What’s Going On with the Chrysler Brand?

What’s Going On with the Chrysler Brand?​

A Legacy at 100, But What's Next?​

Chrysler is turning 100 on June 6, 2025, yet there has been little fanfare surrounding this milestone. Once a cornerstone of American automotive innovation, the brand has been reduced to just one vehicle in its lineup—the Chrysler Pacifica—two if you count the budget-friendly Voyager (Grand Caravan in Canada). While other Stellantis brands, such as Dodge, Jeep®, and Ram, continue introducing new models and performance variants, Chrysler remains in limbo with no significant updates.

What's Going On with the Chrysler Brand?

Chrysler is turning 100 on June 6, 2025, yet there has been little fanfare surrounding this milestone. Once a cornerstone of American automotive innovation, the brand has been reduced to just one vehicle in its lineup—the Chrysler Pacifica—two if you count the budget-friendly Voyager (Grand...

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[Ala]

Honestly it’s time to pull the plug on the Alfa Fiat experiment (and Feuell) and get some Chrysler models on the market NOW! No more promises from Stella. Either produce or sell the company to a car-maker that knows what they are doing!

 

[Mike201]

Maybe the big announcement and unveiling of new products will be June 6, 2025! We can only hope this has been the best kept secrets in Detroit!!!!

 

[bill burke]

Time to call on Feuell to give the public something more concrete than what she has so far. How about specifics, maybe even a computer rendering of what’s coming. I doubt this is secretive, it’s a sign of poor leadership and a lack of direction and the after effects of Tavares. It’s a poker hand without even a pair of deuces. If you got something, it’s time to give us specifics. Is the SUV a Cherokee spin off? Will we get a sedan or a hatchback 300 replacement? How about a halo coupe or convertible? Will we get ICE or hybrid.? It’s way past time. Show ‘em or fold ‘em.

 

[cygnus]

Chrysler should be the only brand in the portfolio that has EVs. The EV Charger is a flop and the EV Wagoneer S is a flop. The Recon EV will also be a flop. Dodge and Jeep owners do not want full BEV.

It would have been unique for Chrysler to have its own unique BEV offerings for STLA Large, with uniquely design interior and infotainment.

By the way, what I’ve described is essentially what GM has done with Cadillac.

 

[1960D500]

It’s almost comforting that they didn’t bring out anything new that will most likely would of been a complete flop, especially an EV.

I think the brand needs new leadership and vision to get back to main stream, they could look back on there historical successes but really need to be innovative and different than the competition.

With the new emission regs coming in and the ones that have been revised by Trumps team it’s a good opertunity to go big, and focus on North Americas needs.

Start with an Ice version of the new Charger and go from there.

 

[JBerd]

Chrysler could be turned around in 18-24 months with leadership. This was an iconic brand and Stellantis has basically forgotten about it. Has anyone noticed that all the European brands are all updated and the NA brands that keep the company going, have been neglected.

 

[TripleT]

Honestly it’s time to pull the plug on the Alfa Fiat experiment (and Feuell) and get some Chrysler models on the market NOW! No more promises from Stella. Either produce or sell the company to a car-maker that knows what they are doing!

CDJRF is already how the Fiat brand is sold, and only model at the Moment is the 500E

Alfa has a unique Dealership network you just can't pull the plug and is more often than not part of CDJR. Alfa has no commonality with Chrysler NONE.

 

[TripleT]

Chrysler could be turned around in 18-24 months with leadership. This was an iconic brand and Stellantis has basically forgotten about it. Has anyone noticed that all the European brands are all updated and the NA brands that keep the company going, have been neglected.

Is it really? Most of Chryslers "Iconic" history is of being a Trim Level of Dodges and Plymouths.

Founded as repurposed Maxwell.

As for EU brands getting attention... REALLY? Basicaslly it is all the same old car with different Coachwork. Lancia has been ignored for over a decade, Fiats best selling car didn't get an ICE model. Opel is just plainer versions of Peugeot. Vauxhall the same. Citroen ugly versions sort stuff. So not sure that is correct assestment.

 

[redriderbob]

Honestly it’s time to pull the plug on the Alfa Fiat experiment (and Feuell) and get some Chrysler models on the market NOW! No more promises from Stella. Either produce or sell the company to a car-maker that knows what they are doing!

I couldn't agree more.

 

[TripleT]

I couldn't agree more.

How do you pull the plug on Alfa... Understand they are mostly untethered dealership agreements? Mostly part of luxury brand networks.

Explain it to me. As an Alfa owner. or as a dealership owner. Are we advocating as rebranding as Chrysler?

I think they are 2 distinct issues, I still don't understand where Chrysler fits in today's Near Luxury definition that now overlaps more with Jeep than any other STLA brand.

Do you actually make lower margin Jeeps with Chrysler on them just to support a brand that historically is LOW volume anyway. Alfa is more aligned with Dodge.

There is no Plymouth to have a fancy version of.

I don't know the action I thought it was to take on Tesla... which I still think is a good idea. 4th best selling car in USA and #1 in the world.

 

[cygnus]

Alfa and Chrysler could be the coachworked hybrid STLA Large brands. If you really want to push the needle, they could be series hybrid brands. Skip BEV and just do series hybrid and MHEV.

Alfa brings nothing to the table for STLA Medium and under - already covered by Peugeot, Citroen, and Opel. So again - put Alfa and Chrysler on STLA Large and give them series hybrids and MHEV. Let the Jeep Compass be the only non STLA Large to be sold in the US. This company does not have the chops to compete in very competitive, high volume low margin segments. "A man has to know his limitations". There is only much attention and resources to distribute.

I can't begin to tell you how disastrous the Product Planning and Strategy was under Tavares. It will take a decade to fully unwind, unfortunately. You can maybe untangle it starting with 2028 MY and beyond.

 

[cygnus]

The investment for STLA Large BEV should be totally written off and replaced with series hybrid on STLA Large, for 2028 MY and beyond.

Let Europe pay for pure BEV on STLA Medium. Let Alfa and Chrysler have series hybrid on STLA Large.

 

[RustyPickup]

Cadillac is not an exclusive EV brand, nor does it have plans to become exclusively EV.

GM is using Cadillac as a showcase of their state of the art luxury EVs, yet not forsaking teafitional customers who want no part of coal powered, privacy violating vehicles

Stelantis should do the same, launch a high content luxury EV, but also offer users ICE/hybrid luxury vehicles as they did in the past. All new Chrysler vehicles should have the dramatic styling and content formula like Cadillac, but across the whole line - not to savage aales, but to offer such things as unique lighting systems, panoramic dashboards, driver assist system, full length sunroofs etc to ICE/hybrids as well to draw a diverse set of customers. Also use familiar names, like 300, Concorde, New Yorker, Town and Country and Sebring to help bring customers in as opposed of beat names with no resonance.

EVs are NOT for everyone and true interchangeability to OCE/hybrid is still far away. Chrysler could distinguish itself ftom other luxury manufacturers by offering dramatic content across the entire line of new models, not just EVs (hedging financial bets as well).

 

[cygnus]

Cadillac is absolutely a 95% BEV brand in North America as of the 2027 MY. The only exception to this the ICE Escalade.

2026 MY is the last MY for the XT5, XT6, CT4, and CT5.

China will still have Cadillac ICE.

 

[TripleT]

Cadillac is not an exclusive EV brand, nor does it have plans to become exclusively EV.

GM is using Cadillac as a showcase of their state of the art luxury EVs, yet not forsaking teafitional customers who want no part of coal powered, privacy violating vehicles

Stelantis should do the same, launch a high content luxury EV, but also offer users ICE/hybrid luxury vehicles as they did in the past. All new Chrysler vehicles should have the dramatic styling and content formula like Cadillac, but across the whole line - not to savage aales, but to offer such things as unique lighting systems, panoramic dashboards, driver assist system, full length sunroofs etc to ICE/hybrids as well to draw a diverse set of customers. Also use familiar names, like 300, Concorde, New Yorker, Town and Country and Sebring to help bring customers in as opposed of beat names with no resonance.

EVs are NOT for everyone and true interchangeability to OCE/hybrid is still far away. Chrysler could distinguish itself ftom other luxury manufacturers by offering dramatic content across the entire line of new models, not just EVs (hedging financial bets as well).

Cadilac is almost exclusively a CUV and SUV brand 12% accounted for by cars and on yearly free fall.

Do you use Jeep Capacity to build vehicles that cannot be offered worldwide, and will sell for lower Margins then Jeeps? Honest question. How do ROI on negative revenue?

I think maybe yes... if your talking about a version of the Wagoneer S. You lower it, you restyle the front, You price at the Model Y.

Chrysler should be exclusive REV or EV.... Yes, this something that is not offer at Tesla. But I think eventually will.

As for "dramatic content" what does that mean? Today everything comes with leather and all the gadgets. The Low end Korean model can be had with luxury level to this day have never been offered in Chrysler .... even the high-end Pacifica models.

The issue is Luxury has been redefined and those who remember Chrysler as a near Luxury brand are aging out of the market.

It has been 24 years since Chrysler became Plymouth, Almost, 30 since Daimler insisted that it not step on Mercede's toes. That means that Chrysler hasn't been a luxury brand to anyone younger than 45 since they have been driving.

It has been best known for what it make now, Minivans and being the parent company of Jeep, Ram, and Dodge.

I am not trying to be Debbie Downer.... I just stating the Hurdles..... I don't think Buick and Cadillac are the answers these a SUV brand with Chinese Cars.

There is a competitor that went for Zero to bestselling car in the world in a decade and 4th in the USA.... Continuing to pretend that didn't happen because of our own personal preferences is a profound error.

 

[vbondjr1]

I have to say I agree with everything said here. Chris needs to follow Carlos out the door, she part of what is draining the Mopar brands. I've also been saying almost exactly what Cygnus said above about Chrysler being the more dedicated EV brand. This is not to say that Chrysler should only have EVs, but it should be the EV arm of Mopar. It all goes back to my statements of having a purpose and direction for each brand, Ram is a dedicated truck brand, Jeep should be a dedicated SUV brand, Dodge is a volume/muscle brand and Chrysler should be the Luxury brand/EV focus brand. Perfect example, look at the Charger Daytona, both R/T and Scat Pack. If his car had come out as a Chrysler as a sedan with the same power and the same price, no one would have batted an eye. Even with the car being fairly competitive with the Redeye Challenger and being an absolutely amazing vehicle and far nicer than any Charger or Challenger that has come before it. At the end of the day, it's not what the average Mopar muscle car enthusiast is interested in. A Better marketing strategy would have been to create this as, "the Chrysler 300E, the electric Chrysler with redeye performance" and gave it that sleek concept styling with a different interior and the same pricing, No one would have been upset even with the Fraztonic system. Something like this along with the Chrysler Airflow Concept, which there was nothing wrong with, would have definitely helped Chrysler move forward and make sales. The Wagoneer S/ Wagoneer & Grand Wagoneer would have been the Chrysler LeBaron (375hp 2.0L Hybrid), Chrysler New Yorker (420hp Hurricane-6 S/O & 496hp EV) and Chrysler Imperial (510hp H/O Hurricane & 670hp dual motor EV).

The Grand Cherokee, the Wrangler and the Gladiator would have been where I would have put a huge focus on the Hurricane-6 as the return of the straight-6 Jeep! and I would have lined it up to have two powertrains, a 400hp 4Xe and the 420hp Hurricane-6 for the three Jeep vehicles. The STLA Large Jeep Cherokee that is incoming would still have a Longitudinal powertrain but it's sole engine would be a 400hp 2.0L Hybrid 4Xe powertrain. Rename the upcoming STLA Large Recon as the Renegade and also give it the 400hp 2.0L Hybrid 4Xe powertrain as the sole powertrain, redo the Compass on the STLA Medium platform with the hybrid powertrain from the Hornet R/T as the sole powertrain and now you have a Jeep lineup that is mostly electrified with hybrid powertrains.

The Ram 1500 is fine but I wouldn't have dropped the 5.7L from the lineup even with the addition of the Hurricane powertrains and a 392-Hemi Ram 1500 R/T street truck and a Hellcat Ram 1500 Street truck has been needed for awhile along with the return of the TRX. Ram needs to bring back the Dakota to battle the Ranger and Colorado but also the Rampage needs to be here on the STLA Large platform to combat the Maverick.

As far as the Dodge brand is concerned, I'm honestly not upset that the Hurricane powertrains are going to be powering the new Charger, but I don't think they've thought this all the way through. Now, Dodge survived the 80's, 90's and up until 2004 without a V8 so I'm not one of those people that think the brand will die without a V8 powered muscle car. However, I understand the value of choice and honestly it is nice having the V8s around. Dodge would do well to have a corvette-fighting Hellephant powered Viper along with a V8 muscle car but I don't see it being the Charger, even if it could be. An STLA: Large chassis coupe-only Coronet would be my though with a few upgrades to the 5.7L Hemi V8 including two supercharged variants would be how I would keep the V8 alive while the Charger would be the Hurricane king, with the Daytona models being hybrid versions of the 3.0L S/O & H/O powertrains and the Six pack cars being the R/T six pack and the Six pack scat pack, with a 400hp GT 2.0L Turbo hybrid Hurricane-4 at the low end of the totem pole. Have the Durango's powertrain lineup span from a 400hp 2.0L Turbo-4 GT, a 420hp S/O R/T, a 550hp Scat Pack and a supercharged Hemi SRT version. Redo the Hornet on the STLA Medium platform and give us a proper Dodge Dart midsize hatchback about the size of the Kia Stinger or Acura TLX Type S with about 370hp with a hybrid setup as the Dart Demon GLH and the same for the GLH Hornet.

 

[vbondjr1]

edit to above to where I said about the Chrysler LeBaron (375hp 2L hybrid/600hp EV)

 

[TripleT]

edit to above to where I said about the Chrysler LeBaron (375hp 2L hybrid/600hp EV)

Anything named that would be an instant flop in today's market. The would appeal to my parents and spouses' parent but are not buying new cars because they think their driving days are over.

 

[BWS1]

Interesting conversation folks. And all pie in the sky. As I’ve said before several times, and oh how it pains me to say, Chrysler is gone. This outfit is bleeding, and there will be no resources dedicated to resurrecting Chrysler. And no don’t sell it to the ChiComms. Let it go away with some dignity. And brace yourself. Up next - Dodge.