Chrysler has languished for years without much in the way of new product. As the brand prepares to celebrate its centennial on June 6, it sits with a lineup consisting of only a minivan, which is offered in Pacifica and Voyager guises.
It’s a far cry for a brand responsible for icons like the Imperial and 300C. However, Chrysler parent Stellantis hasn’t given up on the brand and has at least two new vehicles in the pipeline, plus a major update for its minivan that is expected to arrive as soon as the 2026 model year.
The brand’s boss has now given insights into its future, as well as hopes that a major car segment could see a big resurgence.
Multiple New Products On The Way
Chrysler CEO Chris Fuell in January said the two new vehicles would include a crossover and something inspired by the sleek Halcyon sedan concept originally rolled out in 2024, and in an interview with Detroit Free Press published this week, she said both vehicles were on track but will arrive later than previously thought.
The crossover, which was last confirmed by the automaker for launch in 2026, will now only arrive in 2027, though a debut in 2026 is still possible. We’ll remind you that Chrysler originally planned to launch an electric crossover in 2025, but plans for the vehicle were put on pause earlier this year as Chrysler turned its attention to delivering models with gas engines in the face of slowing growth in EV demand.
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The crossover due in 2027 will arrive as a hybrid, Fuell said, with the possibility to add an electric powertrain at a later date. It is expected to be bigger than the electric crossover originally planned for launch in 2025. That smaller electric crossover might not be dead, as Stellantis design boss Ralph Gilles has made hints in the past that the crossover is still coming, though perhaps with a different design to the one previewed by 2022’s Airflow concept.
Cars Set For A Comeback, Says Chrysler CEO
Timing for the Halcyon-inspired model isn’t clear, but it likely won’t be before the crossover due in 2027. In the same interview with Detroit Free Press, Fuell said she believes the “car segment is ripe for growth and resurgence,” meaning not every new vehicle from Chrysler will have to be a utility.
Dealers have been clamoring for a replacement for the 300, which ended production in late 2023, and the new Halcyon-inspired model may be the ticket.
Chrysler needs all the new product it can get. It sold just 124,684 vehicles in the U.S. last year, marking a 7 percent decline compared to 2023. The poor performance has led to rumors that Stellantis may spin off the brand, something the great-grandson of Chrysler founder Walter P. Chrysler, Frank B. Rhodes, Jr., has suggested the company should do. He’s even approached Stellantis on several occasions with an offer to turn around the brand. However, a spin-off is something Fuell has denied on multiple occasions.
Source: Detroit Free Press
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