2012 Chrysler Town & Country Touring on 2040-cars

Auto blog

2024 Chrysler Pacifica Review: Plug-In Hybrid is still the one to get

Pros: Unique plug-in hybrid; versatile Stow ‘n Go seats; great entertainment features; good looks Cons: No cheaper base trim; top trims and Hybrid are really expensive; less-comfy second-row Stow ‘n Go seats Wow, does time fly by. The 2024 Chrysler Pacifica represents the eighth(!) model year since ChryslerÂ’s iconic minivan lineup was reborn under a single newish name with handsome styling, state-of-the-art features and a plug-in hybrid powertrain that provided unrivaled fuel economy for a three-row family vehicle. Turns out Chrysler did a pretty bang-up job all those years ago, because for 2024, the Pacifica remains a fully competitive and appealing minivan that doesnÂ’t seem long in the tooth. True, the revolutionary Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid makes a more compelling case for itself since no competitor matches it. Even the excellent, hybrid-only Toyota Sienna doesnÂ’t offer the all-electric range of the Plug-In Pacifica. The superior fuel economy offered by both, however, is the key reason why they are our top minivan choices. We ultimately give the nod to the Toyota due to interior versatility and the Plug-InÂ’s hefty price increase last year (2024 pricing was not available at the time of this writing, but since when do cars get less expensive year to year?). As for the standard, V6-only Pacifica, it still stands out from the pack with its user-friendly technology (for those up front and in back), attractive interior style, well-mannered driving dynamics, and unique Stow ‘n Go second-row seats you canÂ’t get in the hybrid. ThereÂ’s a lot to like, but then the same can be said of the Sienna, Kia Carnival and Honda Odyssey. The Pacifica may not be long in the tooth, but its competition has caught up or surpassed it in some respects, so cross-shopping is a must. Interior & Technology   |   Passenger & Cargo Space   |   Performance & Fuel Economy What it's like to drive   |   Pricing & Trim Levels   |   Crash Ratings & Safety Features What's new for 2024? The Pacifica Hybrid has been officially renamed the Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid, but itÂ’s always been a plug-in hybrid, so thereÂ’s nothing functionally new about it. Its trim levels do get reduced by one, with a new Select trim level joining the carry-over Pinnacle. Speaking of that trim level, it gets a new exclusive “Sepia” interior color, with quilted leather seats accented with “Light Diesel stitching and Sydney Gray piping.” Fancy.

Chrysler may be testing a Hellcat 300

Another day goes by, and another mysterious, undisguised SRT prototype comes out of FCA. This time we have a Chrysler 300 SRT that looks nearly stock except for its footwear. Our spy photographer got up close and personal with this machine, and found that it has the same wheels with 315-mm tires that were on the early Dodge Demon prototypes. The only difference is the wheels on this 300 have Chrysler-branded center caps. All that extra width means these wheels stick pretty far out from the wheel wells, which would suggest that any production car running this setup would have flares to cover the wheels. Behind those wheels are four-piston Brembo calipers and slotted discs that looks similar to those on the current 300 SRT. We doubt that Chrysler is building a Demonized version of the 300, but the tires do suggest that this is a much more potent 300 than the current SRT, which was discontinued in the US in 2015 but is still sold in the Middle East and Australia. That's not all we have to go on, though, since our spy photographer says it sounded like it had Hellcat power under the hood. Equipping a 300 with a Hellcat engine would be a breeze, too, since the engine is already in the Charger, which is virtually identical mechanically. What you may be wondering is why Chrysler is adding a Hellcat version of the 300 SRT when that model hasn't been available in the US since 2015. One possible reason is that this would finally allow Aussies access to the 707-horsepower machine. Dodge is not a brand offered Down Under, so it doesn't get the Charger Hellcat, leaving the 300 as the only V8, rear-drive Mopar available. And for the Middle East, if the normal 300 SRT was selling well, it would only make sense to offer another variant. It shouldn't cost Chrysler too much to develop this model either, since the 300, mechanically, is virtually identical to the Charger. Related Video: Featured Gallery Chrysler 300 SRT Hellcat Widebody Spy Photos View 16 Photos Image Credit: Brian Williams Spy Photos Chrysler Performance Sedan chrysler 300 srt8

Jay Leno parades around in '52 Chrysler Imperial

Jay Leno is not known as a quiet man. He's a comic, after all. So how do you think it'll go when he's given an enormous, Chrysler Imperial parade car, complete with two meaty public-address speakers on the front bumper? Exactly. In an amusing start to the latest episode of Jay Leno's Garage, we see the eponymous star of the web series addressing the citizens of Burbank, CA from the big, comfy seat of a 1952 Chrysler Imperial Dual-Cowl Phaeton. One of just three produced by Chrysler at a price of about $33,000 a pop – a whopping $296,000 in today's dollars – this particular example is owned and still used by the city of Los Angeles. Its most famous passengers include President Dwight D. Eisenhower and then-Vice President Richard Nixon. Underhood, there's a 331-cubic-inch Hemi V8 that's been mated to a two-speed PowerFlite automatic. As for the exterior, while it may look like a 1956 Imperial, it did originally roll out of the factory in 1952. According to the LA city officials that accompanied the car, Chrysler called the three sedans back in 1955 and refitted them to fit in with the latest Imperial models. At 21.5 feet long, even in today's world of big pickups and SUVs, this particular example occupies a big space on the road. Surprisingly, it's still driven regularly, taking part in parades and celebrations across the City of Angels. You can check it out both in Jay's garage and on the streets of Los Angeles in the video above.