Disclaimer: There's only so many ways to say "face-lift", so for the sake of ease models receiving a face-lift (as opposed to new sheet metal) will gain the prefix "FL".
A lot of people are curious as to how this Fiat/Chrysler party is going to play out. Well, Chrysler's now beginning to paint a clearer picture of its upcoming lineup. So, what's the "new Chrysler" have in store for consumers?
Arriving very soon will be the next generation Mercedes-based, Jeep Grand Cherokee (with Chrysler's new Pentastar V6). Coming a little later in quarter three are a Pentastar-packing Wrangler and an FL Patriot.
The schedule indicates quarter four will play host to Fiat/Chrysler's main event. Chrysler's models will be cut down to three models for the time being: an FL Town & Country Minivan, the Sebring replacement, and the new-sheet-metal 300 Version 1.5.
Bulk brand Dodge gets an E-CUV set between the revised Charger 1.5 and FL Journey to replace the Magnum and Durango (probably the bigger, Grand Cherokee-based crossover we showed you earlier this year), along with the FL Grand Caravan and FL Avenger.
The aforementioned models, along with Jeep's FL Compass and Fiat's mini-fighting 500 (both Q4), will represent how Chrysler views itself at end of the beginning of its revamp. This is important, because consumers will finally see if Chrysler has taken their second chance as seriously as GM has.
With 14 face-lifted/updated/replaced models, new power trains, and the promise of more stuff on the way from Fiat, we may just be looking at the new Chrysler that should have come about under Cerberus.
According to Sergio Marchionne (via Automotive News), "By year-end, 75 percent of the portfolio will have been significantly changed"; it looks like most of that is across the consumer car side of the equation
Keep watching, this is going to get interesting.
By Phil Alex
