2013 Chrysler Town & Country Touring on 2040-cars

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2017 Chrysler Pacifica isn't your parents' Town & Country [w/video]

I'm sick of people hating on minivans. There's something about two incredibly functional sliding doors that give people this idea that they've given up, and given in to family life. But if the van you see here had two fixed rear doors, and maybe an extra inch of ride height, it'd be gobbled up like mad as part of the growing crossover craze. So yes, the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica – that's right, Pacifica – is a minivan. But it's so packed full of features, technology, and functionality, that you really ought to look past those sliding doors. There promises to be an incredibly rewarding vehicle within. The 2017 Pacifica rides on an all-new platform, but dimensionally, it's similar to the outgoing Town & Country. That whole "ugh, minivans" thing is one of the reasons why Chrysler decided to axe the Town & Country name for 2017. Simply put, the target customers for the new minivan (young parents) would have grown up in their parents' Town & Country vans (or Caravans, or Voyagers...) in the 1980s. Three decades later, FCA wants to make it absolutely clear that this isn't just your parents' minivan. Why it chose to bring back the name of a lackluster part of its mid-2000s history, though, is anyone's guess. The 2017 Pacifica rides on an all-new platform, but dimensionally, it's similar to the outgoing Town & Country. It's a tenth of an inch shorter in length, about an inch wider, and roughly half an inch taller. The body itself looks great – influence from the 200 sedan is obvious up front, and around back in the taillights, and top-trim models can be had with 20-inch wheels – a big change from the old van, which topped out with 17-inch rolling stock. There's big weight-savings here, too – the Pacifica tips the scales at 4,330 pounds in base spec, which is over 300 pounds less than the Town & Country. Inside, it's more of the same from Chrysler. The interior design uses language brought up from the 200, and the different color and material choices look really rich, especially in Limited Premium trim. Of course, I'll wait to make final judgments on the cabin until I see it in base cloth spec, rife with kid fingerprints and french fries ground into the carpets. Up front, the Uconnect 8.4-inch touchscreen houses familiar infotainment functionality, and for backseat passengers, there's a new Uconnect Theater system, with a pair of 10-inch touchscreen displays.

Proposed deal averts strike between FCA and UAW

With the deadline rapidly approaching for a strike, FCA US and the United Auto Workers were able to hammer out a potential agreement late last night to avoid picket lines, at least for now. While the UAW said in a statement that it "secured significant gains," the actual contents of the deal haven't been published yet. Before going public, the offer still needs the consent of the UAW National Chrysler Committee, and that body has a meeting on 11:00 AM Eastern on Friday, October 9, to make a decision. If the Chrysler committee signs off on the deal, it would then go to the union's 40,000 FCA US workers for a vote, according to The Detroit News. "We have made real gains and I look forward to a full discussion of the terms with our membership," President Dennis Williams said in the UAW's statement. FCA US isn't providing any answers about the proposed contract either. In a release about the negotiations, the automaker said: "FCA US confirms that it has reached a new tentative agreement with the UAW. Because the agreement is subject to UAW member ratification, the Company cannot discuss the specifics of the agreement pending a vote by UAW members." The original tentative contract with FCA US promised raises and the creation of a healthcare co-op. However, 65 percent of union members rejected the deal, The Detroit News reports. Workers didn't like that the offer kept a two-tier wage system between veterans and more recent employees. The details of the health plan also weren't explained well, and there wasn't much info on possible production changes. UAW-FCA NATIONAL BARGAINING COMMITTEE VOTES ON PROPOSED TENTATIVE AGREEMENT Featured / News / October 8, 2015 UAW National Chrysler Council Leaders to Convene for Vote on Friday, Oct. 9 — Terms to be announced following Friday vote Detroit, Mich. – After a lengthy bargaining process, the UAW FCA National Bargaining Committee has secured significant gains in a proposed Tentative Agreement with FCA US announced today. The bargaining committee unanimously voted to send the proposed Tentative Agreement to local union leaders who make up the union's UAW National Chrysler Council. The UAW Chrysler Council will meet in Detroit at 11 am on Friday to discuss and vote on the agreement. "We heard from our members, and went back to FCA to strengthen their contract," said UAW President Dennis Williams.

Next Jeep Wrangler to get hybrid option?

This may the year a Jeep hybrid is officially announced. Really. The Chrysler division may finally be making plans for its first gas-electric powertrain to help boost the group's fuel economy, says UK's Auto Express, citing Mike Manley, CEO of FCA's Jeep division. The guinea pig of sorts may be the Wrangler, which moved almost a quarter-million units in the US last year. The Wrangler could get a hybrid drivetrain by the 2017 model year, as Jeep executives look to maintain the model's feel and torque while boosting its fuel economy. The Wrangler gets a pretty paltry 18 miles per gallon combined out of its six-cylinder mill, so the bar's set pretty low. Of course, we've heard this talk before. In late 2013, Chrysler Asia-Pacific product planning manager Steve Bartoli told Australia's Drive that a Jeep hybrid was pretty much inevitable, though not much has been mentioned since. FCA could use all the help it can get in the fuel economy department. The group brought up the rear among automakers when it came to fuel efficiency, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said in its EPA Trends report released last October. The FCA models combined for a 21.1 miles per gallon average for the 2014 model year, compared to the 24.2 mpg overall industry average. The group's only electric vehicle in the US is the low-volume Fiat 500e, though the company may start selling a plug-in hybrid version of its Chrysler Town & Country by the end of the year. Featured Gallery 2014 Jeep Wrangler Polar Edition View 9 Photos News Source: Auto Express Green Chrysler Jeep Fuel Efficiency Hybrid