2006 Chrysler Pt Cruiser Convertible, 2.4 Turbo, Touring Edition, Excellent Cond on 2040-cars

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The current state of Chrysler: 10 questions with CEO Chris Fuell

In case you missed it, Chrysler is still a happening item. The V8-powered 300C was a hit when it was revealed last year, selling out in mere hours. The Pacifica minivan is a rocking family bus, and there are some concepts floating around, too. That said, it’s been a minute since we sat down with Chrysler to see whatÂ’s new.  CEO Christine Fuell — known as Chris — has been on the job since 2021. To get a sense of where she thinks the company is now and where itÂ’s headed, we sat down with Fuell at last week's Chicago Auto Show for a one-on-one chat. From jokes about a Pacifica Hellcat to where Chrysler stands on controversial post-purchase subscription services, we take a look at what Fuell and Chrysler are up to. Read on below for the Q&A. Autoblog: WhatÂ’s the future for the Pacifica name plate? Fuell: Pacifica's the hero of the brand, and as we look toward the future, we want to make sure that Chrysler is known not just as a minivan brand, but a brand that makes minivans. We created the segment nearly 40 years ago. Autoblog: Is more electrification a path that you see for a minivan in the future? Fuell: It certainly is a natural progression Â… migrating to full electrification in the minivan is just kind of the natural next step. We made a commitment to fully electrify the portfolio by 2028, and so, every new product that we launch between now and then will be exclusively a battery electric propulsion system. Autoblog: Everybody likes to joke about the Pacifica Hellcat, but with electrification Â… ? Fuell: You can put some interesting tuning experiences in a minivan. Not saying that we would, but itÂ’s possible. Autoblog: Concerning the Chrysler 300C that sold out instantly, does it give you any pause in that journey to electric in seeing how rabid people are about this really cool V8 sedan? Fuell: In terms of the popularity of a V8, when you're going down this path of clean mobility, it can create a bit of a dichotomy in terms of what the brand really stands for. But at the end of the day, the 300 was a very important product to the brand when it launched in 2005. It set a tremendous trend for not only design but attracted a lot of new customers to the brand that we hadn't seen before and, so we wanted to send it off in a real respectful celebration.

2015 Chrysler 200

For the last seven years, the Chrysler Sebring/200 has been a car that few people have managed to say anything good about. When you saw one on the road, it was probably silver and you probably assumed it was rented - especially if it was a convertible. In fact, this writer has never been in one. Ever. I've only watched them go by, trailed always by a roiling wake of invective and vituperation, a lone defender or two asserting meekly and in vain, "It's actually not that bad..."
With roughly 2.3-million units sold every year in the midsize sedan segment where the 200 lives, even tallying 125,476 sales in 2012 (when the 200 was the best-selling car in the Chrysler Group) was never going to be enough. This is the brand's volume offering and the entry point for new-car buyers before they move up to something like a full-size or a crossover. Chrysler's 2011 facelift and rebranding program was a pretty valiant attempt at putting lipstick on a Sebring, but the automaker needed to do a lot better, in every way to command more consideration, sales, respect and resale value - and everyone at The Pentastar knew it.
Enter the 2015 Chrysler 200. This is the sedan that "charts a new course for the Chrysler brand," from its hovering wing badge on the grille to the one billion dollars invested in the company's suburban Detroit Sterling Heights Assembly Plant, including more than doubling the number of quality control inspectors in the new quality assurance center.

Ferrari stock demand exceeding supply

As with the Ferrari cars, so it is with shares in the company's initial public offering: When Ferrari has a limited quantity of something to sell, demand far outstrips supply. Investors told banks weeks ago that bids for the $1 billion in stock – up to 18.89 million shares – would exceed the number of shares available over the entire expected range of $48 to $52. Ten percent of the company is going on the block' Bloomberg reports that the books close on the IPO on Monday at 4:00 pm. The final price will be set on Tuesday, and trading will begin Wednesday under the ticker symbol RACE on the New York Stock Exchange. Piero Ferrari, the son of Enzo Ferrari, will hold onto the ten-percent stake he currently has in the company. Fiat Chrysler will disburse the final 80 percent to its investors sometime in 2016. In combination with spinning Ferrari off from its parent company next year, the share sale is expected to put $4 billion into Fiat Chrysler coffers, which will be used to help fuel the growth of Alfa Romeo, Jeep, and Maserati. Assuming all goes to plan, Bloomberg says Ferrari will be valued at roughly $12 billion, a number $1 billion greater than the valuation Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne put on Ferrari earlier this year and higher than the brand's own internal assessment. Related Video: