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2018 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid Long-term Review | Introducing something green

BIRMINGHAM, Mich. — I'm stoked to drive this minivan. Legitimately. The 2018 Chrysler Pacifica hybrid is an impressive evolution of the minivan and a smart execution of electric technology. Why hasn't someone made a hybrid minivan until now? I ponder this as I unplug the charger and take my first spin in the Pacifica, the newest addition to the Autoblog long-term fleet. Sinking into the leather seats, I'm immediately relaxed. That's why you buy a minivan: comfort and convenience. Hybrid tech? Well that makes this thing sustainable and even cool. Whether your friends are swanky or wonky, play the plug-in hybrid card and your people hauler is cooler than theirs. What we got We went with the Pacifica Hybrid Limited. It starts at $44,995 and wears a beautiful shade of Ocean Blue. The interior features black and alloy pieces and leather. Power comes from the sturdy 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 dubbed the eHybrid for this application, and it works with an eFlite electrically variable transmission home to two motors making 84 and 114 hp. The hybrid battery pack has 96 lithium-ion cells that generate 16 kWh of energy. The net system power is 260 horsepower. In real-world driving, it's quick, torquey and more fun to drive than the average minivan. It can charge in two hours using a Level 2 charger and offers 33 miles of range on pure electricity. Collectively, it puts out 84 MPGe, and using just the Pentastar it's still rated at a robust 32 mpg in combined city and highway driving conditions. The Limited is the top-of-the line Pacifica trim, offering heated and vented front seats, an 8.4-inch Uconnect touchscreen and 13 Alpine speakers as standard equipment. We added a safety and tech package ($995) that includes parking assist, a 360-degree surround view camera, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, seatback video screens and a Blu-ray DVD player. We also ticked the box for the hybrid appearance package ($395) to add 18-inch polished aluminum wheels, body color treatments for the mirrors and door handles, and a "Black Spear Applique" for the rear fascia. It's not worth your money. We topped it off with the $1,595 tri-pane sunroof, which is totally worth your money. Final cost including destination: $49,325. It's reasonable, considering the level of luxury the Limited offers, and as we all know, hybrid tech isn't cheap. If you can get the $7,500 federal tax credit the government offers on electrics, it's a great value.

Why Stellantis needs Chrysler

Stellantis has a secret weapon. It’s called Chrysler. Rumors swirled this year that the 96-year-old namesake brand of the former Chrysler Corp. could be on the chopping block, but Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares promptly shot them down. Now what? The brand has three nameplates: the 300 sedan, the Pacifica minivan and Voyager minivan, which is just an entry-level version of the Pacifica. Sedans and vans are not high priorities for most automakers, but they work for Chrysler. And because it is such a small brand, it has great opportunity. Consider the existing product line: The Pacifica is one of the best minivans you can buy. Stellantis has a lot of brands, but it doesnÂ’t have that many singular products that are at or near the top of their segments. The Pacifica is good, but the Pacifica Hybrid is unmatched. ItÂ’s an affordable, plug-in electric minivan thatÂ’s efficient and functional. ThereÂ’s nothing else like it on the market. The 300 is ancient, and unlike its platform mate, the highly evolved Dodge Charger, the 300 has languished. The 300 is still a decent premium sedan, but itÂ’s gone from trendsetter to afterthought. Chrysler needs a new 300 thatÂ’s different from the Charger and offers some kind of premium proposition. In this view, a rear-wheel-drive flagship thatÂ’s performance-oriented but civilized would work. The existing formula, essentially, just updated. ThereÂ’s a lot of equity in the 300 nameplate, and frankly the Chrysler brand needs vehicles, so killing this sedan doesnÂ’t make a lot of sense. Find an identity and make it work.  2021 Chrysler Pacifica Pinnacle View 19 Photos A revitalized 300 and a winning Pacifica buy some time. Then? Just two more vehicles would make Chrysler considerably stronger. Resist the urge to go with a sports car, which would drain time and resources. Did the Crossfire do anything for Chrysler? Even if they nail it, itÂ’s still a niche vehicle. Instead, go for the obvious — but make it interesting. A midsize crossover with an amazing interior and a plug-in powertrain, like the Lincoln Aviator, would do the trick. Offer two- and three-row variants. This might bump up against Jeep and its Wagoneer family. DonÂ’t worry, Jeep will be fine. This is about resuscitating Chrysler. Do something clever with the suspension (again, like the Aviator and its Mustang-derived chassis) or add some kind of conversation-starting technology, like VolvoÂ’s safety features. The other model should be all-electric.

FCA scion John Elkann tries to pull off a Marchionne-sized merger

MILAN, Italy — When John Elkann lost his ally last year with the sudden death of Sergio Marchionne, some questioned whether the softly-spoken scion of the Agnelli clan would be able to emerge from his shadow to ensure Fiat Chrysler's future. But New York-born Elkann, who became Fiat chairman in 2010, acted decisively to fill the vacuum left by the larger-than-life Marchionne and get closer to the big merger deal the legendary executive was unable to deliver. At just 28, Elkann was thrust into the role of Fiat vice chairman after the deaths of his grandfather and great-uncle "because there was really nobody else" to take the wheel. For Elkann, who got his first taste of the car industry as an intern at a factory producing headlights in Birmingham, England, the first 18 months with responsibility for the family-owned carmaker and its long heritage were "terrible." But from that low point, Elkann, 43, is now trying to merge Fiat Chrysler (FCA) with French rival Renault to form the world's third largest carmaker and tackle new challenges facing the industry. Elkann will become chairman of the merged FCA-Renault if the deal goes ahead, ensuring the Agnelli dynasty plays a central role in the next chapter of automotive history. At an event in Milan on Monday, the usually-shy Elkann looked happy and confident. His first big break came with an instrumental role in persuading Marchionne, who was running one of the businesses owned by the Agnelli family, to become chief executive in 2004 and give Fiat "a new start," Elkann said in a "Masters of Scale" podcast last year. Fiat was at the time almost on the brink of collapse. This involved a "very long night ... and many grappas" but proved to be a turning point in the fortunes of the Italian company founded by Elkann's great-great-grandfather Giovanni Agnelli, which built its first car in 1899. In 2005, Elkann backed Marchionne in negotiating the breakup of an alliance Fiat had entered into with General Motors in 2000, receiving $2 billion from GM in return for canceling a deal that could have required GM to buy the remainder of Fiat Auto. Marchionne then used GM's money to fund a turnaround at Fiat, which involved taking the Italian carmaker into a transformation alliance and then full-blown merger with U.S. automaker Chrysler as Elkann agreed to the Agnellis loosening their grip.