For years, people have speculated that Chrysler was on its last legs. With no all-new models since the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica and a lineup limited to the Voyager, Pacifica, and Pacifica Hybrid, the brand looked like it was fading into the background. But after spending the summer covering event after event and hearing directly from Chrysler CEO Christine Feuell, I can confidently say this: Chrysler is not only alive and well—2026 is shaping up to be one of its biggest years in decades.
A combination of new leadership at Stellantis, shifting emissions rules, and a renewed commitment to affordability has fueled a fresh direction for the 100-year-old brand. Chrysler’s next chapter is coming fast, and Feuell has been unusually open about what’s on the way.
Feuell didn’t waste any time shutting down the rumors at the Chrysler Carlisle Nationals this summer. When asked point-blank whether Stellantis planned to sell or shutter Chrysler, she gave one of the clearest statements we’ve heard from any modern automotive CEO.
“I want to put to rest any thoughts, rumors, or assumptions that it is being sold. It is not,” Feuell said. “Like I said, Antonio Filosa is now at the helm of the company, he believes in Chrysler, he is rebuilding our portfolio, and he is doubling down his investment to grow in the North American market and reclaim leadership in all of our brands.”
This wasn’t corporate-speak. It was firm, direct, and backed up with specific product details.
Under former Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares, Chrysler was expected to go fully electric by 2028. That’s no longer the case. With Antonio Filosa now leading Stellantis and with states revising emissions requirements, Chrysler is embracing a multi-energy strategy—including internal combustion, hybrid, and electric options.
Feuell confirmed that shift in an official response to our inquiry:
“Our new STLA multi-energy platforms, as well as our existing platforms, are engineered to offer a variety of powertrain options, including internal combustion, hybrid, and electric.”
She continued,
“To better meet the needs of our customers and provide freedom of choice across our offerings, both Chrysler and Alfa Romeo are pursuing multi-energy powertrain strategies for our future product lineup.”
This new plan gives Chrysler the flexibility it needs—especially now that the majority of American shoppers aren’t ready for a full EV transition.
One of the biggest moments from Feuell’s talks this year came when she confirmed that SRT isn’t gone—it’s being revived.
“I am so excited to bring back SRT,” she said. “I can tell you after meeting with my counterparts Tim Kuniskis and Matt McAlear we got a really awesome plan for SRT. It’s a great opportunity for us to bring back the performance brands and products that have been so iconic in the past as we look to the future.”
And then she dropped the bombshell:
“To cut to the chase, I think you can expect to see some SRT models under the Chrysler brand.”
Yes, she even mentioned that a performance-oriented Pacifica would be fun—and honestly, that idea would absolutely break the internet. But realistically, a Pacifica SRT would struggle to meet true SRT standards unless it underwent massive reengineering far beyond its current architecture.
One of Chrysler’s strongest identities—especially during the 1990s and early 2000s—was its “blue-collar luxury” approach. These were vehicles that felt upscale and comfortable, yet still attainable and rooted in American practicality.
Feuell has hinted that Chrysler wants to turn back toward that formula.
Between the planned sub-$30,000 compact vehicle, the revival of SRT, and the brand’s push toward better design and materials without sky-high prices, Chrysler is clearly shifting back to being the attainable premium American brand that made it famous.
This is particularly important as competitors push prices higher and higher. Chrysler sees an opening—one that reconnects with working-class families who want style and comfort without luxury-brand sticker shock.
Blue-collar luxury doesn’t mean cutting corners. It means engineering smartly, avoiding unnecessary gimmicks, and investing in what owners actually touch, feel, and use. Chrysler helped pioneer that idea, and it looks like the brand is ready to reclaim it.
The first new Chrysler products of this revival launch in 2026. They include:
A heavily updated Pacifica with the brand’s new design language
An all-new D-segment crossover, codenamed C6X, riding on a multi-energy platform
Another crossover that slots beneath it
A new sedan, which may bring back the Chrysler 300 name
Feuell confirmed that Chrysler is absolutely working on a new car:
“We are working on a car, and I can tell you that with 100% certainty,” she said. “I can’t tell you when exactly it’s going to launch, but I hear from all of you that you want to see the 300 come back, and that’s on the table, for sure.”
For a brand that has gone almost a decade without a truly new model, this is an enormous shift.
Feuell was adamant about fixing one of the biggest issues in today’s car market—cost.
She pointed out that the average new vehicle transaction price has climbed to a staggering $49,000. That number alone eliminates a massive chunk of buyers.
Feuell said Chrysler is actively working on a small car to change that:
“One of the things that is very important for us to prioritize though is affordability… we are working on a small car or whether you call it a compact car, but something that can transact under $30,000… something that will be beautiful and fun to drive and aspirational, because you want people to feel proud… that it’s wearing a Chrysler badge.”
This ties directly into that return to blue-collar luxury. Chrysler wants to be the brand that delivers style, comfort, and performance without forcing buyers into luxury-brand budgets.
Between the updated Pacifica, two crossovers, a sedan, a sub-$30K model, and the return of SRT, Chrysler is planning a multi-vehicle lineup with performance options, multiple powertrains, and a revived focus on attainable luxury.
With Feuell, Filosa, and Kuniskis aligned, the brand finally has clear leadership and investment behind it.
Chrysler isn’t dying. It’s rebuilding. And 2026 is the start of a very busy comeback.
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Just confirming based on what I just read, “2026”? So we will see new Chryslers before the new mid-size Ran, Jeep Cherokee and Compass? Kind of a stretch seeing we have not seen ANYTHING other than the axed Airflow in the last 2 years. Yet we have seen both Jeeps and have an idea on what the new mid-size Ram may look like.
Well I have ALWAYS trusted your reporting, so from your mouth to Gods ears!
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Just a guess, but the smaller (C-segment?) CUV, and the sub-$30k model, are one and the same
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So the four years beyond its expiration date minivan will get an update in 2026. Three other models are “slated” to be introduced with no committed timeline. They will obviously be years away, IF we ever see them. Again, as I’ve said over and over, wake me up when they park them in the showroom . Otherwise, just the same old snake oil.
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Part of that video came from the event they had some time ago and even if the first part was more recent, it's still just talk. After all this time, with the "rework" of the C6X that was happening over a year ago at this point and there's still no rendering or mock up, it's the same spill different day.
We know that Alfa Romeo is going in a different direction because the new CEO in Europe scrapped what was planned and has a whole new objective of what he wants that brand to look like. Chrysler has limped along with the Pacifica/Pacifica lite (I refuse to call it by anything else) and I don't see where they will be putting out anything in 2026 if we aren't even seeing mules, unless it's a reskin of something that already exists. I would love to believe that Chrysler is really back, but until there is real metal meeting the pavement, it's just more words without action.
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