Anniversary, $42,335 ($225 less than in 2019) Pacifica Limited, $45,940 ($250 less than in 2019) Pacifica Limited 35th Anniversary, $46,735 ($150 less than in 2019) Now that Fiat-Chrysler's rationalized the offerings, the absence of advanced technology features on the Voyager trims won't surprise anyone. Voyager infotainment begins and ends with the seven-inch Uconnect touchscreen; the larger 8.4-inch screen is forbidden. The Voyager LXi becomes the fleet model, sparing the Pacifica nameplate that ignominy. Driver assistance tech in Voyagers will be limited to the cost-extra rear park assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross traffic detection. Adaptive cruise control and autonomous braking aren't offered. If you want those, you have to shift up to the Pacifica Touring, which can add them with the $995 Advanced Safetytec Group.