2010 Chrysler Braun Wheelchair Handicap Conversion Van Mint on 2040-cars

Auto blog

We aren't the only ones who want a Chrysler Pacifica Hellcat

Yes, you read that correctly: Chrysler. Pacifica. Hellcat. We want one. It's definitely not happening. But that doesn't mean we – and the FCA designers – can't dream, right? That's what led to this sketch, posted on Instagram by Fiat-Chrysler design boss Ralph Gilles. It looks pretty sweet, including that hella important wing for maximum downforce, yo. As long as we're dreaming, we've got a few other requests. Let's put that 707-horsepower, 6.2-liter, supercharged V8 in the middle of the van. Screw the Stow 'N Go seats – let's get that engine mounted as low in the car's midsection as possible. And while we're at it, let's go for rear-wheel drive. And a six-speed manual transmission. And a third row of seats behind the engine, but rear-facing, so we can make our friends puke. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. In all seriousness, we're looking forward to driving the regular Pacifica when it launches this Spring. To refresh your memory, it's a totally new van, and will even be offered in Hybrid spec with an 80-mile-per-gallon-equivalent rating. Sounds impressive. Oh, heck. Hellcats > Hybrids. Ralph, we urge you to make this one a reality. Related Video:

Is it time for American carmakers to give up on dual-clutch transmissions? [w/poll]

Last week, in the midst of Detroit's first days seeking relief in Chapter 9 of the bankruptcy code, Automotive News contributor Larry P. Vellequette penned an editorial suggesting that American car companies raise the white flag on dual clutch transmissions and give up on trying to persuade Americans to buy cars fitted with them. Why? Because, Vellequette says, like CVT transmissions, they "just don't sound right or feel right to American drivers." (Note: In the article, it's not clear if Vellequette is arguing against wet-clutch and dry-clutch DCTs or just dry-clutch DCTs, which is what Ford and Chrysler use.) The article goes on to state that Ford and Chrysler have experimented with DCTs and that both consumers and the automotive press haven't exactly given them glowing reviews, despite their quicker shifts and increased fuel efficiency potential compared to torque-converter automatic transmissions.
Autoblog staffers who weighed in on the relevance of DCTs in American cars generally disagreed with the blanket nature of Vellequette's statement that they don't sound or feel right, but admit that their lack of refinement compared to traditional automatics can be an issue for consumers. That's particularly true in workaday cars like the Ford Focus and Dodge Dart, both of which have come in for criticism in reviews and owner surveys. From where we sit, the higher-performance orientation of such transmissions doesn't always meld as well with the marching orders of everyday commuters (particularly if drivers haven't been educated as to the transmission's benefits and tradeoffs), and in models not fitted with paddle shifters, it's particularly hard for drivers to use a DCT to its best advantage.
Finally, we also note that DCT tuning is very much an evolving science. For instance, Autoblog editors who objected to dual-clutch tuning in the Dart have more recently found the technology agreeable in the Fiat 500L. Practice makes perfect - or at least more acceptable.

Marchionne to take his sweater and go home after 2018

The end is in sight for Fiat Chrysler boss Sergio Marchionne, who confirmed in an interview with Bloomberg that once FCA's sweeping five-year plan is completed, he'd be stepping down from his post to "undoubtedly" do something else that didn't involve turning around global corporations. That would mean he should finish up after 2018 if all goes according to plan.
"It's as important to walk away from the table as it is to sit down," Marchionne told Bloomberg.
Marchionne has been at Fiat since June of 2004 and is one of the chief architects behind the Italian company's acquisition of Chrysler. Despite his successes, he does sound quite ready to move beyond the auto industry, rhetorically asking his Bloomberg interviewers if there "are other things I like to do apart from this?"