Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is building a
Hellcat-powered Pacifica minivan! That’s what Ralph Gilles, FCA’s Head of
Design, tells TopSpeed in an exclusive phone interview. The automaker, with the
help of SRT’ s engineering team, will produce the heavily modified
family-hauler for the 2017 model year.
You may recall Gilles’ January Instagram post of a
hand-drawn sketch showing a low-slung Pacifica- looking vehicle with
low-profile tires on large wheels and pronounced aerodynamic features. The
post, which has received more than 700 likes and 60 comments, started the
Pacifica Hellcat rumors.
SRT’s engineering team is handling the project. The
Pacifica‘s chassis is being completely reworked in order to fit the Hellcat
V-8, eight-speed automatic transmission, and AWD configuration. Gilles says the
powertrain is borrowed from the upcoming Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk – itself
a Hellcat-powered SUV with AWD.
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