2001 Chrysler 300m on 2040-cars

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Chrysler 300 could become an electric sedan for 2026

Australian outlet Drive says it got eyes on "insider information" that revealed Chrysler has an electric sedan in development. As has been practice for the Pentastar since long before Stellantis, this Chrysler four-door would be the platform sibling of an electric Dodge sedan, the Dodge version to arrive sometime in 2024, the Chrysler variant about two years later. Nothing in the documents identified the EV sedan as a replacement for the 300, but Drive lays out a trail of circumstantial evidence that points to this conclusion. The documents say the vehicles will run 800-volt electrical architectures, thought to mean they'll also get the most powerful versions of Stellantis' new electric motors making anywhere from 201 to 443 horsepower. And because of that, Drive expects these products to use the STLA Large platform, the platform an electric 300 would sit on. Chrysler's working up a range of new products as part of the numerous brand resets Stellantis committed to. In January, Chrysler CEO Christine Feuell told Automotive News the coming portfolio "will include a number of brand-new products that don't exist today, but also products that are still playing in segments that we're in already," calling out the fact that Chrysler only plays in the large sedan and minivan segments. Then she said, "Our intention is to redefine products for those segments, and they're certainly going to be a vast departure from what's in market today."  The automaker's first EV is expected to be the Airflow, teased during the Stellantis EV day last summer before being debuted at CES in January. With Dodge already making a muscle car, turning that into a product for Chrysler seems like a no-brainer. Thing is, Drive's information and Feuell's comments could be applied to the Airflow. It's on the STLA Large platform, will pack two motors producing a combined 402 hp, and fit a battery capable of juicing a 400-mile range. As far as we can tell, Chrysler has never called it a crossover yet. Not that the nomenclature would matter anyway, since any model name with brand equity can be turned into any other kind of vehicle (see: Aspen, Blazer, Maverick, et al). The Airflow name on an EV makes a logical tie to the original Airflow produced from 1937 to 1940, that original car so named because of its aerodynamic features. But if the Airflow EV hit the market as the new 300, we couldn't say we hadn't seen that trick before.

Chrysler recalling 630k Jeep models worldwide

Despite its refusal to recall 2.7 million Jeep Grand Cherokee and Liberty models this week over a gas tank fire risk, Chrysler will be recalling 630,000 Jeep Compass (pictured), Patriot and Wrangler vehicles around the globe for a pair of entirely different reasons.
The affected Compass and Patriot models are all from the 2010 to 2012 model years - 254,000 in the United States, 45,400 in Canada and 109,000 elsewhere in the world. In these models, a software error may result in the late deployment of the side airbags and seatbelt tensioners. In the event of a crash, failure of these systems could result in more serious injuries for the vehicle's occupants.
Jeep's go-anywhere Wrangler also faces a separate recall due to power steering fluid lines that can possibly wear a hole in the transmission oil cooler line. According to Chrysler, the vehicles could then leak fluid, possibly damaging the transmissions. Roughly 221,100 Wrangler models are being recalled because of this issue, all of which are fitted with Jeep's 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine. In the US, 181,000 vehicles are affected, with an additional 18,400 in Canada and 21,700 additional units worldwide. A Chrysler spokesperson said that no crashes or injuries have been reported with either case, according to the Associated Press.

Chrysler de Mexico to sell rebadged Mitsubishi model in shades of Colt deal

Chrysler and Mitsubishi have had a close relationship since the early '70s. Back then, they partnered up to sell the Japanese brand's models under American names as captive imports in the US. Vehicles like the Dodge Colt, Eagle Summit, and eventually the 3000GT/Stealth twins and lots of other cars and trucks became the fruits of that alliance. In fact, the two companies still maintain a good rapport, as evidenced by reports of a new deal to sell the Mitsubishi Attrage, also known the Mirage G4, in Mexico starting in November.
The Attrage is a small, four-door sedan that borrows many of the mechanical bits from the Mitsubishi Mirage hatchback. According to Automotive News, the deal allows Chrysler to sell the model in Mexico for the next five years. The deal could be a win-win for both companies. Mitsubishi gets to use more capacity at its Laem Chabang, Thailand factory where the car is made, and Chrysler gets a new vehicle for a growing market with almost zero development costs. At this time, there's no indication of the new model's name in Mexico, though.
There's also still a chance the Attrage might make it to the US market as well. The automaker showed off the sedan as the Mirage G4 at the 2014 Montreal Motor Show ahead of promised sales in small-car-friendly Canada. The Mirage hatchback was introduced to the US in a similar way, debuting in Canada first and then crossing the border. While reviews for the Mirage have been pretty atrocious, it would still be interesting to see Mitsubishi further expanding its lineup in North America.