The Big Three may have lasted just less than 100 years. The Chrysler brand, founded in 1925, could be axed in 2021. Fiat Chrysler and Europe’s PSA Group meet today for a final vote on plans to merge. The move forms the world’s fourth largest automaker. The Associated Press reports that they may, soon after that, vote to close the Chrysler brand.
The combined company, which takes the Stellantis name, will continue to sell many brands in the United States. The Ram trucks and Jeep brands remain successful, while Alfa Romeo will continue to sell its lineup of performance-oriented sedans and SUVs. Fiat, though temporarily down to just the 500x compact SUV, is expected to continue and grow.
Chrysler, however, offers only the aging 300 sedan, the Pacifica minivan, and its Voyager offshoot (essentially a bare bones Pacifica at a more affordable price). The Pacifica is a bright spot, currently number two in our ranking of the best minivans on the market, but hasn’t saved the company’s prospects. Its sales are slumping, down 19 percent through October (the most recent month available).
Shuttering the brand wouldn’t have much practical impact on the American industry. Since 2016, all remaining Chrysler products come from Canada. But it would mean the symbolic end of the era when Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler were the stalwarts of American industry.
For car shoppers, the shuttering of an entire brand can mean deals on the last examples on dealership lots. While the Chrysler 300 will likely go away, the Pacifica and Voyager may be sold by Dodge. The division ends Grand Caravan minivan production after the 2020 model run.
