2007 Chrysler 300 Touring on 2040-cars

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2017 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid scored 84 MPGe in government testing

The 2017 Chrysler Pacific, in non-hybrid form, was already at the top of the minivan heap in terms of EPA-rated fuel economy. Now the government agency has released its official test numbers for the Pacifica Hybrid, and they're looking pretty good. The non-hybrid Pacifica achieved 28 highway, 18 city, and 22 combined miles per gallon, which compared favorably to the 2016 Honda Odyssey's 28/19/22 and Nissan Quest's 27/20/23 ratings. You can read more about the regular Pacifica's scores right here. But none of these vans compare to the Pacifica Hybrid, which is incidentally the only hybrid in the class. FCA claims that the EPA's numbers are even better than the anticipated 80 MPGe, although we can't speak to whether that's an honest admission or a too-convenient claim. But there's no denying that the official rating – 84 MPGe – is impressive. If you aren't familiar with the MPGe rating, no worries. It's not as straightforward as conventional EPA MPG ratings, but a layperson can understand how it works. MPGe stands for miles per gallon equivalent, and measures fuel economy based on the energy content of a gallon of petroleum-based gasoline. For those who like formulas, the Automotive X Prize once defined MPGe as (miles driven) / [(total energy of all fuels consumed)/(energy of one gallon of gasoline)]). As for a conventional rating, the EPA only provides a combined city/highway number on the Monroney sticker, and an FCA spokesperson told us that the rating for the Pacifica Hybrid will be 32 MPG. This represents the hybrid working as normal, not in EV-only mode. It's also an improvement of almost 10 MPG over the combined ratings of the top three conventional minivans in the segment, including the non-hybrid Pacifica. Range is also fantastic. The EPA rated the total EV-only range as 33 miles, and the overall combined range at a staggering 566 miles. And that's from a fuel tank that's just 17 gallons (compared to the 19-gallon tank in the conventional Pacifica, which nets it a 418-mile EPA-rated range). FCA is going to extraordinary lengths to credit its eFlite transmission-generator unit, which can supply electric power to the front wheels if necessary. It's a piece of equipment that represents a substantial engineering investment, and apparently that's all paid off. Chrysler tells us that the Pacifica Hybrid will go on sale next month, and that dealers will get more volume in Q1. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party.

Ford F-150 bumps Camry from top of Cars.com American Made Index

With July 4th just around the corner, what better time could there be for Cars.com to announce that the Ford F-150 is the Most American car of 2013? This may be especially true since it was the Toyota Camry, a car produced by a company based in Japan, that had held the top spot from 2009 to 2012.
Cars.com compiles its Most American list by considering the amount of parts each vehicle uses that come from America, where it's final assembly takes place and how many units per year are sold. "While the assembly point and domestic parts content of the F-150 didn't change from 2012-2013, vehicle sales are responsible for bumping the F-150 to the top spot," according to Patrick Olsen, Editor-in-Chief of Cars.com.
As far as automakers go (as opposed to individual models), Toyota retains the top spot it held in 2012, with General Motors, Chrysler, Ford and Honda (in that order) rounding out the list. The motivation behind this list each year, according to Olsen, is "to help car shoppers understand that 'American-Made' extends beyond just the Detroit three" and because "a study we conducted in 2012 indicated that 25 percent of shoppers surveyed preferred to buy American."

Last call for Chrysler 300C, Dodge Charger, Challenger: Get your orders in by July 31

We’ve known for a while that the Dodge Challenger and Charger, along with the Chrysler 300C, were going away, and we now have a production end date for the long-running trio of big cars. Earlier this week, we learned that the order books for all three will close at the end of July, ahead of closing production at the end of the year. The 300C has been around since the 2005 model year and has been on sale relatively unchanged since 2011. Chrysler has updated the powertrain choices and technology over the years, but the car we see on sale today is nearly identical to the car we first saw when President George W. Bush was in office. Though it shares a platform and some underlying engineering with the Dodge Charger and Challenger, Chrysler hasnÂ’t gone to the lengths that Dodge did to give the 300C a proper sendoff. Dodge pulled out all the stops with its large cars, offering a series of “Last Call” models highlighting the carsÂ’ power and history. That said, Chrysler did release a limited-production 300C for 2023 that offers a 6.4-liter Hemi V8. ItÂ’s held to 2,000 units and doesnÂ’t have the swagger that DodgeÂ’s cars bring, but there are a few reasons to be excited about the final 300C. With 485 horsepower and 475 pounds of torque on tap, the car can reach 60 from a standstill in 4.3 seconds and run the quarter mile in 12.4 seconds. Those are serious numbers for any car, let alone one that feels like a Barcalounger on wheels. Other upgrades for the final 300C include a 3.09 limited-slip differential, an active exhaust system, and active suspension. If the 300C speaks to you in a way that other rolling sofas donÂ’t, itÂ’s likely too late to grab a limited-production car, but Chrysler is offering the standard 300 — for now.