Chrysler Looks to Expand Its Limited Vehicle Lineup
Rumors surrounding Chrysler's future family of vehicles show that the brand wants to add several crossovers to its current collection
Crossovers aren’t the only concepts from Chrysler
The Chrysler lineup of vehicles may be small right now, with only the Chrysler 300 and Pacifica in its ranks. However, that simply means that there is a lot of room for expansion for the brand.
The climate for growth in the Chrysler family has led to several rumors and reports surrounding the future of the brand. To the surprise of nobody, that future is reportedly populated by crossovers.
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Automotive News reports that two crossovers have the potential to enter the Chrysler lineup in the next few years. One of these would be a midsize model, while the other would be a full-size vehicle.
The midsize Chrysler crossover is set to be built at FCA’s Belvidere Assembly Plant in Illinois. It’s rumored to share a platform with the current iteration of the Jeep Cherokee.
Meanwhile, it has been speculated that the full-size model will possess the resurrected Aspen nameplate. While the yet-unnamed midsize model is set to enter production in 2019, production for its full-size cousin won’t begin until 2021 at the earliest.
Could the Tipo take a trip over to America?
Those aren’t the only murmurs of a new vehicle. In lieu of the recently-cancelled Chrysler 200, FCA has considered bringing the Fiat Tipo sedan over to the U.S. under the Neon name. Still, no official plans have been announced regarding this move.
Another potential model that has not yet come to its full fruition is the Chrysler Portal. The electric minivan concept produced a high amount of interest when it was first unveiled a few months back, though FCA has made no official plans for the electric vehicle since. As for Chrysler’s other minivan, the Chrysler Pacifica, reports suggest that it could be receiving a refresh as early as 2020.
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Chrysler’s current sedan, the Chrysler 300, was set to be placed onto the newly-developed Giorgio platform in 2020. However, Automotive News states that those plans have since been abandoned.
Instead, Chrysler is now on track to shed weight from the 300 to improve fuel economy during its next refresh, scheduled for 2019. FCA is also planning on adding a Hellcat-powered engine to the Chrysler 300 sometime next year.
Among all of these swirling rumors and reports, one thing is clear: Chrysler will need to introduce more models soon if it wants to succeed in the currently competitive car market.
News Source: Automotive News (subscription required)
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