2013 Chrysler Town & Country Touring on 2040-cars

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Are Chrysler's Stow 'N Go seats really that great?

Are Chrysler's Stow 'N Go seats really such a great thing? Seriously, I'm asking. Do owners of the Chrysler Pacifica, as well as the Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country before it, actually use the innovative functionality that see the second-row captain's chairs fold away into the floor? Frankly, I've always had my doubts. Car reviewers have long sung Stow 'N Go's praises, impressed with the ability to quickly turn the minivan from people carrier to work van. You'll frequently read mentions of needing to move sheets of plywood or treadmills or their kids' entire dorm room. Doing so is without question far easier when you can quickly make the second-row seats disappear as opposed to giving yourself a hernia lifting the things out and storing them in the garage – if removing them is even possible at all. Except here's the thing. We car reviewers have borrowed that van for the purpose of moving whatever it is we needed to move. Maybe the van in question is a long-term test vehicle like our old Pacifica Hybrid, maybe it's the more typical weeklong test loan. Either way, this is not a typical use case. The van is being considered more for its cargo-carrying abilities than its people-carrying abilities, and I just don't think that's representative of the typical minivan owner. Further to that point, the Stow 'N Go seats' flipping and folding capability might be great for versatility, but it makes for less comfortable seats. Although they have definitely improved in the 15-plus years since they were introduced, the Pacifica's Stow 'N Go seats remain thinner and flatter than the typical captain's chair. One can deduce that even Chrysler is aware of this as a downside. You see, the Pacifica Hybrid does not have Stow 'N Go seats since the giant underfloor hole they stow and go into is full of batteries. Instead, it has second-row captain's chairs  that don't seem to be discernibly different from those up front – they're far more comfortable. You can see the difference in the pictures above, with the gas-only Pacifica in red and the Hybrid in blue. I'm therefore left with the question: Would you rather have a far more comfortable seat, or an improved ability to carry some plywood? Considering the second-row designs of rival vans, it would seem that market research for Honda, Toyota and Kia isn't skewing in the direction of plywood. Much like the rest of the automotive industry, the minivan segment is rife for copy-catting.

Dodge Hellcat orders on hold due to 'unprecedented demand'

Want to get your hands on a 707-horsepower Dodge Challenger or Charger Hellcat to call your very own? We don't blame you, and you're not alone. According to Motor Authority and confirmed by a spokesperson from Chrysler, Dodge has gotten so many orders for its stable of Hellcats that it simply cannot keep up with demand: "Due to unprecedented demand for the 2015 Dodge Charger and Challenger SRT Hellcats, we are temporarily restricting orders while we validate current orders that are in the system." Put another way, if you're waiting for a Hellcat, your wait is likely to be a lot longer than you'd like. We've reached out to Chrysler to find out how long it might take for a new customer to get a new Hellcat, and we'll update if and when we hear back. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat View 88 Photos News Source: Motor Authority Chrysler Dodge Car Buying Ownership Coupe Performance Sedan dodge hellcat dodge challenger hellcat dodge charger hellcat autoblog black

2015 Chrysler 200 production gets underway [w/videos]

Chrysler announced recently that it has added some 800 new jobs at its Sterling Heights Assembly Plant (SHAP) to support the production of its all-new 2015 Chrysler 200 sedan. Total employment at the Sterling Heights, MI plant grows to almost 2,800 with the hires, an impressive figure for a plant that was slated for closure in 2010.
Speaking to a crowd of employees and community leaders, Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne was on hand to celebrate the kick-off of 200 production last week. "We're making a big bet on its success," said Marchionne of the sedan, "we've invested nearly a billion dollars in this facility."
That billion-dollar bill has been used to construct a spanking new paint shop, install a new body shop and install "machinery, tooling and material-handling equipment" according to the Chrysler press release. The company says that SHAP now runs to nearly five million square feet of manufacturing space - loads of room for all the new employees to do their thing - and that the facility can handle multiple vehicles on two unique architectures.