2007 Chrysler 300 Touring on 2040-cars

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Fiat Chrysler may build an AWD Pacifica minivan

Fiat Chrysler is reportedly considering building an all-wheel-drive variant of the Chrysler Pacifica as a salve for the minivan's flagging sales, especially in Canada, where it's built, and where the Dodge Grand Caravan is eating its lunch. Automotive News cites a ranking official with Unifor, Canada's autoworker union, and two anonymous sources familiar with the company's internal machinations. In addition, the outlet cites the CEO of AutoForecast Solutions, a consulting firm, who says his industry data show that FCA will begin production of an AWD Pacifica in the second quarter of 2020 at its plant in Windsor, Ontario. "It's going to help them with their leadership of the product," it quoted CEO Joe McCabe as saying. An FCA spokeswoman told Autoblog the company doesn't comment on speculation about future products. Pacifica sales have held relatively steady in the U.S. Full-year 2018 sales were a respectable 118,322, essentially flat with 2017, compared to 151,927 Grand Caravans, an increase of 21 percent. Sales through February of this year were down by 24 and 27 percent, respectively, but FCA says its share of the overall U.S. minivan market has nevertheless risen to 57.7 percent. But cross the Detroit River into Canada, FCA's second-largest market for minivans, and things don't look as rosy for the company's flagship minivan. There, the Grand Caravan in 2018 outsold the Pacifica by a 5-to-1 ratio, 32,253 to 5,999, which represented respective declines of 31 percent and 3 percent. Things haven't gotten any better in 2019, either, with Pacifica sales falling 55 percent through the first two months to 512 and Grand Caravan sales slipping 20 percent to 4,836. FCA's share of the Canadian minivan market was 59 percent at the end of 2018, the company says. Canada is known as the Great White North, after all, so it makes perfect sense that all-wheel drive is a popular sell there as a way to navigate the long, snowy winters. But there are questions about whether adding a rear driveshaft would affect the Pacifica's Stow 'n Go system, which allows users to fold the third-row seats into the floor to add cargo space. Chrysler in fact offered all-wheel drive versions of its minivans through 2004, when it first introduced the Stow 'n Go, AN reports.

Chrysler gets presidential in ads for 200 and 300

Many people are already tired of the candidates in the 2016 presidential race, but Chrysler's new spokesmen are two former Commanders-in-Chief that just about everyone can support – Martin Sheen and Bill Pullman. Sheen had Aaron Sorkin's writing to guarantee he always knew the right thing to say as President Josiah Bartlet on The West Wing, and Pullman fought an alien invasion from a fighter jet as president in Independence Day. Now, these former on-screen presidents help Chrysler sell the 300 and 200 in two new ads. American-est (above) lets Sheen go wild spouting meaningless patriotic aphorisms while slipping in references to the cars' features. Swerve (below) gets a little more directly political by joking about pandering to "nuts" on the fringe during the primary, but the actors still slide in a mention of the vehicles' safety tech. These spots might help Chrysler move a few more units of the 200 before the company impeaches the sedan from the lineup, and the automaker also promises more commercials with Sheen and Pullman in the coming months. We hope Pullman jokes about his fight against aliens in one of the future commercials. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. CHRYSLER PUTS ELECTION YEAR TWIST ON ITS NEW "PRESIDENTIAL" MARKETING CAMPAIGN FEATURING MARTIN SHEEN AND BILL PULLMAN Martin Sheen and Bill Pullman reprise presidential roles in series of television spots "Premium to the People" marketing campaign debuts just in time for President's Day Additional television spots in campaign series with Martin Sheen and Bill Pullman will be introduced in coming months Campaign's first two spots, "American-est" and "Swerve" feature both the Chrysler 200 and Chrysler 300 360-degree campaign to feature television, print, online, social and digital extensions February 15, 2016 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - The Chrysler brand is launching a new campaign, "Premium to the People," featuring actors Martin Sheen and Bill Pullman. The campaign will launch with two commercials – "American-est" and "Swerve" – both featuring the Chrysler 200 and Chrysler 300. A :60-second "American-est" will launch across online, in addition to the :30-second "Swerve" across both television and online, today, February 15 (President's Day). Additional television spots will roll out in the coming weeks and months. A :30-second version of "American-est" debuted across television on Sunday, February 14.

2022 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid loses base Touring trim, starts at $48,255

The Chrysler Voyager is going fleet-only for 2022 while the standard 2022 Pacifica picked up some price hikes and some gains and losses in the equipment department. Time to dish on the 2022 Pacifica Hybrid, which, unsurprisingly, follows the majority of the non-hybrid Pacifica template. Mopar Insiders got info on pricing for the revisions Chrysler made to the lineup. The most important change to the overall Pacifica range, according to MI, is that model and option rationalization leaves just 53 combinations instead of the previous 3,550. That's way more than the Honda Odyssey at just seven permutations, but well behind the Toyota Sienna that has 206. The 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 and its eFlite variable transmission don't change, nor does the inability to spec all-wheel drive. What does get added are the new rear-seat reminder and Clean Air Filtration system that Stellantis is sprinkling throughout all its models. That filtration unit captures 95% of particulates in the air including bacteria, allergens, and pollen. The color palette goes the same way as on the non-hybrid Pacifica, dropping from 10 free colors to seven with just three free. Only Bright White, Brilliant Black, and Ceramic Grey will be no charge. Granite Crystal and the new Silver Mist, which replaces Billet Silver, will cost $95. Fathom Blue and Velvet Red will cost $395.   Product planners pulled the AWD option on the non-hybrid Pacifica Touring. For the hybrid, the Touring trim gets pulled completely, and in fact, it's already happened for the end of 2021. That makes the Touring L the new base model, and it makes this year's optional $995 Safety Sphere Group standard equipment for next year. That installs features like ParkSense for front, parallel, and perpendicular parking, and a 360-degree surround view camera. Conversely, the roof rack and side sunshades won't come as standard equipment anymore. MI says next year's MSRP will be $48,255 after the $1,495 destination charge. Comparing that price to the MSRP on Chrysler's 2021 configurator, next year's van will bring a $1,840 increase over 2021.  Next year's Limited trim will add the $1,895 Premium and Safety Sphere Group as standard equipment. The package adds the parking aids from above as well as a 19-speaker Harman Kardon audio system with a 760-watt amplifier. There's a change up top, though, this trim giving up its three-pane sunroof for a dual-pane sunroof, as well as shedding the side sunshades.