{"id":216487,"date":"2022-01-05T00:01:00","date_gmt":"2022-01-05T05:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thedetroitbureau.com\/?p=216487"},"modified":"2022-01-05T17:29:28","modified_gmt":"2022-01-05T22:29:28","slug":"brand-reborn-chrysler-airflow-concept-could-be-whats-desperately-needed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/2022\/01\/brand-reborn-chrysler-airflow-concept-could-be-whats-desperately-needed\/","title":{"rendered":"Brand Reborn? Chrysler Airflow Concept Could Be What\u2019s Desperately Needed"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

With last year\u2019s merger that created Stellantis, the Chrysler name vanished as a corporate entity. And whether it survives beyond the history books could depend upon the reception given to the sleek new crossover concept making its debut this week<\/a><\/span><\/strong> at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Chrysler
Stellantis charges into CES 2022 with a nod to the past while moves into the future: the Chrysler Airflow all-electric concept.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Dubbed the Chrysler Airflow, it reaches into the automaker\u2019s once substantial past to offer a vision of what could be its future. And an all-electric one, at that. A production version, widely expected to reach showrooms by the 2025 model year, would be the first Chrysler battery-electric vehicle. But the brand confirmed at CES it plans to go 100% electric by 2028.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Chrysler Airflow Concept represents the future direction of the Chrysler brand, providing a peek at the dynamic design, advanced technologies and seamless connectivity that will characterize the full-electric portfolio we plan to reach by 2028,\u201d said Chris Feuell, Chrysler Brand chief executive officer \u2014 Stellantis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Forward into the past<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Launched in 1934, the original Chrysler Airflow was the first truly streamlined American automobile. Cheating the wind has become even more important today, an essential part of extending the range of a battery-electric vehicle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Chrysler
The Chrysler Airflow represents the future direction of the Chrysler brand, said brand boss Christine Feuell, during a CES presentation.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The Airflow that rolled into CES this year is an updated version of the concept crossover first shown in Las Vegas two years ago<\/a><\/span><\/strong>. It has a low and wide stance, striking a balance between CUV, wagon and fastback. Both front and rear glass are sharply raked \u2014 and connected by a nearly all-glass roof \u2014  with more subtle sculpting to the hood and body panels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As has become the norm in the battery-electric world, the Airflow will ride on a skateboard-style platform with motors, batteries and other drivetrain components mounted below the load floor. As a result, there\u2019s only a small grille below the bumper to feed cooling air to the drivetrain. Above that, the hood descends aggressively, with a narrow \u201clight blade\u201d running across the front end, linking narrow slit headlamps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A look inside<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Chrysler
The concept features a dynamic design proportion, with a low ride height and streamlined, two-tone roof line that achieves an elegant yet athletic profile.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The layout offers a number of advantages, starting with a lower center of gravity. It permits moving the wheels out closer to the corners. And it yields a much larger interior than Airflow\u2019s footprint might suggest, with a flat load floor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The cabin has an elegantly high-tech feel to it, with living room-style seats and video displays just about everywhere you look, both front and back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe design features a decisively elegant aerodynamic exterior and a modern, sophisticated interior that takes the customer on a new level of digital delight.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Airflow\u2019s \u201cStellantis Brain\u201d and \u201cSmartCockpit\u201d offer the latest in infotainment systems, as well as Level 3 autonomy that allows the vehicle to be operated hands-free under most conditions. Smartphone-style over-the-air updates can be used to replace software or add new features.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The Chrysler Airflow concept is designed as a space to bring people together, both physically and virtually, by integrating the latest Stellantis technology advancements,” said brand boss Feuell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Chrysler
The Chrysler Airflow Concept is designed to achieve between a 350- and 400-mile range on a single charge.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Long range, quick charging<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For now, Chrysler is offering relatively few details about Airflow\u2019s drivetrain. It makes use of two 150 kilowatt electric motors, one on each axle. That would mean a maximum potential output of about 410 horsepower. And it allows for all-wheel drive without a driveshaft hump running through the cabin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beyond that, expect it to \u201cdeliver 350-to-400-mile range and fast-charging functionality.\u201d Considering where competitors are heading, that would suggest something at or above 100 kilowatt-hours of batteries \u2014 and charging times that should drop below 30 minutes, possibly as little as 15, to get an 80% boost using one of the latest high-speed public chargers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pricing? Well, that would depend upon where Chrysler finally chooses to position an Airflow, or a production model based upon it. Cadillac\u2019s Lyriq, with a single electric motor, is set to go on sale later this year at just under $60,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Chrysler
Airflow\u2019s \u201cStellantis Brain\u201d and \u201cSmartCockpit\u201d offer the latest in infotainment systems, as well as Level 3 autonomy.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Production plans uncertain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s still far from certain the Chrysler Airflow will make it into production. Indeed, there are plenty of skeptics who are willing to bet that the brand\u2019s days are numbered<\/a><\/span><\/strong>. The division is down to two products \u2014 and that includes the all-but-forgotten Chrysler 300 sedan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares has stressed he has no plan to dump any of the new company\u2019s 14 automotive brands \u2014 at least not for now. And Tavares will be the one to introduce the Chrysler Airflow during a CES event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For now, the automaker will only say that it plans to introduce its first fully electric model in 2025 \u2014 which, in auto-speak could be anytime in 2024 if that refers to model year, also falling in line with plans to go 100% electric in 2028.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ironically, while Chrysler may hope that the name, Airflow, resonates with potential buyers, it also has to be hoping the crossover will do better than the original model bearing that name. It came to market in 1934, well before buyers were ready to accept its distinctive styling. It was pulled from production just three years later.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Public reaction to the Chrysler Airflow all-electric concept crossover may be the lynchpin to keeping the Chrysler name alive. Find out more at TheDetroitBureau.com.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":216475,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6,7,8,1608,10,9],"tags":[4232,4258,4260,4259,601],"make":[],"post-state":[],"category_old":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/216487"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=216487"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/216487\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":216605,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/216487\/revisions\/216605"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/216475"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=216487"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=216487"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=216487"},{"taxonomy":"make","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/make?post=216487"},{"taxonomy":"post-state","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post-state?post=216487"},{"taxonomy":"category_old","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/category_old?post=216487"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}