Tag Archives: fca
Will There Be a New Dodge Viper?
The Dodge Viper is probably one of the most iconic cars of our generation. With its production tracing back from 1992 to 2010 and then making a comeback in 2012, it was sad to see it go last year. So, during the recent interview of Fiat Chrysler Automotive CEO Sergio Marchionne, he was asked if there are plans to revive the sports car.
Based on Marchionne’s statement, the future of the Viper remains bleak. He said that the Viper cannot stand on its own because it needs to share its architecture. Then, it needs a platform specifically designed to house its American engine. Another factor holding back the return of the sports car was its low sales volume.
With that, the rumors about the sixth-generation Dodge Viper were doused. It was previously speculated that there were plans for the new model to ditch its V10 engine in favor of a new naturally-aspirated V8. The unit will be able to produce 558 hp for its base trim and up to 710 hp for its range-topping trim. Reports claimed too that the upcoming Viper will get a lighter platform, but it will retain its distinctive shape as well as its front-engine and rear-drive set-up.
For now, it appears that the fate of the Viper has been sealed though.
Dodge Continuing the Charger and Challenger
Despite the heartbreaking developments about the Viper, Dodge will go on with its Charger and Challenger models. Marchionne said that the two will get an upgraded architecture.
The FCA CEO noted that they will likely continue using the Giorgio platform for the cars. However, the architecture needs an upgrade to make the models more competitive. He hinted that by the time they are finished reworking the current platform, we might not be able to recognize it from its origins.
Chrysler Has A New Pacifica-Based Crossover SUV Coming
It looks like Chrysler is adding up to its lineup with a crossover SUV based on the Pacifica minivan. That is quite ironic since the brand repurposed the old Chrysler Pacifica crossover’s name for a minivan and then later on, that very same van yielded another crossover.
The information that FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne revealed in his interview with MotorTrend is an exciting development from Chryler. That’s because nothing much is going on with the brand in the past months, except for the departure of the 200.
With only the 300 and the Pacifica currently in its lineup, Chrysler is looking to market its brand to another market—specifically, people who doesn’t want either a large sedan or a minivan. Both these segments are giving up their share of the market for the crossover, which will have three rows and will reportedly in 18 months.
This is the right step for Chrysler since companies like Subaru and Volkswagen have also expanded their market to that of the crossover segment. The decision, of course, to use a Pacifica-based crossover will be beneficial to the crossover’s market. After all, a Pacifica platform offers more advantages than spewing just another model.
There are some “unique opportunities” in store for the new crossover since it will be using the Pacifica platform. Finally, we could have a crossover that has a spacious cargo and passenger space. There is also the possibility of adapting the PHEV powertrain to the new crossover.
Plug-in crossovers haven’t been tried by “ordinary” brands, except for Mitsubishi, though the Japanese automaker only tried the plug-in variant with its luxurious Outlander PHEV. That being said, the Chrysler has a chance to offer a larger PHEV than the Outlander.