Adieu, Pacifica: Chrysler Closing Design Studio

Good riddance to that bloated, impractical, overpriced, heavy wagon and its uglier sister, the mercedes R-class (has it also been discontinued? I think so)

The Pacifica was killed but in this article, they are talking about closing Pacifica, the design studio.

Oops!

Thanks for correcting me..did not bother to read the article, too much work on Monday morning..

As for the design studio they closed, I never really knew much about it. I know every import and even domestic maker used to have a CA design and idea place. Chrysler is fighting for its life these days and cannot afford its own, probably.

They also can spend that $ better improving the really bad interior quality and reliability of their cars and trucks.

(but I still stand bymy comments re the pacifica and the M-B R class)

Chrysler seems to be spiraling around the drain. Will it be anything but a badge-manufacturing plant for Cherys in five years?

Thor: the Pacifica and the Merc R-class have absolutely nothing in common, the Pacifica was a minivan with a chopped roof, the R-class is a stretched, lowered M-class (and is a really sweet vehicle, even if some of the design details could have been a little cleaner.)

I can't agree with you on the car, Thor. I've had an '04 Pacifica since '05, and it's the most comfortable cars that I have owned. Could use a couple more horses, but...

I do agree with you on the "R". Ugghhh!

JEM, if I do recall there is a bit of E Class in the Pacifica. It actually has nothing to do with a mini-van.

Uh... I see why Chrysler needs to cut back on any excessive extremities. Trying to make it a much leaner machine to create product that people will want to buy and continue buying and pull itself out of the red. However, in the latest news of shutting down the Pacifica Design Studio, I didn't read anywhere about what design branch they WILL be using. In additon to that question, there was an article here on this site a couple weeks ago about Chrysler design miscues and how much there is lack of it as of late (Sebring, Avenger, Jeep Compass, Caliber, etc.) I can't write verbatim, but I am certain that I had read many times in many different sources about where Chrysler's better designs had come from, namely the PT Cruiser, Prowler, Magnum, Pacifica, Viper, Challenger, Concorde, Intrepid, and many hot looking concepts, like Dodge Copperhead, Chrysler Atlantic, Chrysler Phaeton, Chrysler Firepower, etc. I do remember reading in the past several years that most of these designs that I just listed CAME FROM the Pacifica Design Studio!! And the latest designs (Sebring, Compass, etc.) are not. So... why is Chrysler killing off the Pacifica Design Studio again? Why not kill off a different design studio?? Perhaps, kill off the internal design studio in favor of keeping the Pacifica Design Studio??
And I agree with Bananaman3M... the Pacifica (the actual automobile) is a fine looking crossover..... it's roomy, rides very comfortable, and classy. I've never owned one, but rented one to drive from Iowa to Washington D.C. and back for a week's vacation. I had nothing but rants and raves about it. I would have bought one, but my wife likes bigger windows and thought the Pacifica's were a little too small. I don't agree, but I don't want to buy something she'd complain about. Does anyone remember the concept car to the Pacifica?? Granted, it was much much more impressive... it was called Chrysler Citadel and was circuiting around the auto shows back in 1999 back when the highly-styled retro Dodge Charger was being shown off. Wasn't THAT car designed at Pacifica Design Studio too??

Probably a good cost cutting move by the new owners.

The car however, was not marketed properly. I could have launced a new segment. Toyota is just now entering it with their wagon concept Toyota Mark X ZiO. I know guys that lost their jobs over the poor launch of the Pacifica. The market didn't identify what it was, a van, a crossover, a station wagon, it became a mess. A good vehicle and a good idea that... well, bombed.

The R-Class is an expensive, VERY ugly, mess... it will be out of the line in less than 2 years.

Some over at Chrysler found a brain!.

Remove anything and anybody that [have-had}any connection and affiliation with California and Californians from anything automotive!; and the auto industry{U.S.of A.} will stand a chance in the international and HOME Markets.

Thank "GOD we will be FREED from the Likes of their deranged and depraved madness's(Californians)?.

Seems like poor marketing defines Chrysler in recent years. How about the Crossfire and the Magnum. Can anyone even remember these cars being marketed? They're dead now too.

Pacifica the design studio... closure probably a big mistake. What the article doesn't say is how Chryslerberus is failing to retain good design talent in a job market where every other job option (automotive, Orange County, CA or both) looks more attractive.

Pacifica the car... comfortable and good handling, yes. The original engine and 4AT were a bit overwhelmed with the weight of the vehicle. Styling distinctive, but greatly compromised utility: Outward vision to the rear was attrocious, Third row seats were tiny, cargo space with all seats in use was non-existent. My wife's tragically un-hip Honda Odyssey will out perform a Pacifica on every objective measure except a skidpad (maybe).

Initial marketing of the Pacifica was VERY big budget, but missed the target. Remember Celine Dion "We drove all night"? Brilliant message for tired parents hauling kids around... NOT! But a bigger problem was fading appeal of the vehicle. First full year sales were a lot better than the last full year. Which demonstrates that Chrysler could and did overcome the off-target initial launch, but could not sustain demand for the product at an acceptable margin. Nardelli actually hired the genius who conceived the Celine Dion message... go figure.

BTW: Mercedes R-Class may be an ugly duckling, but is an excellent vehicle.

billyjoejimbob: Daimler-Benz was operating under the mistaken theory that Chrysler was some kind of premium nameplate when the Pacifica and the Crossfire went to the showrooms, and it's still my belief that when they discovered the market wouldn't support their pricing aspirations for Chrysler product they panicked and decided to unwind the whole thing right then.

As for Nardelli and the present operation, California is a ridiculously expensive place to do business and perhaps it doesn't make sense to have a design house out here, but I still have low expectations for the future of that outfit.

Since retro is in, the K-car should be brought back....oh, yeah, baby! Those sexy boxy lines and sagging rear ends!

Gee, was THAT car design from Pacifica Studios?

I buy nothing but Chrysler products. The Pacifica design studio came up with a ton of great concepts over the years that became great sellers for chrysler and dodge. I hope they took the most talented people out of there and moved them to Auburn. Who knows.
I'm sick of hearing hearing the new owners talk about being competitive in the global market. Yeah, yeah, how about being competitve in the US first, getting back on your feet then worring about the rest of the world?
I do agree with getting rid of all their weird models. The Compass isn't a Jeep and can go. The Sebring is strange looking. The Avenger has no identity of it's own. The Magnum is an awesome wagon and no one has anything like it, yet the dolts are going to dump it. Dodge is supposed to be Chrysler's performance/econo division. The PT cruiser should have been a Dodge.
Chrysler should only make high end luxury cars like Caddy does and quit messing around with cheap crap. Chryslers should be their flagship vehicles with power and grace exclusively. Let Dodge have all the fast fun stuff.
Chrysler doesn't know what it wants to be anymore.

"Remember Celine Dion “We drove all night”? Brilliant message for tired parents hauling kids around… NOT!"

This was worse than I thought!

When Chrysler, in its extreme stupidity and lunacy, gave that pathetic lame-ass singer $13 million to tell us to drive cars she knows NOTHING about, andn would not know even if if she tried, I thought THIS was the most idiotic move in Car advertising.

It is bad enough when morons buy an overpriced sneaker because Michael Jordan or some other well-paid sports star touts it on TV (at least Jordan KNEW SOMETHING about what a sneaker should be)

But when you hire DION of all 6,000,000,000 people on this planet, the LEAST approproate of the 6 billion, and even give her the full $13 million DESPITE the HORRIBLE results of her FAILED campaign (that was abruptly and deservedly cut early),

then I have to question whether the morons that decided this have even a SINGLE digit IQ, let alone Double!

Thor: Everyone involved with that campaign lost their jobs, and perhaps rightly so. Great, creative and a unique concept the Pacifica, but again, a blown Mktg job destined it for ruin. Wonder if it had an H or T on the front if it would sell better? Problem is I'll bet most owners really like their Pacificas. Man you've got such rage!

Xjug: I hope it was only the guilty ones that lost their jobs, they really deserved to. Do you know who was the ringleader that came up with that lamest of the lame idea?

It's not rage, I just can't stand that lame-o Dion, esp. when she makes those gestures and faces that she falsely believes are "cute" or funny, and they sure aren't. Emaciated body and brain-wise.

BAck to the Pacifica, I understand why the owners may have liked them. It even looks far better than the other heavy 6-seater in 3 rows, the R-class. BTW, even if the R-class is M-class based, its dimensions and weight are far, far c,oser to the pacifica's.

Exterior-wise the Pacifica looks good. Due to its obese weight and long wheelbase, it should also be comfortable on long trips. But I have not seen the interior, and don't know if two grown-up six-footers can really fit in the third row.

But now with $4 gas just around the corner, how many Pacifica owners will still be glad to pay the fuel bills?

Thor - looks aren't everything. The Pacifica is mechanically and in platform a chop-top Caravan. It doesn't matter much what it looks like, it's still basically a front-drive minivan platform.

The R-class is a far different and infinitely better vehicle.

I hope the ten R63s they sold in the US have crappy resale value, 'cause I'm gonna find one sooner or later.

Interesting how many commenters do not read the article, but have passionate opinions about it anyway! The article is about the Design Center in CA, not the vehicle or its marketing, and says they are consolidating design at their HQ in Auburn Hills, MI in a fairly clear manner.

In regards to the now-cancelled Pacifica (not the design studio in this article) if Chrysler could re-invent and re-introduce it now, in the era of the "Cross-over", it might actually sell. Except the gas mileage was awful. I had a rental Pacifica for a time and I only got about 14 mpg around town in it (without abusing it). Very comfortable vehicle though. And it had last-generation E-class chassis underneath, so it drove well too.

It seems like the new Chrysler management is cleaning up the mess left by the "Merger of Equals" and the excesses brought on by years of successful truck and SUV sales. Ford needs some help too, if any other venture capitalists are listening.

Andy - the Pacifica is all Dodge minivan underneath, the engine points side-to-side, you can get a FWD version, etc. If there's any E-class it's minimal.

Private-equity and venture funding is a mixed bag, few are really in it for the long haul.

DanDetroit - yes, the article referenced the design center, but the comments soon went off in another direction.

Their goes all the jobs to Mexico( no recovery for USA economy) to build cheap cars thanks to Cerberus(Zionist Khazar Jews) who owns Chrysler, don't anybody hold their breath Chrysler cars has always been of inferior quality.