Chrysler has halted development of an electric midsize crossover that was expected to arrive this year with a design partly inspired by the Airflow concept car first shown in 2022.
Citing an email allegedly sent by Chrysler parent Stellantis to suppliers, Mopar Insiders reported on Jan. 9 that Chrysler had paused plans for a midsize crossover being developed on Stellantis' STLA Large platform and destined to be built alongside the Chrysler Pacifica minivan and STLA Large-based Dodge Charger at a plant in Windsor, Ontario.
A Chrysler spokesperson has since confirmed to Motor Authority that CEO Christine Feuell put the program on pause as the brand “assesses the market and its customers' needs and wants.”
The spokesperson also confirmed that Chrysler is still on track to launch an updated Pacifica in 2026, which will be followed by a separate crossover and a third model inspired by 2024's Halcyon concept car. The planned crossover is thought to be larger than the model whose development was just paused. An electric Pacifica with flexible seating is also in the pipeline, Feuell confirmed to Green Car Reports last fall.
Stellantis design boss Ralph Gilles, in an interview with Motor Trend published in 2023, said the original crossover inspired by the Airflow wouldn't use the concept's name or design. He said Feuell wanted the production model to go in a different direction from the concept, styling-wise.
Feuell, in the same interview with Motor Trend, said the revised design performed well in customer clinics held in Los Angeles, and added that it retained some of the concept's aesthetics but featured a more modern overall design.
Chrysler has languished for years with a limited lineup, leading to rumors it may be axed or spun off from the rest of Stellantis. However, Feuell, in an interview with CNBC earlier in January, said that Chrysler has a bright future and is receiving investment for new products.
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