Over the past few weeks, Chrysler’s social media channels have been sharing teaser images; today the full story has been revealed. The new vehicle is the Chrysler Halcyon concept, created to showcase futuristic technology under development from advanced self-driving to a glass augmented-reality ceiling. No model year has been given to the Chrysler Halcyon concept, … Read more
Stellantis, parent company of the former Chrysler, is adding to its production of electric drive modules (EDMs) due to increasing in battery-electric vehicle (BEV) sales. The expansion will be in Szentgotthard, Hungary, with production starting in late 2026. The drive modules are also being made in Kokomo, Indiana, and Tremery-Metz, France while Mirafiori, Italy will be increasing … Read more
Stellantis was the final member of the former Big Three to announce its use of the SAE J3400 connector for high-speed charging. This connector essentially uses the physical form of Tesla’s design with the protocols of the Combined Charging System (CCS). Drivers will presumably be able to use Tesla chargers as well as those from other makers, including Ionna, the new charging network announced by six major global automakers. Ionna, whose name and chief executive were just released last week, plans to have 30,000 high-rate charging points in North America by 2030.
The good news: Two Mopar marques were rated as above average in the J.D. Power 2024 Dependability Study, which looks at problems per vehicle after three years of ownership. It is a better test of quality than the initial quality study, which only looks at around 90 days and is more heavily influenced by dealer and factory preparation.
The bad news: Chrysler was the absolute worst brand on the list, coming in even below Land Rover and Tesla; though the study covers the first year of the Pacifica PHEV, which had a rough launch. Ram came in below average, but still beat fellow truck sellers GMC and Ford.
A century ago, Chrysler officially launched its first car, the Model B-70. It had an advanced, high-compression straight six engine boasting 68-70 horsepower, depending on the source; only one American car had a higher top speed than the Chrysler B-70’s 70 mph, and that was a luxurious straight-eight Packard. … There are still nearly eleven months for Stellantis to acknowledge the centennial of Chrysler as a marque, but it’s too late to celebrate its actual production start date on time.
If you spend any time at the drag strip with your modern Dodge Challenger or Charger, you likely know that fluid on the track is the most common cause of racing delays. When a racer breaks an engine or transmission, they often dump fluid on the track that makes the surface very slippery, leading to … Read more
Chrysler posted a hint as to their next concept car, due to be revealed on February 13, 2024, with one cryptic word barely visible—indeed, not recognizable as lettering until the image is lightened considerably and blown up. Chrysler, which currently has just one vehicle, a minivan, on sale, will be revealing two more teaser images before showing the full concept car, as well.
McDonald’s made a brave choice when they adopted a Plymouth Barracuda, rather than the default choice of a Mustang, for the Hamburglar to drive across America.
The relatively rare Barracuda, with a Shaker hood and cheeseburger-themed spare tire, was worked over by Sean Smith Designs much more tastefully than most custom jobs. As a getaway car, it’s probably not quite as useful as a Plymouth Road Runner would have been, but it’s also far more muscular-looking than a Mustang.
The National Chrysler Products Club (NCPC), created in 1979, is closing down in 2024, on its 45th anniversary. The club was reportedly split from the Walter. P. Chrysler Club, which continues to be active. Despite its name, the NCPC was mainly active in three states—Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, rotating its annual shows mainly between … Read more
A brand spokesperson has confirmed that the next generation Dodge Charger Daytona will debut on March 5. No further information has been offered as to where the debut will take place, but we know that we only have to wait a little more than a month to get the first real details on the battery-powered … Read more
The old “KL” body Jeep Cherokee, based on the CUSW platform (sharing with the Dart, 200, and Pacifica), has been out of production for quite some time now. Its replacement, a new Jeep Cherokee, has mostly been the subject of rumors, but its basic body shape has been seen—no, not in that rendering (though that is the basic idea, as it was imagined in 2021).
While some secondary indicators and a good deal of complaining suggest that Americans aren’t buying into EVs at the rate automakers and regulators would prefer, Europeans seem to be transitioning over relatively quickly. EV sales went from 14% in 2022 to 18% in 2023, passing diesel’s share, according to the European automakers’ association. [Article continues with discussion of events in Europe and contrasts in North America, and things buyers need to watch for.]
FCA US’ Andrew Morris and Craig DeYoung created a system to reduce the compression ratio while you’re starting your car, to cut back on the starter’s workload. The system uses the engine’s cam phaser system to increase valve lift to the point that compression falls to 5:1-6:1 from the usual roughly-10:1.
Lately, the performance of EVs in extreme cold has been popping up in social media. Studies do show that, like gasoline-powered cars, BEVs have poor efficiency in the cold, but once warmed up, they do much better. Numerous short trips will drain the BEV’s battery relatively quickly—as they will a gas tank. Four FCA US … Read more
Jeep has dropped a small group of photos of the 2025 Wagoneer S, the upcoming STLA Large electric car. While it’s around a foot shorter (bumper to bumper) than the normal Wagoneer, some expected interior space to be similar because much less space is needed for the hood, with no room for a 392 V8 … Read more
General Motors (GM) made more money than they expected to in 2023, despite a larger loss at their Cruise self-driving subsidiary. While pundits and some Stellantis releases have claimed that the UAW deal made it impossible to (for example) attend auto shows, today’s revelations by GM show it may not have a dramatic impact going … Read more